All the hype about Low Alcohol...

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Here's some interesting reading from Beer and Health....

"Do You Know that ...

A distinction has to be made between low alcohol and alcohol-free beer. Alcohol- free beer contains less than 0.5% alcohol while the alcohol content in low alcohol beer is between 0.5% and 1.2%. The alcohol content in table beers is also low, ie. a maximum of 1.5%. Furthermore a distinction has to be made between beers with normal sugar content and those with a high sugar content. Beer with a low alcohol content and a normal sugar content in fact have rather more sugars (8.2 to 16 g/250 ml) than ordinary lagers (7 to 10 g/250 ml). However, as a result of their lower alcohol content, they contain up to 50% fewer calories than ordinary lagers. Therefore these beers are recommended for people with weight problems, but should be avoided by people with diabetes.

Beers with a low of alcohol content and high sugar content (27.2 - 31.2 g/250 ml) contain around three times as many sugars as ordinary lagers and thereby contain around as many calories as ordinary lagers, despite their low alcohol content. These low alcohol beers are thus of no help to overweight people. Special beers with a high alcohol content (13 to 20 g/250 ml) often contain more sugars (7.5 - 22.5 g/250 ml) and thus more calories (130 - 200 kcal/250 ml) than ordinary lagers. People with weight problems should therefore consider that heavy beers generally contain more calories than ordinary lager. Beer & Health."