Why doesn't some scientist get his friends together, have them all drink a beer and measure their blood sugars afterwards? The scientific world is remiss in its failure to fully investigate this critical issue. To my knowledge, no one has methodically determined the glycemic load of a glass of beer. However, a typical beer contains about 10 grams of carbohydrate, which means the glycemic load could not be more than 75. This is complicated by the fact that alcohol has a slight blood-glucose-lowering action, which reduces the effect of the carbs on your blood sugar. The bottom line is that a glass of beer probably won't raise your blood sugar much, but a whole bunch of glasses just might.

Like all sugar-containing liquids, beer adds to calories rather than replaces them. Also, alcohol consumed before a meal dulls your sense of fullness so that you tend to eat more than you would otherwise. Moreover, some folks consume 6 packs at a time rather than glasses, which is another matter.

The common belief that beer causes a "beer belly" is a misconception. It's the cigarettes that many beer drinkers puff on that appear to be the culprit. They cause the body to release hormones that cause fat to accumulate in the abdomen in preference to other parts of the body.