Low-carb beer draws local ire
Budweiser Select contains 3.1 grams of carbohydrates and 99 calories.
Published Feb. 25, 2005
Yet another contender has jumped into the low-carb food market, with the introduction this week of Anheuser-Busch's first low-carb Budweiser.
Budweiser Select became available nationwide on Monday. The new beer contains 3.1 grams of carbohydrates, 99 calories and 4.3 percent alcohol by volume in a 12-ounce serving.
The beer will be brewed in seven of Anheuser-Busch's 12 nationwide breweries and will join five other beers the company produces under the Budweiser name.
According to an Anheuser-Busch news release, the beer is "brewed for a crisp taste that finishes clean."
The beer spends twice as much time in Anheuser-Busch's brewhouses, where grains are milled, mixed with water and mashed, according to the news release.
Anheuser-Busch representatives declined to comment on the new product.
Beers typically have 11.4 grams of carbohydrates and about 147 calories, said Terry Wilson, a health educator and coordinator of MU's Health Promotion Program at the Student Health Center.
"This new beer is deceptive advertising trying to fool the consumer, because it is not that much of a difference from a normal beer," Wilson said. "Consumers need to be alert that this beer is trying to catch people on the carbohydrate craze as opposed to really making a difference in their health."
Unlike Budweiser, Flat Branch Pub and Brewing, 115 S. Fifth St., does not offer any low-carbohydrate or low-calorie beers because, though the beers cut down on carbohydrate intake, low-carb beers end up sacrificing a lot of flavor, Flat Branch brewer Larry Goodwin said.
"Normal beer is going to normally have eight to 14 carbs," Goodwin said. "Depending on what beer you chose, you can drink one or two of those instead of three or four of the low-carb beers and not do to much damage to your carb intake. People have to make a choice between focusing all on carbs or focusing on taste."
Despite the beer's health-conscious campaign, Goodwin said he believes Budweiser is trying to tap the fast-growing market for low-carbohydrate products.
Although freshman Patrick Fleming said he believes a beer that helps people lose weight could be beneficial, he questions its effectiveness.
"I imagine there will be a huge increase in sales initially, because people will want to try it simply because they think it will improve their health and make weight loss easier," Fleming said. "I guess the beer helps out in the long run but I just question how effective it is for weight loss."
Wilson said if people already have their necessary daily calorie intake, drinking beer or other alcoholic beverages puts on unnecessary and empty calories.
"The way you lose weight is through exercise, eating healthy and through the important key of moderation," Wilson said.