Adam Sherk with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research is pushing to have caloric and nutritional information posted on the alcohol we purchase.

He says it’s a bit odd that the alcohol industry has been exempt from posting this information on its packaging when it is mandated on most other products we purchase.”The thing that really made us interested in this is because calories and other nutritional information isn’t shown on alcohol containers. So, this is really unique. Almost all food and beverages in Canada that come in packages are mandated to have caloric and other nutritional information on them, but not alcohol.”

He says Canadians drink more than most and beer is our beverage if choice. “The average Canadian drinker drinks about two drinks per day which is pretty high. Definitely if we look at it globally that’s quite a high average. And this equates to a good number of calories. About 250 calories per day if we averaged it out…. Can or a bottle of beer would have around 140 or 150 calories in each can. A glass of wine, if its a small pour, if it’s a standard drink because often pour more into our glass, but if it’s a standard drink then it’s around 100 or a little bit less calories.”