Beer Calories Sink To a New Low

Nobody wants to be the bearer of an unsightly beer gut, and beer makers are working hard to prove to consumers that they're belly-friendly. If the 100-calories in your average bottle of light beer is just too much for you, some of the big breweries are introducing ultra-low calorie beers. MillerCoors' Miller Genuine Draft 64 and Anheuser-Busch InBev's Select 55 have -- you guessed it -- a mere 64 and 55 calories in a bottle, respectively, meaning they have almost 100 fewer calories than a regular bottle of beer. There's a trade-off though: the alcohol is about as low as the calorie count -- less than 3 percent in both, making it little more than water with a beer flavor.

So is it a good idea? Beer manufacturers seem to think so, so when you consider that Miller Genuine Draft 64 sold twice as much in a year as its predecessor, Miller Genuine Draft Light, it seems they're onto something. And for those looking to have one or two brews and still stick to their diet, this ultra-low beer seems like the perfect solution-- if they can handle the watered-down taste. However, those who are drinking to get drunk will likely end up drinking more bottles -- the only thing that will shrink in size is their wallet.

Think you know your nutritional values? Find out for sure -- Test your calorie knowledge.