Alcohol in the body is converted into a substance called acetate. Unlike a car that uses one supply of fuel, the body is able to draw from carbohydrates, fats and proteins for energy. When your blood acetate levels increase, your body uses acetate instead of fat. To make matters worse, the more you drink the more you tend to eat; and unfortunately, drinking will make your liver work to convert the alcohol into acetate, which means that the foods you consume at this time will be converted into extra fat on your body.
If that didn’t sound bad enough; alcohol stimulates appetite and decrease your testosterone levels for up to 24 hours and increases estrogen by 300%. The infamous “beer belly” is really just an “estrogen belly.” Biochemically, the higher your level of estrogen is, the more readily you absorb alcohol, but the slower you break it down.
Muscle Tip: Drinking alcohol is the most efficient way to slash your testosterone levels; women…we don’t want this to happen either. Just a single event of serious drinking raises levels of the muscle-wasting stress hormone called cortisol and decreases the levels of testosterone for up to 24 hours. If you are working out to build strong fat-burning muscles yet consuming alcohol, this actually breaks down muscle further and you end up with a slower metabolism. This is because you break down muscle as you lift weights and you repair them as you rest if you have proper hormone levels...if not, you never repair your muscles properly!
Also, we all know that alcohol dehydrates us. In order for fat to be metabolized, it must first be released from the fat cell and then be transported by the bloodstream where it is pushed to the liver to be used as fuel. If you are dehydrated, the liver has to come to the aid of the kidneys and can’t focus on its role of releasing fat.
Alcohol also affects every organ of the body, it’s most dramatic impact is upon the liver. The liver cells normally prefer fatty acids as fuel, and package excess fatty acids as triglycerides, which they then route to other tissues of the body. However, when alcohol is present, the liver cells are forced to first metabolize the alcohol, letting the fatty acids accumulate in huge amounts. Alcohol metabolism permanently changes liver cell structure, which impairs the liver’s ability to metabolize fats, which causes fatty liver disease. To read more, check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. I have a whole chapter called "Alcohol, It's Not Just the Calories!"
No coffee liqueur in this recipe!
LADY FINGERS:
5 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 cup vanilla whey/egg white protein
1 tsp stevia glycerite
FILLING:
6 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups erythritol (or Truvia)
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Truvia)
1 1/4 cups mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup coffee (sweetened to taste)
TOPPING:
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
LADYFINGERS: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a clean, dry bowl, whip the whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gently add in the protein powder and sweetener. Place the dough in a 9x9 in grease baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
FILLING: Combine egg yolks and sweetener in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Reduce heat to low, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whip yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add mascarpone to whipped yolks. Beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into yolk mixture and set aside.
Cut the lady finger dough into 2 inch “fingers” and line the bottom and sides of a large glass bowl. Brush with coffee. Spoon half of the cream filling over the lady fingers. Repeat ladyfingers, coffee and filling layers. Garnish with cocoa. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Makes 12 servings.
NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Tiramisu = 568 calories, 32g fat, 9.8g protein, 60 carbs, 0.8g fiber
“Healthified” Tiramisu = 159 calories, 12g fat, 10g protein, 2.1 carbs, trace fiber
