The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have recently updated their recommendations for what Americans should eat and drink. Part of these new guidelines includes advice on alcohol consumption. Let's take a closer look at why these changes were made and the facts behind them.

One of the primary reasons for updating the guidelines is the extensive scientific research that links higher alcohol consumption to a greater risk of serious health problems and even death. These health issues include liver disease, heart disease, accidents, and alcohol-related disorders. Moreover, alcohol is a known human carcinogen, which means it can cause cancer. Drinking more than the recommended amounts can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer.

Beyond these significant health risks, alcohol also contributes a significant portion of calories to the diets of adults who consume it. About 9% of the calories consumed by adults who drink come from alcohol. This translates to approximately 3-4% of calories for women and 5-7% for men.

This has a substantial impact on the diets of many Americans, as about 60% of adults report consuming alcohol in the past month. Additionally, around 30% of adults engage in binge drinking, which means having five or more drinks for typical adult males and four or more drinks for typical adult females on a single occasion, sometimes multiple times a month.

Here's a breakdown of the calories you can expect from different types of alcoholic beverages: