Anheuser-Busch, is tapping into America’s obsession with dieting by the creation of Michelob Ultra, a beer that claims to be lower in carbohydrates than other light beers.

A 12-ounce bottle of Ultra has 95 calories and 2.6 grams of carbohydrates, compared with 6.6 grams of carbohydrates in a Bud Light. Both have the same amount of alcohol, according to the Anheuser-Busch Web site.

Senior David Schultz tried Michelob Ultra because it’s new. He said that it did not taste like other light beers.

“It was watery and didn’t have much of a kick to it,” Schultz said.

The timing seems to be right for a low-carb beer with the recent popularity of low-carb/high protein diets such as the Atkins diet. Biology Senior Lecturer Susan Krueger disagrees with the concept of such a beer adding to a person’s active lifestyle.

“Basically, it’s a gimmick,” she said.

Krueger said that carbohydrates aren’t the main source of calories in beer, rather it is the alcohol. Carbohydrates contain four calories per gram and alcohol contains seven calories per gram, so the amount of carbohydrates that a beer contains has little effect on body weight, Krueger said.

Cutting carbohydrates and increasing protein intake as a dieting method is unreliable. This kind of diet may seem successful at first, but usually proves to be ineffective and potentially dangerous, Krueger said.

Carbohydrates are the body’s main fuel, she said. Only those with Type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome should limit their carbohydrate intake in order to properly regulate blood sugar levels.

High-protein diets seem effective at first because a lot of weight can be dropped in a short time, but most of the weight loss is in the form of water because of chemicals known as ketones, Krueger said.

“The body produces ketones, which make you nauseous and dehydrate the body,” she said.

It’s also more difficult to exercise due to the lack of energy produced by such a diet, she said.

Other side-effects of a high-protein/low carbohydrate diet include fatigue, bad breath, an increase in saturated fat levels, fainting, lower calcium levels in bones and vitamin deficiencies. Long-term effects include an increased risk of certain cancers and eye diseases due to a lack of vitamins and photochemicals found in fruits and vegetables, Krueger said.

With 95 calories, Ultra is one of the lightest beers calorie-wise, according to the Anheuser-Busch Web site. Similarly, Miller brewing company claims to have the first low-calorie beer with the introduction of Miller Lite in 1975. A 12-ounce bottle of Miller Lite contains 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbohydrates, according to Miller brewing company’s Web site.

Krueger suggests that to effectively lose weight, one should exercise and reduce the total intake of calories. She also recommends moderation while drinking.