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You may have heard stories about Russians who drink lots of vodka and live to be 140. Turns out they aren't really 140, they just look that old and can't remember when they were born!
Seriously though, I'm always skeptical when I read something that says alcohol is good for you. Yes, the French drink more red wine than Americans and have less heart disease, but they also don't eat fast food daily, don't drive everywhere, and don't stress-out at their jobs like we do. |
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If you drink, drink in moderation. Moderation is defined as no more than 2 drinks per day for men (1 drink for women). A drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of distilled liquor. Keep in mind that these are the guidelines for healthy people and your maximum level might be less depending on your health, age, and family history. It is also important to note that it's a maximum of 2 drinks per day, not an average. Weekend binges are not a good idea. If you don't drink, don't start. Approximately 14 million Americans drink alcohol to the point that it adversely affects their health, work and relationships. Heavy drinkers have significantly higher risk of dying from all causes than non-drinkers. Why take the risk of being one of the people who can't drink in moderation? If you're going to drink, it's useful to understand how your body deals with alcohol. Alcohol is absorbed and metabolized before most nutrients. Basically, your body perceives alcohol as toxic and tries to get rid of it ASAP. Unlike foods that require time for digestion, alcohol is quickly absorbed and begins to reach the brain in minutes. However, there are limits to how fast the body can process alcohol. The limiting factor is the liver, which only has enough enzymes to process about one drink per hour. Drink slowly to avoid a dangerous build-up of alcohol in your system. We've all heard that you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach. Here's why... alcohol can be absorbed directly by your stomach walls. When the stomach is full of food, the alcohol has less chance to touch the walls and absorption is delayed. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. These are considered "empty" calories, because no other nutrients are provided. Interestingly, casual drinkers tend to gain weight while heavy drinkers lose weight. Turns out that casual drinkers consume alcohol in addition to their regular food calories, while heavy drinkers consume alcohol instead of food and are often malnourished. If you're trying to lose weight, reducing your alcohol consumption can be an easy way to reduce calories. Eliminating 1 drink per day can result in a 15 pound weight loss in a year. |
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The Bottom Line
If you drink, drink in moderation. No more than 2 drinks per day. If you don't drink, don't start. |
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