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Alcohol and Nutrition

Alcoholic drinks are something that most people enjoy from time to time. Scientific journals state that 1-2 drinks per night for someone who normally drinks can be healthy. It has even been proven to help stave off certain heart problems, including high cholesterol levels. Red wine contains certain antioxidants such as flavanoids that may add to the cholesterol lowering effects. These reports also state that there is no evidence to suggest that someone who does not drink should start drinking, even moderately!

Still, alcohol is a toxin. Therefore, your body produces certain enzymes to remove this toxin from your body. When your body cannot keep up with your intake, a hangover (or worse) follows. In addition, your liver and kidneys need water to produce these enzymes as well as transport these toxins out of the body. For this reason, alcohol acts as a diuretic and can lead to dehydration. This often leads to increased trips to the bathroom, as well as a headache the next day. This means it is generally better to drink alcohols that are higher in quality, which will generally have slightly less toxins.

In addition, alcohol inhibits your body’s ability to metabolize fat. This may explain why excess stomachs are referred to as beer bellies! Keep this in mind when trying to shed a few pounds.

With this in mind, I often get asked from time to time, “What should I drink when I go out?” As a general rule, beer and wine are the best alternatives. Most wines are roughly the same in nutritional value. They are fairly low in calories, and are less dehydrating than, say, a shot of Jack Daniels or a martini. The additional liquid allows your system to more easily process the alcohol. Mixed drinks tend to be mixed with sugary alternatives such as tonic, sour mix, etc… Substitute diet tonic and soda as your mixer. If possible, alternate each glass of alcohol with a glass of water or club soda. This will help dilute the alcohol in your system, giving your body a chance to digest. If possible, avoid frozen drinks. Most frozen drinks are mixed with sugar or corn syrup that can add up to 500 calories in some drinks!

The following is a list of the basic nutritional content of some common drink choices: