Alcohol isn't a healthy choice in general, but some alcohol is better for you than others. Red wine, whiskey, tequila, and hard kombucha are healthier options than beer and sugary drinks.
Alcohol alternatives allow people to enjoy the flavor profiles of alcoholic beverages but with fewer adverse effects, such as hangovers. Alternatives include nonalcoholic beer or wine, mocktails, and kombucha. Experts associate alcohol with a range of health consequences.
- Caffeinated Energy Drinks: Caffeinated energy drinks are some of the most popular functional drinks on the market. They are packed with caffeine and other stimulants, which can give you a quick buzz.
Tea is likely to be the most relaxing alcohol alternative. But if you don't like it, flavoured sparkling water is another good choice. Bubbly and fizzy, it can feel just like a sip of alcohol! You can add extra flavourings to this too, such as berries, citrus fruits, and herbs.
However, the fact is that exercise releases endorphins that are responsible for feelings of euphoria and happiness, just like alcohol. In fact, many people refer to a good workout as a “runner's high.” Exercise's physical and mental effects can actually mimic that feeling you get when drinking alcohol.
Kombucha is also a great option for people who are looking to reduce their alcohol consumption or avoid alcohol altogether. It is a tasty and refreshing alternative to alcoholic drinks, and it can help to support a healthy digestive system and boost overall wellness.
Myth 3: Drinking hard liquor is worse than drinking beer or wine. Contrary to popular belief, the type of alcohol you drink doesn't make a difference – what matters is how much you drink. "The safe limit is fixed at 14 units a week," explains Dr Lui. "Below this limit, alcoholic fatty liver is less likely to occur.
Red wine, whiskey, tequila, and hard kombucha are healthier options than beer and sugary drinks. The CDC recommends you limit alcohol to 2 drinks a day if you're male and 1 if you're female.
"Alcohol is the worst drink for your liver as it makes it harder on the liver to break down and remove toxins from the body," says Minerva Valencia, RD. "Alcohol is known to cause damage to this vital organ, but a wide variety of alcoholic drinks can also pose health risks," says Janet Coleman, RD at TheConsumerMag.
Keep your alcohol consumption down to 2 glasses per event. This way, you'll prevent liver damage while still enjoying yourself. Have a Glass of Water Every Hour: Drinking clean, pure water not just helps replace lost fluids from urination, but also reduces alcohol concentration in the blood.
Having 2 to 3 alcoholic drinks every day or binge drinking can harm your liver. Binge drinking is when you drink more than 4 or 5 drinks in a row. If you already have a liver disease, you should stop drinking alcohol. There is no safe amount of alcohol for people with any type of alcoholic liver disease.
It is estimated that alcohol-related fatty liver disease develops in 90% of people who drink more than 40g of alcohol (or four units) per day. That's roughly the equivalent of two medium (175ml) glasses of 12% ABV wine, or less than two pints of regular strength (4% ABV) beer.
Generally, symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include abdominal pain and tenderness, dry mouth and increased thirst, fatigue, jaundice (which is yellowing of the skin), loss of appetite, and nausea. Your skin may look abnormally dark or light. Your feet or hands may look red.
Most commercial kombucha sold has less than . 05% ABV because the yeast and bacteria help keep the alcohol levels low. This is why you do not have to be 21 to purchase traditional kombucha and it is considered “non-alcoholic.” Traditional Kombucha: Typically 1 to 2% alcohol but could get up to 3%.
There are many kombucha alternatives on the market that you can try. Some of the most popular ones are kefir, kvass, rejuvelac, ginger ale, boza, tepache, fermented vegetable juice, and lacto-fermented lemonade.
The government's former drugs tsar Professor David Nutt has developed a new chemical, called Alcarelle, that mimics the effects of alcohol.
If you want to lose weight, your best options are spirits. Try drinking your choice of vodka, gin, tequila, rum, or whiskey with a low-calorie mixer like a tonic, soda, or straight. Low-calorie beers are also a great choice as more delicious options come to market.
The world's most dangerous alcoholic drinks include Absinthe, Bacardi 151, Changaa, Everclear, Death in the Afternoon, Four Lokos, Jungle Juice, Knockeen Hills, Moonshine, and Spirytus Rektyfikowany. Commonly referred to as the “green fairy,” absinthe was banned in the U.S. from 1915 to 2007.
By themselves, "clear liquors like vodka and gin have the fewest calories and the least amount of sugar," says Amy Shapiro, R.D. That means they're easier for our bodies to metabolize and may result in less intense hangovers for some people.