The study suggests that hops actually “protects against accumulation of liver fat” — so basically, pale ales are the healthiest beer to consume if you're concerned about your health but don't want to give up the delicious beverage.
It turns out that the trend of hoppy beers and IPAs is not only delicious, but also good for your health. According to a recent study published in the Oxford University Press, drinking beers with higher levels of hops can mitigate the negative effects of alcohol on the liver. Cheers to that!
In summary: There is no type of alcohol that is easier on your liver. The concentration of alcohol and volume consumed is the key differentiating factor. If you drink enough of any type of alcohol (even weak ones), it will be damaging to the liver.
Yep, just like the majority of craft beer drinkers, it would probably grab an IPA. Researchers from the German Friedrich Schiller University Jena recently found preliminary evidence that hops damage the liver less than liquor and beer without hops.
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.
"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.
Avoiding Alcohol
Moderate or heavy alcohol use can cause additional damage and fat accumulation in the liver in people with NAFLD. Therefore, patients with NAFLD should avoid alcohol entirely if possible.
If you have fatty liver disease, the damage may be reversed if you abstain from alcohol for a period of time (this could be months or years). After this point, it's usually safe to start drinking again if you stick to the NHS guidelines on alcohol units. However, it's important to check with your doctor first.
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.
The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate.
With Just 2 Glasses, You Can Still Have Fun: Sipping your drinks slowly will help you drink less. Keep your alcohol consumption down to 2 glasses per event. This way, you'll prevent liver damage while still enjoying yourself.
When you choose a sugary soda instead of alcohol every day, you may think you're doing your liver a favor. But that daily soft drink can be harmful, especially to your liver — as damaging as alcohol can be. Once it reaches the liver, the sugar in beverages can get converted into fat that's stored in liver cells.
Some nutrition experts consider craft beer a more functional beverage since beer imparts medical benefits to the drinker. The healthiest are stouts and porters, and higher hoppy beers, such as DIPAs and Imperial IPAs, Trappist beers, and spontaneous fermented beers, such as Lambics and Gose.
STOUTS & PORTERS
Of all the beer styles, generally, stouts and porters have the highest antioxidant activity and concentration. In studies, beers containing higher levels of roasted malt had the most antioxidant content.
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.
Some alcohol-related liver damage can be reversed if you stop drinking alcohol early enough in the disease process. Healing can begin as early as a few days to weeks after you stop drinking, but if the damage is severe, healing can take several months.
According to the American Liver Foundation, there are no medical treatments – yet – for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. So that means that eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are the best ways to both prevent liver damage from starting or reverse liver disease once it's in the early stages.
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Eat a well-balanced diet every day. That's five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables, along with fiber from vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. Be sure to include protein for the enzymes that help your body detox naturally.
A juice cleanse, often called a juice fast, is a detox diet that involves drinking only raw vegetable and fruit juice for 3 days. According to juice cleanse advocates, the diet fills the body with phytonutrients and antioxidants, protecting the body from free radical damage and eliminating toxins.
Advocates claim that conducting a cleanse with apple cider vinegar helps to flush toxins from the body, regulate blood sugar levels, and encourage healthy weight loss, all of which can improve liver health. However, there's little scientific support for these claims.