Choosing Healthier Alcoholic Drinks: Options for Better Enjoyment

 

Choosing Healthier Alcoholic Drinks: Options for Better Enjoyment

What's in your glass tonight? As you ponder your choice at the bar, your mind may wander through the array of alcoholic beverages on offer. Beer? Wine? A tempting mixed cocktail?

Your drink selection is unlikely to be driven by its potential health benefits. After all, alcohol holds little to no nutritional value, and we are all too aware of its capacity to induce a literal headache.

Nevertheless, some alcoholic beverages are gentler on your waistline and overall well-being when it comes to calories, sugar content, and the dreaded hangover.

So, let's explore the realm of healthier drink choices with guidance from registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD.

Do Alcoholic Drinks Offer Health Benefits?

The straightforward answer is no. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared in 2023: "When it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health."

Alcohol is, in truth, a toxic and addictive substance linked to a range of adverse health effects. Ignore any clickbait headlines touting beer, wine, or spirits as health-boosting elixirs. 

"Nobody would recommend that you start drinking alcohol to improve your health," cautions Zumpano. "It can have adverse effects on your liver, heart, brain, gut, and more."

Nonetheless, alcohol is deeply ingrained in our culture, and over 2 billion people worldwide partake in alcoholic beverages. In essence, alcohol is here to stay. So, if you choose to indulge, let's explore options that are somewhat less detrimental to your health.

Healthier Beer Choices

If you're seeking to minimize calories and carbohydrates, particularly to avoid that infamous "beer belly," consider light beer. Many light beers contain around 50 to 100 calories and only a few carbs. Regular beers often start at approximately 150 calories with double-digit carb counts. Higher-alcohol brews, like IPAs, can reach nearly 300 calories and have added carbs.

Of course, if you're having just one beer, the difference between light and regular may seem negligible. But as Zumpano points out, "Health concerns arise when you start accumulating those extra calories, carbs, and alcohol content – especially if you're doing so regularly."

Healthier Wine Choices

Among alcoholic beverages, red wine often garners a reputation for being good for you. Some studies even suggest a link between moderate red wine consumption and heart health. This connection is attributed to resveratrol, an antioxidant found in grape skins that may reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Opt for a dry red wine to limit sugars, reducing the calorie and carb count. Dry white wines or champagne share the same rationale, though they lack the resveratrol content of red wine. However, be cautious with red wines as the grape skins also contain tannins, which can lead to headaches.

Healthier Spirit Choices

Clear liquors may leave you with a clearer head the morning after. Darker liquors, such as bourbon, derive their color and taste from impurities called congeners, which can lead to more severe hangovers. It's worth noting that congeners are present in all alcohol but are more prevalent in darker liquors.

When it comes to calories and carbs, most spirits—vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whisky, etc.—have similar numbers. However, these counts can soar if you add sugary mixers to make cocktails, which are often calorie-packed.

So, go easy on those umbrella drinks.

5 Healthier Drink Options

For a healthier drink order, consider these five options recommended by Zumpano:

1. Dry red wine: Lower in sugars and rich in antioxidants. Avoid those with high alcohol content.

2. Dry white wine or champagne: Similar to red wine but without the extra antioxidants.

3. No-fuss cocktails: Choose clear liquors like vodka or light rum and mix them with low-calorie or no-calorie options like soda water or diet soda. Add a slice of lime for extra flavor.

4. Light beer: A better choice for saving calories and carbs.

5. Hard kombucha: A fermented tea-based drink rich in probiotics, celebrated as a health elixir. The higher-alcohol versions offer some of the same benefits as regular kombucha.

The #1 Rule: Drink in Moderation

Alcohol is not genuinely healthy, so consuming large quantities is unequivocally detrimental. The federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 recommend that daily alcohol consumption should not exceed one drink for women or two drinks for men. A standard drink is defined as:

- 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).

- 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).

- 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (80 proof alcohol).

"In general, how much you drink is more important than the type of alcohol you choose," advises Zumpano. "So, whatever your drink of choice, enjoy it in moderation."