I’ll Drink To That!

October 29, 2018

Since I am kinda "into" health, you might think that I am not in favor of drinking alcohol (well, those of you who don't know me well, anyway). But, in fact, I believe that a moderate amount of alcohol can actually be part of an overall healthy diet. However, as is the case with many things, the dose -- and in this case the choice as well -- is the poison.

Here's the deal:

1. Alcohol -- any kind of alcohol -- needs to be processed and detoxified by your liver. When you drink alcohol, your liver gets busy getting rid of it for a few hours and it can't take care of anything else while it's doing that.

2. Anything containing gluten (like beer, for example) is a double-whammy -- it busies your liver AND, because it contains gluten, it damages your gut at the same time.

3. Don't be fooled by low calorie mixers (think: Skinny Margaritas) or low carb beers like Michelob Ultra. The carbs from the alcohol -- even though they are not counted as carbs on the label -- are carbs nonetheless (and don't get me started on the fake sugars in Skinny Margaritas). The alcohol and the caloric load on the body is the same.

So what can you do?

1. Choose low-sugar, gluten-free hard alcohol like tequila, gin or vodka. Mix them with club soda and add lemon or lime and you've got yourself a decent option.

2. Wine is another great choice -- but always go for the least sweet varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet, Malbec and Pinot Noir. Champagne and Prosecco are good, too.

3. Try a gluten-free beer (Omission, Daura Damm, Glutenberg and Red Bridge are all delicious) or a cider. Or, if you just can't do that, at least opt for a quality craft beer as "these typically have better ingredients, generally no fillers, and are generally higher quality," says Kristin Kaschak, CNTP.

4. Avoid any fruity foo-foo drink or anything with excess sugar like an appletini or a rum and Coke - these are even harder on your liver (it's too much to ask it to detoxify alcohol AND excess sugar at the same time) and can make you feel much worse the next day.

And of course, drink plenty of water to stay as hydrated as possible when you drink (alternating alcoholic drinks with water is a wise plan).

So, as you can see, there are ways to make alcohol an acceptable part of a healthy lifestyle. The best proof of this, to me, is that many of the inhabitants of the Blue Zones consume a glass or two of wine daily to relax after the stresses of the day and they have the longest, healthiest lifespans we know of!

I'll have what they're having.