Buzz
While alcohol isn't synonymous with healthy eating, it can be tough to skip a drink or two even when you're focused on eating well. How do you ensure your health isn't severely compromised during a night out? Here's the essential guide.
Determine your level of concern
Is alcohol beneficial or harmful? Like many things, it has its pros and cons. On the positive side, moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, might offer slight heart health benefits. (However, these benefits are often exaggerated.) On the downside, alcohol has numerous negative effects.
Regular alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer later in life, and research indicates that even minimal alcohol intake during pregnancy can harm babies. Additionally, alcohol impairs judgment, raises the likelihood of accidents, causes hangovers, and can lead to severe liver damage with long-term heavy use.
Overall, alcohol remains detrimental to your health. However, like many things in life, we weigh the risks against the benefits. Many of these benefits aren't health-related: alcoholic beverages can be enjoyable, help us unwind after a stressful week, or enhance social experiences.
I choose to drive a car despite the slight risk of accidents, and similarly, I consume alcohol knowing it carries minor health risks. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide where to set your personal boundaries.
Understand which alcoholic beverages are calorie-dense
No alcoholic drink is calorie-free, as alcohol itself contains calories. Some drinks also include additional calories from ingredients like sugar:
Every standard drink contains approximately 98 calories from alcohol. You can't reduce the calorie count below this unless you decrease the alcohol content.
The lowest-calorie options are spirits paired with zero-calorie mixers, such as rum with diet cola, gin with diet tonic, or scotch and soda. These typically hover around the 98-calorie mark.
Beers range from 120 to 150 calories or more. Most calories come from alcohol, with a small contribution from carbohydrates. Light beers are lower in alcohol and calories, while high ABV beers can exceed 200 calories.
Wines contain 110 to 140 calories, depending on alcohol content and sugar levels. (A standard 5-ounce glass of wine at 12% ABV is equivalent to a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor.) Lower-alcohol and dry wines are naturally lower in calories.
Extremely sweet drinks can pack hundreds of calories, whether it's a large margarita, an alcoholic milkshake, or a cocktail loaded with fruit juice, soda, or syrup.
Calorie content naturally varies with serving size. Although alcoholic beverages aren't required to display calorie information, many manufacturers provide these details online, along with estimated calorie counts for popular cocktails. If you have a go-to drink, research its calorie count beforehand to avoid guesswork at the bar.
There's no cure for a hangover
IV vitamin drips the next morning won't eliminate a hangover, nor will a charcoal drink before or after drinking. No special remedy, food, or beverage can counteract alcohol's effects on your body, whether immediate or long-term. Once you feel the buzz, alcohol is already in your bloodstream and being processed. You can't undo this process as if you never drank.
You can slightly slow the process: Consuming food with alcohol slows its absorption compared to drinking on an empty stomach. Similarly, sipping a drink slowly over an hour or two has the same effect.
After drinking, some people rely on Gatorade or Pedialyte to alleviate hangovers. While staying hydrated helps, don't expect miracles (and check labels—Gatorade contains more sugar than you might think). Ultimately, the only way to avoid the negative effects of alcohol is to drink less or abstain entirely.
