Is there an ideal amount of alcohol for health?

The question of how much alcohol is good for you before it becomes bad for you is one that has been debated throughout the decades. While in the time of Prohibition in the turn of the 20th century, all alcohol was considered bad for you (though fun for sure), many things have changed since then. With the advent of the research on the Blue Zones (the areas where people tend to live the healthiest the longest and where there are the most centenarians), alcohol if drank moderately, has been given more of a thumbs up.

Recently, different studies have come to light, including those saying again that no alcohol is healthy and others estolling the virtues of wine (red wine in particular) thanks to its’ content of resveratrol and other benefits for a healthy heart.

Those who enjoy the occasional glass of wine will be pleased that the latest research seems to once again give wine the thumbs up (the darker the better). But, and that “but” is key, only in very moderate amounts. How moderate? Well one review of many studies found that the ideal amount seems to be under 20g for women and 40g for men daily (sorry, ladies, the gentlemen get to have more fun in this case). What that means in glass amount is something each should try for themselves (and let me know when you figure it out please).

On the positive side, this amount of wine consumed on regular occasions as a daily maximum was actually (surprisingly) considered healthier than no wine at all. However, that doesn’t mean that you can stockpile and have the full lot of a whole week’s worth on the weekend. It is especially the moderate consumption that makes the big difference to health. Any over-consumption in a single sitting and there are grave repercussions to both liver and overall health (and skin too). In fact, the studies demonstrate that better to er on the side of under-consumption than over-consumption for ideal health. So while one glass of wine on occasion is better than none, 4 or more glasses once a week is actually worse than not drinking at all.

Want to understand more about how your diet and lifestyle is affecting your health, book a free 20 minute call with me here: https://healthyageing.as.me/schedule.php