There’s nothing like a drink at the ned of the walk – but which is the healthiest choice? James Witts takes a look <\/p>
There\u2019s little more tempting than a walk followed by a rural pub, your tipple of choice and a warming log fire in winter or a sunny pub garden in summer. The payback is that, as we all know, alcohol is no health drink; in fact, alcohol can contain a similar amount of calories as fat. <\/strong><\/p> But fear not, as there are ways to navigate the late-night walk home without loading your back with fatty deposits. But first, a brief history lesson\u2026<\/p> Humans and alcohol\u2019s long and, at times, illustrious history stretches back millennia with analysis of organics preserved in pottery jars from China revealing that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey and fruit was produced over 9,000 years ago. Around the same time, wine and barley beer were made in the Middle East.<\/p> You can see with a scan of those ingredients that naturally an alcohol drink contains calories, but this is cranked up during the fermentation process, where yeast converts sugar into alcohol. The result is a warming, rounded flavour to your drink, but these are dead calories as, unlike carbohydrates, protein and fat, they contain no nutritional value.<\/p> On the positive, there is evidence that \u2018light to moderate\u2019 drinking lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. The physiological rationale is that nominal amounts of alcohol elevate levels of good cholesterol, which has been shown to protect against heart disease.<\/p> It begs the question, how much is too much? The NHS recommends drinking\u00a0no more than 14\u00a0units of alcohol\u00a0a week, spread across three days or more. That\u2019s around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine or six pints of 4% beer. Which highlights that not all drinks are equal, certainly when it comes to piling on belly fat and general health.<\/p> If you\u2019re looking to limit calories, you can\u2019t go much lower than vodka or gin, partnered with a low-calorie mixer. Knock back a single shot of vodka beefed-up with a measure of diet cola and you\u2019re looking at around 54cals.<\/p> A single shot of gin and slimline tonic\u2019s around 59cals. A 25ml shot of whisky\u2019s around 61cals, so if you refrain from a mixer, you should retain your six-pack. On the downside, a 2017 study revealed that spirits were more likely to be linked to negative feelings including tearfulness, plus around 48% of people questioned linking the tipples to feeling ill and nearly 30% to aggression.<\/p> At the other end of the caloric spectrum, pints of stout, cider, ale and lager all come in around 215cals. However, the higher the alcoholic content, the greater the calories with stronger pints around 250cals. That\u2019s similar to a large glass (250ml) of red or white wine, though again this varies depending on the strength of its ABV (alcohol by volume).<\/p> In short, your trouser elastic is under greater threat of a beer belly if you drink great volume of strong drinks. Unfortunately, you\u2019re also under greater threat of the beer belly as you age. That\u2019s because you often become less active, your calorie needs go down and gaining weight is easier.<\/p> However, there is good news. There\u2019s evidence that a glass or two of red wine each day can protect against certain cancers, which is down to the protective flavonoids and antioxidants. Stouts like Guinness are high in iron that helps to make the protein haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around your body. And even beer has its benefits, containing vitamin B6, which prevents the build-up of a chemical called \u2018homocysteine\u2019 that\u2019s linked to an increased risk of heart disease.<\/p> If you\u2019re watching your waistline, non-alcoholic beers are the way ahead with around 70-90 calories per 330ml bottle.<\/p> When did humans start drinking alcohol?<\/h2>
How much alcohol is too much?<\/h2>
Which alcohol drink is the healthiest?<\/h2>
Which alcohol drink is the most fattening?<\/h2>