According to Eric Rimm, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, there are some important findings from recent research that moderate alcohol consumption can improve your health and lead to a longer life.
But before you sip a whole bottle of champagne at your next celebration, keep in mind that moderation is the key to reap the benefits of liquor. Therefore, it is recommended that women drink one glass or cup a day, while men can drink two glasses. Beyond these amounts you could have risks to your health. Therefore, we strongly recommend staying within this range.
Learn about the three hidden benefits that alcohol can provide to your health .
3 hidden benefits of alcohol
1. Protect your heart
Red wine has long been considered the elixir of heart health. But you don’t have to drink a whole bottle of Merlot to reap its benefits, says Rimm. Moderate intake of any alcoholic beverage can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 40 percent, according to a review of more than 100 prospective studies conducted by a Harvard School of Public Health.
Much of the benefit of alcohol for heart health is due to its ability to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL), thereby reducing blood problems that can lead to clogging arteries and having heart attacks.
We recommend drinking Pinot Noir , which contains antioxidants that fight more diseases than any other alcoholic beverage.
2. Reduce the fat in your abdomen
Forget about the beer belly. When you consume alcohol regularly and in moderation, you can help fight belly fat. A 2010 study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who had one or two drinks a day were less likely to gain weight than those who did not drink.
Researchers believe that the bodies of long-term, moderate drinkers adapt to metabolizing alcohol differently than those who concentrate their cocktails on an occasional night. In addition, according to Lu Wang, principal investigator on the study and instructor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, women who drink moderate amounts of alcohol tend to eat less food, particularly carbohydrates, which helps them maintain their weight.
3. Reduces the risk of diabetes
A 2005 report published in Diabetes Care found that moderate amounts of alcohol, up to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men, reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30 percent.
This effect occurs because alcohol increases the levels of a hormone that improves insulin sensitivity. In other words, it makes it easier for your body to process glucose and use it for energy. This helps reduce the amount of sugar in the bloodstream and ultimately reduces the risk of developing diabetes.
To reduce the risk of diabetes, we recommend that you drink Bloody Mary: you will be satisfied with just one serving, and the antioxidant lycopene in tomato juice offers an extra bonus to protect your heart.
Reference
- 5 Hidden Health Benefits of Alcohol. For Livestrong [Revised March 2017].
