Your alcohol intake matters, too. In moderate amounts, red wine is commonly linked to healthy cholesterol levels. But drinking more hard liquor, beer, mixed drinks, and excess red wine has a negative impact on your cholesterol levels.
Red wine. While alcohol in excess is, of course, detrimental to heart health, a moderate level of red wine may help lower cholesterol levels. Red wine, in particular, contains anti-oxidant properties.
Though light to moderate alcohol use may have beneficial effects on HDL cholesterol, the risks of drinking alcohol outweigh any potential benefits. Heavier alcohol use increases LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides, which can raise your risk of heart disease and other health issues.
Cutting down on alcohol can help you to lower your cholesterol levels. It can improve your heart health and help prevent heart disease in other ways too, by helping to look after your liver, your blood pressure, your weight and your waist line. There's lots of bonuses to cutting back.
Whiskey has high levels of polyphenols, plant-based antioxidants linked with lowering your risk of heart disease. The polyphenols in whiskey have been shown to decrease “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increase “good” cholesterol (HDL) levels, and reduce triglycerides, or fat in your blood.
Red Wine and Grape Juice
Alcohol may raise levels of good HDL cholesterol by as much as 5 to 15 percent, research shows — and red wine is particularly beneficial because its polyphenol antioxidants may also lower LDL levels. If you're not into vino, grape juice can provide some of the same heart-healthy benefits.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Add whey protein. Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy.
The Effect of Beer on Cholesterol and Triglycerides
In some studies, people drinking at least one beer beverage a day saw an increase in healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by up to 11%.
However, if you are going to drink, having red wine in moderation is a healthier choice than other alcoholic drinks. This is due to its high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been linked to better heart and gut health.
"Clear liquors like vodka, tequila, and gin are lowest in sugar and calories and are easiest for our bodies to metabolize," Kober says.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
Fiber supplements like psyllium are also safe and inexpensive sources of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber nourishes healthy probiotic gut bacteria and helps removes LDL cholesterol from the body. Good sources include beans, peas, lentils, fruit, psyllium, and various whole grains, especially oats.
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.
Whiskey is the spirit MVP of bolstering HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). This is important because that is what fights the ramifications of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). LDL cholesterol is dominant in the body and increases the likelihood of a stroke and heart disease.
Red wine is widely recognized as one of the healthiest alcoholic drinks out there. Poon notes that it's "relatively low in calories and also offers some health benefits."9 She adds that red wine is rich in antioxidants such as resveratrol and proanthocyanidins and can promote cardiovascular health.
So, now on to the all-important question, which alcohol is easiest on the liver? The quick answer is, none of them. The reason is that the main liver-damaging ingredient in all types of alcohol is ethanol. It doesn't matter which alcohol you chose, be it weak beer or grain alcohol.
Gin has less sugar and fewer calories than some other liquors. If you already consume alcohol, gin may be a slightly healthier option. Be careful with mixers, however. They can make the sugar content of your drink skyrocket.
Pure forms of alcohol like whiskey, gin, tequila, rum and vodka are all completely sugar-free whereas wines and light beer like Sapporo or Budvar have a minimal carb content.
Vodka doesn't contain a significant amount of minerals or nutrients. Vodka has no sugar and fewer calories than some other liquors. If you already consume alcohol, vodka may be a slightly healthier option.
The nutritional value of beer exceeds that of wine . The values of protein, fiber, B vitamins, folate, and niacin found in beer make it more like food. Studies in mice showed that hops may inhibit obesity.