Potential Risks of Whiskey Whiskey's heart benefits come with small doses. Heavy alcohol use can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. While low amounts may support brain health, in excess, studies show alcohol can disrupt how memories form. Over time, this can lead to cognitive decline.
According to multiple studies, a glass of whisky a day can help reduce your risk of heart disease and heart failure. According to a study by Harvard, a moderate amount of alcohol raises the amount of “good cholesterol” in your blood. This is a natural protection against heart disease.
Well, in fact, the liver has an immense capacity to regenerate. Hence, the 'safe limit' for alcohol consumption is said to be 21 units per week (1 unit is approximately 25 ml of whiskey) in men, and 14 units in women. No more than three units in one day, and to have at least two alcohol-free days a week.
High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum. Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick. Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
#4 Healthiest Alcoholic Drink: Rum, Gin, Scotch, Whiskey, or Tequila Neat. Any hard spirits without added sugary mixers are inherently low in calories and sugar and are, therefore, a good option for alcoholic drinks on a diet.
With its high concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, whiskey can help fight off illness, diabetes, cancer - even prevent Alzheimer's!
A double whisky contains around 105 calories, compared to a standard glass of red wine containing around 160 calories. The enzymes found in the spirit even help to stimulate the stomach enzymes, which help to break down food. Amazingly, whisky can even kill infection-causing bacteria – which no other spirit does.
Liver Damage
Because your liver breaks down alcohol in your body, heavy drinking can lead to liver disease. High amounts of alcohol cause fatty deposits in your liver and scarring, which can eventually cause liver failure.
Ultimately, while small, tasteful amounts of whiskey can't make you fat, it's undeniable that drinking it in excess will lead to some form of weight gain. If you're looking to cut down on your alcohol consumption, you might need to learn how to really savour your drink.
You will fall asleep sooner
Whiskey promotes the quality of sleep and makes you feel drowsy. A glass of whiskey before going to bed will help you fall asleep sooner. Whiskey gives you better sleep, it doesn't mean that you consume it in excess. A moderate glass of whiskey can do the better job.
A note on drinking level terms used in this Core article: The 2020-2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines states that for adults who choose to drink alcohol, women should have 1 drink or less in a day and men should have 2 drinks or less in a day.
As with any other type of alcohol, whiskey is believed by many to have mild to moderately beneficial effects when consumed in moderation. This means drinking no more than 3oz of whiskey per day for men (2 shots of whiskey) and 1.5oz per day for women (1 shot of whiskey), with no additional alcoholic drinks.
As the liver becomes more severely damaged, more obvious and serious symptoms can develop, such as: yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice) swelling in the legs, ankles and feet, due to a build-up of fluid (oedema) swelling in your abdomen, due to a build-up of fluid known as ascites.
Whiskey is a Digestion Aid
The high proof whiskey stimulates the stomach's enzymes, which help to break down food. This benefit makes whiskey an excellent part of your next happy hour.
On the other hand, whiskey is lower in sugar and calories than beer, making it a healthier choice for those watching their weight and blood sugar levels.
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.
In moderation, whiskey and other alcoholic beverages should be fine. However, there are different ways alcohol can promote weight gain. For one, alcohol is incredibly dense with calories; Heavy drinking could potentially contribute to a significant number of calories that one consumes.
Types of alcohol and their effect on cholesterol
According to the American Addiction Center (AAC), drinking more than moderate amounts of wine, beer, or liquor — such as vodka, whisky, and gin — can have a detrimental effect on a person's health, including causing elevated cholesterol levels.
Excessive drinking can wreak havoc on a person's skin. Since alcohol depletes levels of vitamins, (especially vitamin A) the skin's collagen levels plummet. As a result, a person's skin may lose all elasticity and become wrinkled. Wrinkles may be caused by alcohol's ability to dehydrate the skin as well.
Alcohol causes changes in the function of the kidneys and makes them less able to filter the blood. Alcohol also affects the ability to regulate fluid and electrolytes in the body. When alcohol dehydrates (dries out) the body, the drying effect can affect the normal function of cells and organs, including the kidneys.
Generally, people drink to either increase positive emotions or decrease negative ones. This results in all drinking motives falling into one of four categories: enhancement (because it's exciting), coping (to forget about my worries), social (to celebrate), and conformity (to fit in).
In addition to fighting off bacteria and infection, whiskey is loaded with antioxidants. For starters, it has a high concentration of ellagic acid, which helps your body destroy rogue cells and fight off different diseases. You'll find the same thing in wine but whiskey has much more of these disease-fighting allies.
All things being considered, one 1.5 oz shot of liquor is equivalent to 5 oz of wine. Remember that red wine and white wine have different alcohol by volume levels. Most restaurants serve wine in a five or six ounce glass. In essence, one 1.5 oz shot equals a full glass of wine.
Lower Your Risks of Cancer and Heart Disease With Whiskey
The whiskey with the highest amount of antioxidants is single-malt whiskey. Some top-shelf recommendations for a smooth-tasting single-malt are Laphroaig and Glenfiddich.