The "healthiest" alcohol choice emphasizes moderation and minimal additives, with red wine often cited for antioxidants, and clear spirits (vodka, gin, tequila) mixed with soda water or water being low-calorie options. Other good choices include light beer, hard seltzers, and champagne, but the key is simple ingredients and avoiding sugary mixers. Remember, no alcohol is truly "healthy," and moderation is crucial.
The "healthiest" alcohol options focus on low sugar, fewer additives, and potential antioxidants, with red wine often topping lists for its polyphenols (like resveratrol), though moderation is key. Other good choices include clear spirits (vodka, gin, tequila) mixed with water or soda water (not tonic) to keep sugar and calories low, and drinks with vegetable bases like a Bloody Mary, or lower-sugar options like hard seltzers, light beers, or dry wines.
Light beer is often recommended as a safer choice due to its lower alcohol content and fewer calories. This can help reduce the overall burden on your liver if you drink it in moderation, though it's worth remembering that one can of beer is equally as damaging to the liver as one glass of wine or one shot of liquor.
Considered one of the most dangerous – and unhealthy – drinks, a Long Island iced tea doesn't actually contain any iced tea. Instead, it's a combination of vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec, topped with sour mix and soda. All together, that means one Long Island contains as many as 780 calories.
According to recent research, alcohol also seems to harm your gut microbiome. For instance, drinking too much is associated with reduced numbers of friendly microbes that produce SCFAs. No alcoholic drinks are healthy. But red wine may be the least unhealthy, thanks to the polyphenols it contains.
7 Worst Drinks for Gut Health
There is some evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol might help to slightly raise levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Researchers have also suggested that red wine, in particular, might protect the heart, thanks to the antioxidants it contains.
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.
The major causes of alcohol-related death are alcohol poisoning, cancer, car accidents, heart failure, liver damage, and violence.
Too Much Alcohol
Alcoholic fatty liver, which causes liver inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis), eventual scarring (cirrhosis) and even liver cancer, is a process that begins on as little as four drinks a day for men and two for women. By the time you show symptoms, your liver may be damaged beyond repair.
If you are in the early stages of liver damage—stage 1 (fatty liver) or stage 2 (early alcoholic hepatitis) —it can be reversed by quitting alcohol. The liver is the only organ that can self-heal itself.
The "3-2-1" (or often "1-2-3") drinking rule is a guideline for moderate alcohol consumption: 1 drink per hour, no more than 2 drinks per occasion, and at least 3 alcohol-free days per week, helping to pace intake and reduce risks. It aligns with official health advice, emphasizing that the body processes only about one standard drink (e.g., 12oz beer, 5oz wine) per hour, and provides a framework for mindful drinking to avoid binge patterns and health issues, though it's a simplification of broader guidelines.
Drink water, tea, or coffee (with little or no sugar). Limit milk/dairy (1-2 servings/day) and juice (1 small glass/day). Avoid sugary drinks. The more veggies — and the greater the variety — the better.
Tequila is often considered healthier due to being made from agave and having a lower glycemic index. Why Tequila Is Considered Better: While drinking alcohol in moderation is key, some believe tequila offers minor health benefits over gin.
When compared to tequila, Manaker tells us that vodka is typically lower in calories and has a neutral flavor, making it perfect for mixing with low-calorie ingredients.
For weight loss, the best alcohol choices are low-calorie, low-sugar options like spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey) mixed with soda water/diet mixers, light beer, hard seltzers, or dry wines/champagne, focusing on minimal sugar and avoiding creamy, sugary cocktails which add significant calories. Pure spirits (vodka, tequila, gin, whiskey) have about 100 calories per 1.5 oz serving with zero carbs, making them great choices, especially when drunk neat or on the rocks.
Light beer
A person can enjoy 12 oz of light beer for around 100 calories . Some studies suggest that moderate beer consumption of one drink per day for females and one to two drinks daily for males may help decrease the risk of heart disease and overall mortality. It may also possess other metabolic health benefits.
A fifth of vodka is equal in size to a standard bottle of wine, though it is much more potent because of how much alcohol is in vodka. In the United States, the required vodka alcohol percentage is a minimum of 40%. Drinking a fifth of vodka every day is not just unhealthy, it's downright dangerous.
So, which alcohol is “better for you?” According to the World Health Organization, none. A 2024 report found that even at lower levels of drinking (less than seven drinks per week), there is a measurable risk of death and disease, and that the type of alcoholic beverage doesn't make a meaningful difference.
4. Sugary drinks
The 11 Healthiest Alcohols to Drink
Heart-healthy drinks (other than water)
First, studies have found that drinking alcohol in moderation increases your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol, which helps carry away and break down extra cholesterol in blood that could otherwise block your arteries.