Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy. The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent coronary artery disease, the condition that leads to heart attacks.
Red Wine. 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.
Heart Health
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.
It's heart-healthy.
Vodka can increase blood-flow and circulation in your body which can prevent clots, strokes, and other heart diseases. Vodka can also help lower your cholesterol. And, for those watching their weight, it's also generally considered a lower-calorie alcohol.
Excessive alcohol intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure or stroke. Excessive drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle. What's more, alcohol can contribute to obesity and the long list of health problems that can go along with it.
Alcohol is thought to enhance heart health by keeping cholesterol levels down and so stopping arteries from clogging up.
Survivors of heart attacks who reported binge drinking are twice as likely to die from any cause, including heart disease, compared with non-binge drinkers. There's no question that binge drinking — even if it's only one day a week — puts you at higher risk.
The juniper berries in gin contain elements which can help to fight infection and prevent heart disease, as well as improve the blood's circulation around the body; these powerful little seeds are a superfood, and also help to fight liver and kidney disease.
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.
Don't Drink: Soda
They're chock-full of empty calories and can carry a whole day's worth of added sugar in one bottle. A 2012 Circulation study of nearly 43,000 men found that participants who drank the most soda had a 20 percent higher risk of heart attack than participants who drank the least.
Alcohol consumption can raise the levels of fat in the blood. People with high triglycerides often have high levels of bad cholesterol and low levels of good cholesterol. High levels of bad cholesterol can clog arteries and if a piece of plaque breaks off, a clot forms and a heart attack can result.
2. How does alcohol affect my heart? There is a very clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) puts strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
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.
American Heart Association: “Drink Wine to Reduce HighBlood Pressure -- JustLeave OuttheAlcohol.”
It can help fight kidney and liver disease
Gin is the best natural remedy for kidney and liver disease. Juniper berries help stop water retention in your body, allowing you to pass more water than any other alcohol. This means that more harmful toxins and bacteria are flushed out your system.
While both are neutral spirits with fast distillation processes, vodka easily takes on the flavors of whatever it's served with, whereas gin has various botanicals and an unmistakable juniper flavor that punches you right in the mouth. It's a more distinctive spirit, by any measure.
Hey, every little counts, right?! In conclusion: a gin and tonic is lower in calories than other alcoholic drinks, contains fewer units of alcohol, is less likely to cause you a bad hangover than other booze, and has some potential small side benefits in the form of its natural botanicals and added fruit garnishes.
Alcohol can trigger atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib), an irregular rhythm in the upper chambers of the heart, which can feel like fluttering or rapid pounding sensations in the chest.
If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or drink alcohol only in moderation. For healthy adults, that means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.
Stephen Green, MD, agrees. “If you are a moderate drinker and have a heart attack, there is no reason to stop drinking," he says. “Should you start drinking after a heart attack? Absolutely not.” Green is the chief of cardiology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.
Moderate consumption of alcohol can be good for the heart because it increases HDL cholesterol. A new study shows that drinking beer may offer benefits to the heart over those of wine and liquor, because it does not cause an increase in levels of a homocysteine, a chemical associated with higher risk of heart disease.