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.
Unfortunately, there is no type of alcohol that is easier on your liver. Overall, the amount you drink is what matters. At the end of the day, the damaging ingredient in alcohol is "ethanol" and all alcoholic drinks contain it.
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.
"Hard liquor contains more alcohol than beer or wine, making it more dangerous for your liver," continues Coleman. "A single shot of 80-proof hard liquor contains about 15 grams of alcohol and most shots contain even more alcohol than this." Another alcoholic beverage also takes a considerable toll on your liver.
#1 Go for spirits
Clear alcohol like vodka, gin and tequila have lower caloric counts, but they're also easier to consume straight, with ice or with soda water, which means there won't be any added calories.
If you're looking to go low sugar, then there are some basic approaches you can take. Your best bet is to stick with hard spirits like gin, vodka, whiskey and rum, but watch your mixer. Wine is a good option, but it's best to go for a red or a dry white. Beer might be good for low sugar, but it can be high in calories.
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.
For those dieting but still drinking alcohol, vodka is typically the go-to due to its low calories and non-existent carbs. It is considered a much lower calorie alternative to beer and wine.
Alchohol present in vodka are a major concern especially on excessive consumption. It can expose you to major diseases of multiple organs such as brain, liver, heart and pancreas. Excessive consumption may lead to faster heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and can also disrupts the immune system.
Distilled alcoholic drinks such as vodka, rum, brandy or whiskey have a negligible glycaemic index. In that sense, they're not very harmful. But cola and soft drinks of that ilk are packed with sugar. They can cause a dramatic surge of sugar levels in your body.
Crook and Marker are spiked and sparkling beverages made with organic alcohol and zero sugar. They're less than 1 gram of net carbs, naturally gluten-free, non-GMO and vegan.
Enter seltzer. "Adding seltzer to a cocktail is always a great choice since it provides zero calories and zero grams of sugar," Gans said. A gin and seltzer lets you get that same bubbly feel and gin taste without all the added calories.
Beer and wine are the worst when it comes to drinking – one drink is anywhere from 100-170 calories. Tequila, vodka, gin and whiskey are the best alcohols for weight loss, with only 60-70 calories for one drink.
You can't go wrong if you choose from the following: liquor, red or white wine (the drier the better), Champagne, or light beer. Anything with a B- rating or higher from this incredibly helpful list should get you where you need to go without doing excessive damage to your waistband.
Vodka is the alcohol with the lowest calories, at around 100 calories per shot (that's a 50ml double-measure). Whisky is slightly more, at roughly 110 calories a shot. Gin and tequila are also 110 calories a shot.
Because alcohol is metabolized first, the body burns calories from alcohol before it burns those from fats.
Pure alcohol like rum, vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey contains no carbs. In addition, wine, light beer, and some cocktails can be relatively low in carbs.
Drinking alcohol will add to the overall calories we consume each day. Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', meaning they have little nutritional benefit. So consuming extra calories through drinking can lead to weight gain.
Sugar in Alcohol
Gin, rum, whiskey and vodka don't contain any added sugar. Beer doesn't have added sugar either. A 1.5-ounce shot of creme de menthe contains a whopping 21 grams of sugar. A 5-ounce glass of red or white wine contains about 1 gram of sugar, which comes from the grapes rather than from added sugar.
The best types of alcohol for people with diabetes are those with a low sugar or carb content. That includes light beers, red and white wines, distilled spirits, and low carb cocktails, as long as you avoid sugary juices or syrups.
Some sources claim that alcohol is converted into sugar by the liver. This is not true. Alcohol is converted to a number of intermediate substances (none of which is sugar), until it is eventually broken down to carbon dioxide and water.
Although the dangers of drinking and smoking are very different, according to annual death numbers, smoking is worse than drinking. In the United States, an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes every year, but about 480,000 people die from tobacco.
Drinking copious amounts of vodka every day is in no way advisable, nor is it good for your health, especially your liver. However, drinking a moderate amount of vodka every day is good for your heart. It increases the blood circulation in your body and helps you keep your cholesterol levels down.