Just don't mention the alcohol

We want to tackle this area in a realistic way that can help you make the right choices and even promote your health with moderate alcohol consumption.

This is a tricky area and we are constantly asked “what is the best alcoholic drink health-wise?” and told “just don’t mention the alcohol”; the right to drink is granted in adulthood and in this country seen as a symbol of freedom and loss of our national inhibitions. For many it is completely associated with leisure and a time when they have no pressures or need to be in control. Unfortunately it is binge drinking and even a continual drip-feeding of daily alcohol just above the healthy limits which has shown to increase the risks of breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis (to name few).

So of course we could and should lecture you on the dangers of drinking alcohol; as nutritionists we are constantly trying to find a satisfactory point between asking people to drink less and supplying them with information to help their bodies cope with possible damage from alcohol. Because if you give advice about damage limitation, then surely on some level you are condoning, if not encouraging at least some use of the drug? The key really lies in informing people what to drink and how much and setting specific boundaries.

Many have taken the information that alcohol in moderation has health benefits and have used this to excuse continual drinking habits that there would be difficulty defining as “moderate”. To state this clearly, for women moderation means no more than 14 units a week and for men 21 is the maximum. That is two and three units a day respectively and no, drinking all of your units in one night is not a good idea as far as your liver is concerned. That also means a 175ml glass of wine, not a large Ikea glassful!

There have been many articles in the press recently about the ever increasing tendency of the British to get rip-roaringly drunk in the true Anglo-Saxon style of the word. The Metro reported this month, that 80% of people in their 20s admitted spending up to £200 a month on booze, according to a Birmingham bank. We all know the reputation that the British have for excessive drinking to the point of very extreme behaviour. Hardly the continental image of the gourmet meal with a fine wine, and even though we are becoming more educated on the quality versus quantity benefits of alcohol, many Britons feel the need for a prolonged drunken rite of passage before moving into their “sensible drinking” phase. Nutritionists often have to pick up the pieces after this, especially with the habit of drinking large quantities firmly in place.

There has been much talk of the “French Paradox” and confusion about how people on the continent generally and especially in Mediterranean countries can consume wine daily and eat meat and yet have a relatively low incidence of heart disease compared to the UK. Unfortunately this is changing due to the inevitable insidious infiltration of fast food coming up through the younger generations, but the figures still persist. The Asian diet also contains moderate amount of beer and wine, reflected in a lesser rate of heart disease.

The difference between the average British diet and that in parts of the continent where the health risks are lower, such as Greece and Sicily is the moderation and the amount of antioxidants that are eaten in the diet. Antioxidants protect the body against damage from heat and light, or oxidation. They are found in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts, olive oil, seeds and pulses; foods in abundance in a Mediterranean diet and it is their positive presence rather than the inclusion of meat and alcohol that is the important factor. Red wine is the seen to be part of the equation as it contains resveratrol, catechins and procyanidins, beneficial plant chemicals or bioflavonoids that give it its colour and have strong antioxidant properties and protect blood vessels1. Its heart disease preventing properties is now well researched and documented2,3. But even within the red wine area, there are degrees of benefit. Some wines have more flavonoids than others and as a general rule, the deeper the red, the more are present. The highest amounts are seen in Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chianti varieties of wine, Rioja and Pinot Noir are intermediate and the lowest benefit is seen from Cotes du Rhones, most rose wines and of course, whites1.

It is interesting to note where alcohol has been a vessel for other beneficial substances; for instance in parts of Spain, artichoke liqueurs have been traditionally drunk before a rich meal. Artichoke is rich in a substance called cynarin, which can help to protect the liver against damage from saturated fats, and helps to control cholesterol levels4. The same cannot be said of the Diamond White cider, Hooch, Vodka Redbull and Smirnoff Ice, the most popular British drinks in the years 1980, 1995, 1998 and 1999 respectively, according to The Times.

Turning fruit, vegetables or grain to alcohol has historically been both a way to preserve them and to derive more pleasure from them. There is always a fine balance between the beneficial properties inherent in the original ingredients and the damaging alcohol content. The modern drinks mentioned are not made by a craftsman who has tended the grapes from which he will make his distinctive vintage. Also bear in mind if drinking two bottles of his fine wine in one go, the alcohol content will negate the antioxidant potential as that level.

The Scotsman reported recently that a quarter of Britons believe that alcohol is good for them and that nearly one in five says it relieves stress. These really are two separate points, as we have discussed it is not a simple question of whether alcohol is good or bad, but a more discerning question of how much and the choice of drink. The perception that alcohol relieves stress is born of the fact that it is a stimulant and therefore stops people under continual stress from “coming down” from their rush of stress hormones. It also keeps levels of sugar in the blood raised to avoid the unpleasant effects of hypoglycaemia that can result from “highs and lows” of blood sugar from stress, caffeine, cigarettes, processed foods, fizzy drinks and sugar. Many people use alcohol to avoid these symptoms of fatigue, headaches, irritability and insomnia.

What is also happening with alcohol consumption above the moderate, is a depletion of B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C and other essential nutrients. We often see people with deficiency symptoms of these nutrients that can be linked at least partly to previous alcohol consumption. As we are realistic enough to acknowledge that overindulgence is inevitable at the odd wedding, birthday or office social, here are some tips for damage limitation. These are not to be used to try and prop you up against a spiralling bad habit, but they can help to relieve the damage, after-effects and some of the guilt:
• Eat before and during drinking to temper the effects and slow down the release of sugar and alcohol into the bloodstream; choose protein foods with good nutritious value to help avoid the deficiencies that alcohol can produce eg. nuts, fish, eggs, chicken and plenty of vegetables.
• Match each alcoholic drink with the same quantity of water to avoid dehydration.
• Take vitamin C and milk thistle before, during and after drinking to protect the liver.
• Learn when to stop and realise that you will feel more in control for doing so.

Total Being Opinion

Alcohol is such an emotive issue that it is very convenient for many to latch onto the “I’ve read that alcohol is good for you” mantra, because of findings that is has benefits in moderation. A major part of nutrition is the education that all things need to be approached with variety and intelligence; broccoli is unbelievably good for you (and helps to clear alcohol out of the liver by the way), but you would not be very well if you lived on it alone. This is why we are always reticent to give people damage limitation advice before making sure that they understand the whole picture.

A good trick that we often (very successfully) advise people to try is to double the amount they spend on a bottle of wine and halve the amount they drink, thereby actually spending the same, getting more health benefits and savouring the quality. After all, you are much less likely to glug down something you paid good money for. This also encourages a culture of appreciation and you can really interested in the process and field of wine. Remember, you may love a really good quality piece of beef or cheese, but as with alcohol, the need can be sated with a small amount and when better quality, a smaller amount really is more satisfying.

Better quality wines will have less preservative chemicals such as sulphides and therefore more health benefits. Try visiting English vineyards such as Seddlescombe in Sussex and trying some local organic wines; if a wine isn’t being exported it doesn’t need as much preserving and will be wholly more natural. There are plenty of very decent organic red wines on the market at the moment and supermarkets are really getting wise to consumers’ more sophisticated tastes. It is this very rise in wine appreciation, which will allow you to glean the goodness and not the detriment from a glass or two.

References
1. Clayton, P. Health Defence, Accelerated Learning Systems, 2001.
2. Frankel EN et al, Lancet 341: 454-457, 1993.
3. Renaud S et al, Lancet 339: 1523-1526, 1992
4. Hobbs C, Natural Liver Therapy, Putnam, 2002.