Which alcohol is safer for the body?

Almost no holiday is complete without alcohol. But everything should be done in moderation; small amounts of alcoholic beverages can be beneficial and can lift your spirits. Some types of alcohol are safer than others. The main thing is that they do not contain methanol, which can lead to disastrous consequences.

Classification of alcohol hazards

Any food containing at least 1. 5% ethanol is an alcohol product. Ethanol beverages are systematized according to C2H5OH content, type of raw material used, type of production and aging criteria.Due to the presence of alcohol:

• Low content - beer, wine;
• High - vodka, sugar cane rum, gin, grain whiskey, grape brandy, etc.

All beverages are produced using a variety of raw materials.The first type can be divided into the following types

• Mainly grapes - cognac, wine, Italian grappa;
• Grains – whiskey, beer group, vodka;
• Fruits and Berries – Apple Calvados, liqueurs, liqueurs;
• Herbs - balsamic, rum, tequila, absinthe.

Each alcoholic beverage product has its own ethanol content.The presence of the latter can be divided into the following categories:

• High – 67% to 96% of container volume;
• Normal - from 31 to 66;
• Average - from 9 to 30;
• Low - from 1. 5 to 9.

The last row includes everyone's favorite beers, low-alcohol domestics, kvass, palm toddy, and shandy.Beverages with an average ethanol content are represented by wine, mulled wine, punch and mead.On the top step were vodka, Armagnac, tequila, rum, absinthe and other intoxicating liquids. Drinking ethanol dominates. Alcohol content reaches 95%.It is thought that the main harm to health is caused by the level of alcohol consumed, however, drinking light alcoholic products can cause just as much damage as hard liquor.

Characteristics of less harmful alcohol

Judgments regarding intoxicating liquids vary widely. Some nutritionists claim that drinking beverages is beneficial, while others believe that drinking beverages is harmful to health.The criteria for least harmful alcohol are as follows:

1. the extent of its quality.
2. Amount of ethanol.
3. Add seasonings.
4. Performance.

According to medical experts, vodka is considered less harmful to health. Of course, this condition is met with minimal use.This conclusion is reached due to the following factors:

• Contains low calories;
• Does not contain harmful carbonyl groups;
• The simplicity of alcoholic liquids – water and alcohol.

Consuming high-quality products rarely causes a hangover. But that doesn’t mean you can drink vodka without restraint. To prevent poisoning, snacks should be mainly fatty foods.

However, experts describe real wine as the least safe alcohol for your liver. The fruits of the shrub have no harmful residues. If you don't separate the skins from the berries, you'll end up with what is considered one of the healthiest red wines.This is because the vitamins contained in the shell enter the liquid alcohol medium, filling the human body with trace elements and organic nitrogenous compounds.Antioxidants improve the function of the circulatory system and rejuvenate cells. Wine is successfully used to make an extract from it, which is used in the manufacture of injectables and various cosmetics.

Negative effects on human body

The negative effects of alcoholic beverages are manifested in the following aspects:Organs exposed to alcohol and diseases that may occur under the influence of alcoholic beverages

1. Poisoning disrupts the flow of oxygen to the brain, causing brain cells to die. After encephalopathy occurs, this change is irreversible.
2. The cardiovascular system is affected. Pathological development: ischemic hypertension, cardiomyopathy. For some people, alcohol addiction can cause an enlarged heart.
3. Respiratory rate increases, tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis occur.
4. As the mucous membranes are affected by poisons, the functions of the digestive system are disrupted. The patient was diagnosed with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Alcohol damages the liver, leading to cirrhosis and alcoholic liver disease.
5. Disturbances in excretory function. Alcohol is harmful to the kidneys because under its influence the kidney epithelium is destroyed.
6. Endocrine glands are affected. Almost half of alcoholics experience decreased sexual function. Against this background, neuroses, depression and other diseases of the central nervous system appear. For women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, menopause occurs prematurely, and gestation syndrome and miscarriage may occur during pregnancy.
7. Skin and muscle tissue are depleted, and various skin diseases appear.
8. The hematopoietic process is disrupted, the production of lymphocytes is reduced, and allergic reactions occur.
9. Psychiatric abnormalities occur: convulsions, hallucinations, and partial loss of sensation in the limbs.

The most severe form of intoxication is delirium tremens.Even timely treatment may not be effective. Sufferers are unable to orient themselves in time and space, have an increased pulse rate, increased blood pressure, and in some cases, increased body temperature.

Regular alcohol consumption can shorten life expectancy and lead to premature aging and disability.

Does harm depend on alcohol content?

Alcohol content determines how long it takes for alcohol to be eliminated from the body. The lower this indicator is, the less harmful the drink is to people.

Therefore, products containing large amounts of ethanol are considered the most dangerous.

How to choose the least harmful alcohol

The selection of the least hazardous alcoholic beverage should be based on criteria that determine the degree of harmful effects on the human body. These standards include:

• Quality (manufacturer, compliance with established safety requirements, bottling, transport and storage conditions);
• Strength (amount of ethanol in the composition);
• the availability and range of flavoring additives;
• The rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the blood.

Correctly chosen alcoholic beverages will cause minimal harm to the body and prevent the development of serious illness and hangover syndrome.

How harmful are inferior raw materials?

The main toxic effect on humans is acetaldehyde (a breakdown product of ethanol). This substance is present in all alcoholic beverages and is harmful to health.Expensive products made from high-quality raw materials are considered to be the least harmful.The low cost is due to insufficient purification of the composition from the fusel oil.Even homemade wine and moonshine made with purified water and high-quality products can be more harmful than their store-bought counterparts. Without the necessary equipment and technology, it is impossible to purify raw materials properly. When choosing alcohol, preference should be given to drinks that do not contain synthetic ingredients.

What is the difference between expensive wine and cheap wine?

There is a school of thought that alcohol is equally harmful regardless of the quality and cost of the drink. But there's a difference between cheap bad wine and expensive "elite" products.Low prices indicate that cheap, low-quality raw materials were used in production. This affects the composition of alcoholic beverages and also exacerbates the consequences of their use.Manufacturers who adhere to safety standards and care about the quality of their finished products use more expensive raw materials and complex cleaning processes. This will definitely affect the upward direction of the price.

spiritual world

To find out which alcoholic beverage is the most harmless, you should know the types of alcohol. The most common grades classify alcohol by strength:

Classification	scroll
spirits	Brandy, whiskey, ethyl (medicinal) alcohol, sambuca, rum, vodka, absinthe, tequila, gin, cognac
medium strength drink	Vermouth, various wines, liqueurs, ciders, martinis, punches, spirits
Low alcohol (and carbonation)	Ales, beer products, sparkling wine and champagne

Many ordinary people talk about the dangers of alcohol in terms of its levels. They believe that the lighter the alcohol, the safer it is.Based on this reasoning, we can say that the most harmless alcohol is beer or champagne. this is a big mistake.

The harm of alcohol has nothing to do with the degree. Even light alcoholic beverages can cause binge drinking.

A few years ago, Canadian scientists conducted a series of experiments that showed that most people don't suffer from the effects of hard alcohol. In the vast majority of cases, alcohol addiction is caused by drinking large amounts and consistently of light alcohol. This leads to rapid addiction and subsequent health problems.Alcohol is destructive to all internal systems and organsSo, what is the safest alcohol, and where can you find one that you can drink calmly without worrying about upcoming health issues? We can say this right away: there is no absolutely safe alcohol; any drink containing ethanol is classified a priori as dangerous and destructive. But scientists have compiled a list that ranks alcoholic drinks in order of the harm they cause. Check out this rating.

No. 1: Alcoholic energy drinks

In the spring of 2017, data from a long-term study organized and conducted by Canadian scientists became known to the world.According to their research, the greatest danger to people is ethanol mixed with various energy drinks or ready-made alcohol canned energy cocktails. In addition to the well-known dangers of alcohol, these drinks pose the following hazards to fans:

1. Aggressive behavior of aggression.
2. Suicide attempts, most of which were successful.
3. Injury rates increase. Fans of alcoholic energy cocktails are more likely to be involved in a traffic accident than fans of "pure" alcohol.

Alcoholic energy drinks are considered the most dangerous drinks to your health.Scientists have found an explanation. Such alcohol inevitably contains caffeine, which has a relaxing effect on the body and inhibits the sedative effects of ethanol. As a result, the drunk person not only does not understand the fact of being drunk per se, but also fails to explain his actions as completely adequate.Continuous consumption of alcoholic energy drinks can cause dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, and memory problems. Sometimes a person who commits a crime while drunk is unable to remember what he did or where he was when he sobers up. Alcoholic energy drinks deserve the top spot in the ranking of the most dangerous alcoholic products.

Second Place: Alcoholic Cocktails

There is a huge following of fans of the various delicious cocktails made with alcohol. They often drink them at parties, cafes and clubs. It’s hard to convince them of the dangers of this hobby. Are light and aromatic cocktails harmful? But in fact, they occupy the second spot on the list of the most dangerous alcohols.The dangers of alcoholic cocktails lie in their ingredientsThe focus is on their composition. In fact, in addition to alcohol, ingredients include carbonated drinks, sweetened waters, liqueurs, syrups and fruit juices. These ingredients can create dangerous mixtures when mixed with each other:

• Immediately absorbed into the bloodstream;
• Cause severe poisoning;
• Increases sugar concentration in the body;
• leading to severe hangover;
• Significantly increases the load on almost all internal organs.

All body systems begin to work in emergency mode: the liver neutralizes ethanol, while actively absorbing glucose. The kidneys try to quickly remove toxic toxins from the body, and the work of the pancreas is activated. The heart increases its rhythm in an attempt to ensure normal blood flow to the actively working organs.

Even a small alcoholic cocktail can put a triple strain on the body. The more of these drinks a person drinks, the more pronounced his hangover syndrome becomes.

Third place: Champagne and sparkling wine

High-quality champagne is produced through strict technological processes, and drinking one glass will not cause much harm to the body. But passion for this drink can turn it into a terrifying monster. The explanation is as follows:

1. Premium champagne contains a lot of sugar. It has extremely negative effects on the function and condition of the liver and pancreas.
2. Once in the gastrointestinal tract, this drink causes a rapid putrefactive process, including the remains of undigested food. Champagne owes this process to the carbon dioxide it contains.

There's no harm in drinking no more than a glass of good quality champagne.Drinking large amounts of this pleasant, bland alcohol can cause severe intoxication. Sparkling wine does the same thing. The mixture of ethanol and carbon dioxide can knock out even a strong and tall person in a short time.

Fourth place: Beer

A very popular drink consumed equally by men and women.But at the same time, this aromatic foam is very dangerous due to the development of rapid addiction and alcoholism from beer. It's dangerously foamy and contains a lot of the phytoestrogens that are abundant in hop cones.

The phytoestrogens contained in beer are plant analogs of female sex hormones. These compounds are extremely dangerous to both men and women. They wreak havoc on the hormonal system.

Unfortunately, anesthesiologists now diagnose beer alcoholism far more frequently than addiction caused by hard drinks. Unfortunately, due to unawareness of the dangers of beer, people become addicted to beer from adolescence to the detriment of their health. Quitting beer binge drinking is much more difficult than quitting other types of addiction.Frequent drinking of beer leads to rapid development of beer alcoholismLong-term and sustained addiction to drunkenness can lead to the following diseases:

• "Live" beer is considered the "cleanest", is high in calories and can quickly lead to obesity;
• Inhibits the production of natural sex hormones, which negatively affects the functioning of the reproductive system;
• Causes overall changes in the thickness and structure of the myocardium, thereby causing the occurrence of various heart diseases.

Moreover, the harmful effects did not depend on the brand or brand of beer. Regardless of variety and manufacturing process, this drink is dangerous anyway. There is no such thing as safe beer in nature.

Fifth place: Cognac

According to scientists, the most harmless are alcoholic drinks in their purest form, that is, without unnecessary additives. The body can more easily cope with this lack of other ingredients in alcohol because less energy is spent neutralizing the offending ingredients. Cognac is the least harmful alcohol. Additionally, it can bring some benefits:

• Stabilize high blood pressure;
• Block the pathogenic activities of viruses.

Cognac has the ability to stabilize blood pressure, but only drink it in moderation and in small amountsHowever, as long as consumption is minimal and infrequent, fine cognacs can be distinguished by these talents. It is thought that a safe dose of this potent alcohol is no more than 50 grams.

Sixth place: Liqueur

This alcohol is much safer than some low-alcohol alcohols. Liqueurs contain no carbon dioxide and are traditionally consumed in small doses.Their only and significant drawback is their high sugar content.. It is for this reason that people with diabetes and those prone to rapid weight gain should not consume aromatic and tasty liqueurs.Disadvantages of liqueurs include the high amount of sugar in the ingredients.

Seventh place: wine

Red and rosé wines may even be considered to have medicinal properties if consumed in moderation. But this statement only applies to natural wine alcohol made from fermented grapes. Indeed, for some people prone to allergy symptoms, red wine can trigger an allergy attack.

Women are advised to drink high-quality red wine (strictly limited quantities) as this alcohol is rich in antioxidants and protects the body from aging.

Wine is beneficial only if consumed wiselyBy the way, when considering the question of which alcohol is less harmful to the liver, doctors choose high-quality natural wine. Grape juice is completely fermented. When the seeds and skin residue remain in it, red wine is produced and becomes the basis for wine production.These drinks are the least damaging to the liver. They are also the most beneficial to the body, since all the most valuable substances from the peel and seeds are transferred to the wine composition.

Eighth place: Vodka

Vodka, our legendary drink that has come to be considered a national treasure, is the safest, according to a consensus of doctors.But it's also insidious, because only if the alcohol is of high quality and consumed in very small quantities can we talk about benefits..Vodka is considered the safest of all types of alcohol, but regular consumption can lead to alcoholismDoctors, when talking about the safety of vodka, explain their words by the following qualities of this spirit:

• minimum caloric intake;
• Completely free of carbohydrates;
• Ingredient purity, vodka consists of a mixture of water and alcohol.

By the way, high-quality vodka rarely causes a serious hangover. But that doesn’t mean you can drink it without snacking. Good quality fatty food is an essential complement to this wine.

Consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages

The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages are divided into short-term consequences, which appear within a few hours after drinking, and long-term consequences, which become apparent after long-term systemic drinking.The main short-term consequence is a state of intoxication, accompanied by changes in metabolic processes, disturbances in the function of the brain, vestibular organs and stress on all body systems.Symptoms of alcohol poisoning vary depending on the concentration of ethanol in the blood and include:

• Confused speech and consciousness;
• Hearing and vision loss, hallucinations;
• Red blood cells adhere to each other, causing anemia;
• drowsiness;
• Vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
• Headache, tinnitus;
• Difficulty with natural physiological processes (breathing, urination, etc. );
• memory loss;
• Aggressive attacks, euphoria, sudden changes in mood.

When intoxicated, people are more likely to suffer domestic injuries, be involved in traffic accidents, experience sexual violence or other forms of physical assault.Over the long term, people who regularly drink alcoholic beverages develop a stable addiction to alcohol. This has a negative impact on human health and the social and living conditions in which they live. Alcoholics face a variety of physical problems, but the most common are:

• Internal organ disease, chronic poisoning of the body;
• Spinal cord injury, atrophic heart disease, stroke;
• cancer of the larynx, stomach, liver, and colon;
• hormone imbalance;
• Erectile dysfunction, infertility, early menopause, etc. ;
• Lack of B vitamins, calcium and zinc.

These problems are caused by the behavioral characteristics of alcoholics, who tend to lead an antisocial lifestyle.Social issues such as:

• Crisis in relationships with family, friends, and colleagues;
• employment and work difficulties;
• Have violent tendencies and aggressive behavior;
• The development of psychotic disorders, including severe psychosis, personality disorders, and manic states.

Impact speed

All alcoholic beverages can be divided into two types based on the speed of impact:

"quickly"	This includes hard liquor (400 proof and above) such as vodka, tequila, absinthe, etc.
"slow"	Low-alcohol cocktails, champagne, beer and wine act more slowly.

Although vodka intoxication occurs more quickly than beer, the health hazards are the same. Often, people who enjoy low-alcohol drinks are unaware of how much they drink.He was unable to stop in time and the ethanol levels in his system exceeded safe limits. The consequences of this irrational behavior are severe intoxication and severe hangovers.Drinking alcohol should be paired with a hearty snack - this significantly reduces the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream and protects the gastrointestinal tract from alcohol's harmful effects.

in conclusion

The ethanol in any alcoholic beverage is toxic. However, the liver is able to process small amounts of ethanol, thereby completely removing it from the body and protecting vital organs, functions and systems.Scientists calculated safe daily doses of various alcoholic beverages. These measures are valid for adults who drink little alcohol and do not have chronic medical conditions.It is strictly prohibited to drink any amount of alcohol:

• Persons under 18 years of age;
• Pregnant and nursing women and couples planning a pregnancy.

Of the various alcoholic drinks, vodka is considered the safest, while energy cocktails are the least safe.Alcohol-free beer brewed according to brewing techniques also contains small amounts of ethanol (from 0. 5%) and therefore cannot be considered safe for health and consumption needs to be limited.