The Bad News
Alcohol is a toxin, so when you consume it, your body metabolizes it before everything else. It is digested in much the same way sugar is, meaning your pancreas secretes lots of insulin, a hormone that promotes the storage of nutrients as fat and prevents fat cells from getting broken down for energy. When you have alcohol in your stomach, everything you eat is immediately stored as fat.
No Amount of Alcohol is Safe?
Recently the benefits of alcohol, however, have been in question. The cancer risk is dose dependent, but the 2014 World Cancer Report from the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that no amount of alcohol is safe.
The Good News
On the other hand, studies have shown that people who drink alcohol on occasion are healthier than those who do not. Alcohol is known to reduce blood pressure and protect against heart disease. It also comes with a fair amount of antioxidants, which are helpful in keeping inflammation low and boosting immune health.
Just remember that not all alcohol is created equal. Although almost all alcoholic drinks will spike your blood sugar, red wine has actually been shown to lower blood sugar. It has also been shown to be beneficial in cardiovascular health, as well as overall health, so long as men don’t drink more than two glasses per day, and women don’t exceed one.
Use the following Alcohol Cheat Sheet thanks to Paleo Happy Hour.
