Mason Delacroix
While all types of alcohol are bad for health, some drinks are worse than others. The British Medical Journal, for instance, has ranked the Lobsterita from Red Lobster as one of the worst drinks in America, with 890 calories and 183 grams of carbs. Mixed drinks like the Long Island Iced Tea, which contains vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, sweet and sour mix, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola, are also considered unhealthy. These drinks have a high alcohol content and are mixed with sugary ingredients, which can increase the risk of weight gain, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Experts recommend choosing drinks with lower alcohol by volume (ABV) and paying attention to how much you're consuming. Ultimately, the speed and regularity of drinking also play a role in how alcohol affects the body.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ethanol content | The higher the ethanol content, the more harmful the drink is. |
| Calories | Some alcoholic drinks are high in calories, which can increase the risk of weight gain and obesity. |
| Added sugars | Drinks with added sugars can lead to belly fat, high blood pressure, skin sagging, and an increased risk of heart disease. |
| Speed of consumption | Drinking alcohol quickly increases pressure on the body. |
| Regularity of consumption | Drinking regularly can lead to alcohol use disorder. |
| Type of drink | Mixed drinks often have more alcohol and mixers that drive up calories. |
| Cancer risk | Alcohol increases the risk of developing at least seven types of cancers. |
| Other health risks | Excessive alcohol use is linked to heart and liver disease, depression, anxiety, and memory problems. |
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What You'll Learn
- Mixed drinks: these can contain the equivalent of five shots of alcohol
- Drinks with caffeine: these may make you feel less drunk, prompting you to drink more
- High-ABV drinks: the higher the ABV, the more ethanol, which is harmful
- Drinks with added sugar: these can lead to weight gain and heart disease
- Binge drinking: drinking too much, too fast puts pressure on your body
Mixed drinks: these can contain the equivalent of five shots of alcohol
While all alcohol is bad for health, some drinks are worse than others. Mixed drinks, for instance, are considered by some experts to be the most harmful.
Firstly, mixed drinks often contain more alcohol. A single Long Island Iced Tea, for example, contains vodka, gin, rum, tequila, triple sec, sweet and sour mix, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cola. This means that "a single LIIT can have a whopping 780 calories", and the high alcohol content hits your system hard.
Secondly, mixers can drive up the calorie count. Piña Coladas, margaritas, and Mudslides are loaded with added sugar. The Ultimate Mudslide from TGI Friday's contains 86 grams of sugar, almost four days' worth according to the American Heart Association guidelines. A single ounce of simple syrup contains more than five teaspoons of added sugar, which can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Thirdly, the mixers in alcoholic drinks can contain caffeine, like espresso martinis or vodka Red Bulls. The energy boost from the caffeine may make you feel less drunk than you are, leading you to drink more.
Finally, it can be tricky to calculate the alcohol by volume (ABV) of cocktails, as they are often made with sodas, juices, and multiple types of alcohol. This makes it hard to know exactly how much ethanol you are consuming.
For these reasons, it is best to stick with wine or beer if you want to know how much ethanol you are drinking.
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Drinks with caffeine: these may make you feel less drunk, prompting you to drink more
While all types of alcohol are bad for health, some drinks are worse than others. One of the critical factors is the amount of ethanol in a drink, which determines the harm it can cause. Drinks with higher alcohol by volume (ABV) will expose you to more ethanol. For example, an 8% ABV beer contains twice as much ethanol as a 4% ABV beer. Generally, beer has less ethanol than wine, and wine has less than liquors like vodka and tequila. However, some strong beers can have higher ABV than certain wines or liquors. Thus, choosing drinks with lower ABVs can help reduce ethanol exposure.
Another factor to consider is the additional ingredients in mixed drinks, such as cocktails. These drinks often contain high amounts of sugar and calories, leading to health issues like weight gain, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. Certain cocktails, like the Lobsterita from Red Lobster, contain up to 890 calories and 183 grams of carbs. Similarly, a Long Island Iced Tea can have 780 calories, and a Mudslide from TGI Friday's contains 740 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 86 grams of sugar. These added sugars can increase the risk of heart disease and affect brain function.
Moreover, drinks with caffeine, such as espresso martinis or vodka Red Bulls, can be particularly harmful. The caffeine in these drinks can make you feel less drunk, leading you to consume more alcohol than you normally would. As a result, you may experience more severe hangovers or other negative consequences.
When it comes to mixed drinks, it's not just about the alcohol content but also the additional ingredients. The high sugar and calorie content in these drinks can have detrimental effects on your health. Therefore, it's essential to be mindful of the potential risks associated with consuming alcoholic beverages, especially those with high ABV and added sugars or caffeine.
In conclusion, while all alcohol is harmful, drinks with caffeine are particularly concerning due to their ability to mask drunkenness and encourage excessive drinking. However, it's important to remember that the speed of drinking and the amount consumed also play a significant role in alcohol's impact on the body.
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High-ABV drinks: the higher the ABV, the more ethanol, which is harmful
While all types of alcohol are harmful to health, high-ABV drinks are particularly dangerous. ABV stands for alcohol by volume, and the higher the ABV, the more ethanol is present in the drink. Ethanol is a harmful substance that gets converted into acetaldehyde in the body when we consume alcohol. Acetaldehyde can damage DNA, increasing the risk of developing various cancers, including those of the mouth, throat, liver, colon, and breasts.
Drinks with higher ABVs can cause more damage to the liver as the organ has to work harder to filter out the toxins. For example, consuming two units of 80% absinthe on an empty stomach will likely have more severe effects than drinking four units of beer with food and water. Choosing drinks with lower ABVs is generally recommended to reduce ethanol exposure.
Cocktails and mixed drinks tend to have higher ABVs and are often loaded with added sugars, sweeteners, and juices, increasing the calorie count. Piña Coladas, margaritas, and Long Island Iced Teas are singled out by experts as some of the worst offenders. For instance, a traditional Lobsterita from Red Lobster contains a staggering 890 calories and 183 grams of carbs, equivalent to consuming seven Almond Joy candy bars.
In addition to the health risks associated with high-ABV drinks, consuming them can also lead to a faster intoxication rate. This is because the higher the ABV, the more alcohol is present in the drink, leading to a more rapid increase in blood alcohol concentration. As a result, individuals may experience impaired judgment and motor skills more quickly, increasing the risk of accidents and injuries.
It is worth noting that the speed of drinking and the amount consumed also play a significant role in the impact on the body. Drinking a single unit of whiskey or beer over an hour will likely have less effect than consuming the same amount in a shorter duration or taking shots. Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to both the ABV and the pace of drinking to minimize potential harm.
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Drinks with added sugar: these can lead to weight gain and heart disease
While all types of alcohol are bad for health, some drinks are worse than others when it comes to weight gain and heart disease. Drinks with added sugar are particularly harmful, as they can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, skin sagging, and an increased risk of heart disease.
Cocktails and mixed drinks are often loaded with added sugars, which can have detrimental effects on health. For example, a single ounce of simple syrup contains more than five teaspoons of added sugar. Drinks such as margaritas, piña coladas, and Long Island Iced Teas are known for their high sugar content. The Ultimate Mudslide from TGI Friday's packs a whopping 740 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 86 grams of sugar. That's almost four days' worth of sugar in one drink, according to the American Heart Association guidelines.
The British Medical Journal once ranked the Lobsterita from Red Lobster as one of the worst drinks in America. This 24-ounce cocktail contains 890 calories and 183 grams of carbs, the equivalent of eating seven Almond Joy candy bars. Another example is the Long Island Iced Tea, which contains multiple types of liquor, mixers, and simple syrup, resulting in a drink with up to 780 calories.
These sugary cocktails can lead to weight gain and obesity, increasing the risk of heart disease and other health conditions like Type 2 diabetes. The high sugar content can also affect cognitive function and cause an increase in blood pressure. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid cocktails and mixed drinks with added sugars or simple syrups to minimize the harmful effects of alcohol on the body.
Additionally, it is worth noting that straight liquor, such as whiskey or vodka, contains fewer calories and sugars than mixed drinks. However, it is important to be mindful of the speed and amount of consumption, as excessive alcohol use can still lead to liver disease, depression, anxiety, and memory problems, regardless of the type of alcohol consumed.
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Binge drinking: drinking too much, too fast puts pressure on your body
Binge drinking is a common behaviour that is not limited to people with alcohol use disorder. It is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women, or five or more drinks for men, within about two hours. Binge drinking puts pressure on your body and can lead to a range of negative health consequences.
Firstly, binge drinking can cause acute harm, such as blackouts and overdoses. It also increases the likelihood of unsafe sexual behaviour, sexually transmitted infections, and unintended pregnancies. The risk of these consequences is greater at higher peak levels of alcohol consumption. Binge drinking impairs judgement and increases the risk of injury, while also hindering the body's ability to heal from those injuries. This can lead to potentially deadly consequences, including falls, burns, drownings, and car crashes.
Additionally, binge drinking can have serious effects on the brain. Research indicates that repeated episodes of binge drinking during adolescence can alter brain development and cause lasting deficits in social, attention, memory, and other cognitive functions. Binge drinking can also lead to changes in brain function and thinking in adults. Even a single episode of binge drinking can compromise the immune system and lead to acute pancreatitis, especially in individuals with underlying pancreatic damage.
Binge drinking is also associated with long-term health problems, including several types of cancer, such as liver, mouth, throat, voice box, oesophagus, colon, rectal, and breast cancer. It increases the risk of heart-related issues, such as high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and heart failure. Alcohol is a diuretic, causing the kidneys to produce more urine, which can lead to dehydration and low levels of essential minerals and salts. Binge drinking can also affect the lungs by inhibiting the gag reflex, allowing vomit, saliva, or other substances to enter the lungs.
Furthermore, binge drinking can contribute to weight gain and obesity due to the high calorie and sugar content of alcoholic beverages. Certain cocktails, such as Piña Coladas, margaritas, and Long Island Iced Teas, are particularly high in calories and sugar. Excessive alcohol consumption can also affect the intestinal microbiome, which can have implications for overall health.
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Frequently asked questions
According to experts, there is no "good" alcohol for your health. However, some alcoholic drinks are considered worse than others due to their high sugar and calorie content, which can lead to health issues such as weight gain, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Mixed drinks, such as cocktails, tend to fall into this category.
Piña Coladas, margaritas, and Long Island Iced Teas are often considered some of the unhealthiest alcoholic drinks due to their high alcohol and sugar content. For example, a single Long Island Iced Tea can contain up to 780 calories.
When choosing between alcoholic beverages, opt for drinks with lower alcohol by volume (ABV) or ethanol content. Generally, beer has less ethanol than wine, and wine has less than liquors like vodka and tequila. Additionally, avoid drinks with added sugars and mixers that contain caffeine.
Yes, the speed and regularity with which you consume alcohol can also impact your health. Drinking alcohol slowly and in moderation gives your body more time to process it, reducing potential harm. Binge drinking or consuming multiple drinks in a short period puts more pressure on your body and can lead to negative consequences.
