Almost no holiday is complete without alcohol. But everything should be in moderation; a small dosage of alcoholic beverages will be beneficial and lift your spirits. Some types of alcohol are safer than others. The main thing is that they do not contain methyl alcohol, as it leads to disastrous consequences.
Classification of the dangers of alcohol
Any food product containing at least 1. 5% ethyl alcohol is alcoholic. Ethanol drinks are systematized by C₂H₅OH level, type of raw materials used, type of production and aging criteria.
By the presence of alcohol:
- low content - beer, wine;
- high - vodka, sugar cane rum, gin, grain whiskey, grape brandy and more.
All drinks are produced from various types of raw materials.
The first ones can be divided into the following
- grape-based - cognac, wine, Italian grappa;
- grains – whiskey, beer groups, vodka;
- fruit and berry – apple Calvados, liqueur, liqueur;
- herbal - balsam, rum, Mexican tequila, absinthe.
Each alcoholic beverage product has its own ethanol content.
The presence of the latter can be divided as follows:
- high – from 67 to 96% of the container volume;
- normal – from 31 to 66;
- average – from 9 to 30;
- low – from 1. 5 to 9.
The last line includes everyone’s favorite beer, low alcoholic national products, kvass, palm toddy, shandy.
Drinks with an average ethanol content are represented by wines, mulled wine, punch, and mead.
The top step is occupied by vodka, armagnac, tequila, rum, absinthe, and other intoxicating liquids. Drinking ethyl alcohol is in the leading position. The alcohol volume reaches 95%.
It is believed that the main harm to health is caused by the degree of the drink, however, consuming weak alcohol-containing products can cause damage no less than strong ones.
Characteristics of less harmful alcohol
Judgments about intoxicating liquids vary considerably. Some nutritionists claim that drinking drinks is beneficial, while others say it is harmful to health.
The criteria for the least harmful alcohol are the following:
- The degree of its quality.
- Amount of ethanol.
- Flavoring additions.
- Performance.
According to medical experts, vodka is considered less harmful to health. Of course, this condition is met with minimal use.
This conclusion is due to the following factors:
- low amount of calories contained;
- absence of harmful carbonyl group;
- the simplicity of an alcoholic liquid - water with alcohol.
A high-quality product consumed almost never causes a hangover. But this does not mean that you can drink vodka without measure. To prevent poisoning, the snack should be fatty foods.
However, experts characterize genuine grape wines as the least safe alcohol for the liver. The fruits of the bush do not have harmful residues. If you do not separate the skins from the berries, you get a red variety of wine, recognized as the most healthy.
This is due to the fact that the vitamins contained in the shell pass into the liquid alcoholic medium, saturating the body with microelements and organic nitrogenous compounds.
Antioxidants improve the functioning of the circulatory system and rejuvenate cells. Wine is successfully used to extract an extract from it, which is used to make injections and various cosmetics.
Negative effects on the human body
The negative impact of alcoholic beverages is manifested in the following:
Organs exposed to alcohol and diseases that may occur under the influence of alcoholic beverages
- Intoxication disrupts the flow of oxygen to the brain, causing brain cells to die. Encephalopathy develops, the changes are irreversible.
- The cardiovascular system is affected. Pathologies develop: ischemic and hypertension, cardiomyopathy. In some people, alcohol addiction causes the heart to become enlarged.
- The respiratory rate increases, tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis develop.
- The functions of the digestive system are disrupted, because the mucous membrane takes on the effect of the poison. Patients are diagnosed with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Alcohol destroys the liver, causes cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatosis.
- Disturbances in excretory function occur. Alcohol is harmful to the kidneys, because under the influence of alcohol their epithelium is destroyed.
- The endocrine glands are affected. Almost half of people suffering from alcoholism have decreased sexual function. Against this background, neuroses, depression and other disorders of the central nervous system arise. In women, the menstrual cycle is disrupted, menopause occurs prematurely, and gestosis and miscarriages are possible during pregnancy.
- The skin and muscle tissue are depleted, and various dermatological diseases appear.
- Hematopoietic processes are disrupted, the production of lymphocytes decreases, and allergic reactions appear.
- Mental abnormalities occur: convulsions, hallucinations, partial loss of sensation in the limbs.
The most severe form of intoxication is delirium tremens.Even timely treatment may not bring results. The patient ceases to orient himself in time and space, his pulse quickens, his blood pressure rises, and in some cases his temperature rises.
Regular consumption of alcohol reduces life expectancy, leads to premature aging and disability.
Does the harm depend on the degree of alcohol?
Alcohol content determines the timing of alcohol removal from the body. The lower this indicator, the less harm the drink will bring to a person.
For this reason, products with a high amount of ethanol are considered the most dangerous.
How to choose the least harmful alcohol
The choice of the least dangerous alcoholic drink should be based on criteria that determine the level of harmful effects on the human body. These criteria include:
- quality (manufacturer, compliance with established safety requirements, bottling, transportation and storage conditions);
- strength (the amount of ethyl alcohol in the composition);
- availability of flavoring additives and their range;
- the rate of absorption of alcohol into the blood.
A properly selected alcoholic drink will cause minimal harm to the body and prevent the development of severe pathologies and hangover syndrome.
How harmful are low-quality raw materials?
The main toxic effect on the human body is acetaldehyde (a breakdown product of ethyl alcohol). This substance is present in all alcoholic drinks and is harmful to health.Expensive products made from higher quality raw materials are considered the least harmful.The low cost is due to insufficient purification of the composition from fusel oils.
Even homemade wines and moonshine, made from purified water and quality products, are more harmful than store-bought counterparts. It is impossible to properly purify raw materials without the necessary equipment and technology. When choosing alcohol, you should give preference to drinks that do not contain synthetic ingredients.
What is the difference between expensive and cheap alcohol
There is an opinion that the harm of alcohol is the same, regardless of the quality and cost of the drink. But there is a difference between cheap low-quality alcohol and an expensive "elite" product.
A low price indicates that cheap, low-quality raw materials were used in production. This affects the composition of the alcohol-containing drink and also aggravates the consequences of its use.
Manufacturers who comply with safety standards and care about the quality of the finished product use more expensive raw materials and complex cleaning processes. This certainly affects the price in the direction of its increase.
World of spirits
To find out which alcoholic drink is the most harmless, you should learn about the types of alcohol. The most common gradation is the classification of alcohol by strength:
| Classification | Scroll |
strong alcohol |
brandy, whiskey, ethyl (medicinal) alcohol, sambuca, rum, vodka, absinthe, tequila, gin, cognac |
| medium strength drinks | vermouth, wines of all kinds, liqueurs, cider, martini, punch, grog |
| low alcohol (and carbonated) | ale, beer products, sparkling wines and champagne |
Many ordinary people talk about alcohol harm based on its degree. And they believe that the weaker 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 harmfulness of alcohol does not depend on its degree. Even weak alcoholic drinks can provoke the development of alcoholism in a person.
Several years ago, Canadian scientists conducted a series of experiments that showed that most people do not suffer from strong alcohol. In the vast majority of cases, addiction to alcohol was caused by light alcohol, which was drunk in large quantities and constantly. This caused rapid addiction and subsequent health problems.
Alcohol is destructive to all internal systems and organs
So what is it, the safest alcohol, where to look for alcohol that you can drink calmly, without regard to upcoming health problems? We can say right away: there is no absolutely safe alcohol; any drink that contains ethyl alcohol is a priori classified as dangerous and destructive. But there is a list compiled by scientists that lists alcoholic drinks in order of the harm they cause. Check out this rating.
1st place: alcoholic energy drinks
In the spring of 2017, the world became acquainted with the data of a long-term study organized and conducted by Canadian scientists.According to their research, the greatest danger to people is a mixture of ethanol with various energy drinks or ready-made alcoholic canned energy cocktails. In addition to the well-known harm from alcohol, these drinks bring the following to their fans:
- Attacks of aggressive behavior.
- Suicide attempts, most of which are successful.
- Increased injury rate. Fans of alcoholic energy cocktails were more likely to be involved in traffic accidents compared to fans of "purer" alcohol.
Alcoholic energy drinks are considered the most dangerous drinks for health.
Scientists have found an explanation for this. Caffeine, which is necessarily included in the composition of such alcohol, has a relaxing effect on the body and suppresses the sedative effect of ethanol. As a result, an intoxicated person not only does not understand the fact of intoxication itself, but also does not give an account of his own actions, considering them to be completely adequate.
Constant consumption of alcoholic energy drinks is accompanied by dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness and memory problems. Sometimes a person who has committed a crime due to intoxication with this product, having sobered up, is not able to remember what he did and where he was. Alcoholic energy drinks rightfully occupy an honorable first place in the ranking of the most dangerous alcoholic products.
2nd place: alcoholic cocktails
There is a huge army of fans of various delicious cocktails that are prepared using alcohol. They drink them regularly at parties, cafes, and clubs. It is very difficult to convince them of the dangers of such a hobby. Can light and such aromatic cocktails be harmful? But in fact, they occupy second position in the ranking of the most dangerous alcohol.
The harm of alcoholic cocktails lies in their composition
The point is in their composition. Indeed, in addition to alcohol, the ingredients include carbonated drinks, sweetened water, liqueurs, syrups, and juices. These components, when mixed with each other, create a dangerous mixture that:
- instantly absorbed into the blood;
- provokes severe intoxication;
- increase the concentration of sugar in the body;
- leads to a severe hangover;
- significantly increase 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. And the heart increases its rhythm, trying to ensure normal blood flow to actively working organs.
Even one small glass of alcoholic cocktail brings triple the load on the body. The more such drinks a person drinks, the stronger his hangover syndrome will manifest itself.
3rd place: champagne and sparkling wines
Produced with careful adherence to the technological process, high-quality champagne will not cause much harm to the body if you drink it in the volume of a glass. But passion for this drink will turn it into a terrible monster. The explanation is as follows:
- Fine champagne contains a large amount of sugar. It has an extremely negative effect on the functioning and condition of the liver and pancreas.
- Once in the gastrointestinal tract, this drink leads to the development of rapid processes of decay, involving the remains of undigested food. Champagne owes such processes to the carbon dioxide it contains.
Good champagne will do no harm if you drink no more than one glass.
Large volumes of this pleasant and light alcohol can cause severe poisoning in a person. Sparkling wines work in the same way. A mixture of ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide can knock down even a strong and large man in a short time.
4th place: beer
An extremely popular drink, enjoyed by both men and women in equal quantities.But meanwhile, this fragrant foam is very dangerous due to rapid addiction and the development of beer alcoholism. Dangerously foamy and with a large dose of phytoestrogens, which hop cones are rich in.
Phytoestrogens contained in beer are plant analogues of female sex hormones. These compounds are extremely dangerous for both sexes. They contribute to serious disruption of the hormonal system.
Unfortunately, narcologists now diagnose beer alcoholism much more often than addiction caused by strong drinks. Unfortunately, unaware of the dangers of beer, people begin to get addicted to it from adolescence, ruining their own health. It is much more difficult to get rid of beer alcoholism than from other types of addiction.
Regular consumption of beer leads to the rapid development of beer alcoholism
Long-term and constant addiction to intoxicating drinks leads to the following disorders:
- "live" beer, considered the "cleanest", has a high calorie content and quickly causes obesity;
- inhibits the production of natural sex hormones, which has a negative impact on the functioning of the reproductive system;
- provokes global changes in the thickness and structure of the myocardium (heart muscle), this provokes the development of numerous cardiac pathologies.
Moreover, the detrimental effect does not depend on the brand or brand of beer. This drink is dangerous in any case, regardless of the variety and manufacturing process. There is no safe beer in nature.
5th place: cognac
According to scientists, the most harmless is the purest alcoholic drink, that is, without unnecessary additives. It is easier for the body to cope with such alcohol, which lacks other components, because less effort is spent on neutralizing the aggressive components. Cognac is the least harmful alcohol. Plus, it can also bring some benefits:
- Stabilizes high blood pressure;
- Stops the pathogenic activity of viruses.
Cognac has the ability to stabilize blood pressure, but only with moderate and rare consumption
But a good cognac can be distinguished by such talents, provided that it is consumed minimally and infrequently. It is believed that the safe dose of this strong alcohol does not exceed 50 g.
6th place: liqueurs
This alcohol is much safer than a number of low-alcohol alcohol. Liqueurs do not contain carbon dioxide, and they are traditionally consumed in small doses.Their only and significant drawback is the high sugar content.. It is for this reason that aromatic and tasty liqueurs should not be consumed by people suffering from diabetes and prone to rapid weight gain.
The disadvantages of liqueurs include a large amount of sugar in the composition.
7th place: wines
With moderate, competent consumption of red and rose wines, they can even be considered medicinal. But such a statement is valid only in relation to natural wine alcohol made by fermenting grapes. True, in some people predisposed to allergic manifestations, red wine can provoke allergy attacks.
Women are recommended to drink good red wine (in strictly limited quantities), since this alcohol is rich in antioxidants that prevent the aging of the body.
Wine can only be beneficial if consumed wisely
By the way, when considering the question of which alcohol is less harmful to the liver, doctors opt for good, natural wine. Grape juice is completely fermented. When the seeds and remnants of the peel remain in it, the result is red wine, which becomes the basis for wine production.
These wines have the least destructive power for the liver. They are also the most beneficial for the body, since all the most valuable substances from the skin and fruit seeds are transferred into the wine composition.
8th place: vodka
According to the unanimous opinion of doctors, vodka, our legendary drink, which is already considered a national treasure, is the safest.But also insidious, because we can only talk about benefits if the quality of alcohol is high and its consumption is minimal..
Vodka is considered the safest of all types of alcohol, but its regular consumption leads to the development of alcoholism
Doctors, speaking about the safety of vodka, explain their words by the following qualities of this strong alcohol:
- minimum amount of calories;
- complete absence of carbohydrates;
- purity of ingredients, vodka consists of a mixture of water and alcohol.
By the way, high-quality vodka almost never leads to a severe hangover. But this does not mean that you can drink it without a snack. Good and fatty food is a mandatory addition to this alcohol.
Consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages
The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages are divided into short-term, which appear within a few hours after drinking, and long-term, which make themselves felt after a long period of systematic libations.
The main short-term consequence is a state of intoxication, which is accompanied by changes in metabolic processes, disturbances in the functioning of the brain, vestibular apparatus and stress on all body systems.
Symptoms of alcohol intoxication vary depending on the concentration of ethanol in the blood, among them are:
- Confusion of speech and consciousness;
- decreased hearing and vision, hallucinations;
- sticking of red blood cells and, as a result, anemia;
- drowsiness;
- vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
- headaches, tinnitus;
- difficulty in natural physiological processes (breathing, urination, etc. );
- memory losses;
- attacks of aggression, euphoria, sudden changes in mood.
While intoxicated, people are more likely to experience domestic injuries, get into traffic accidents, and become involved in sexual violence or other forms of physical aggression.
In the long term, people who systematically drink alcoholic beverages develop a stable addiction. This negatively affects both human health and the social and living conditions of his life.
Alcoholics face various physiological problems, but most often with:
- pathologies of internal organs, chronic intoxication of the body;
- spinal cord injuries, atrophic heart disease, strokes;
- cancer of the throat, stomach, liver and colon;
- hormonal disorders;
- erectile dysfunction, infertility, early menopause, etc. ;
- lack of B vitamins, calcium and zinc.
These problems are a consequence of the behavioral characteristics of an alcohol dependent person who tends to lead an antisocial lifestyle.
Social problems such as:
- crisis in relationships with family, friends, colleagues;
- difficulties in finding employment and work;
- tendency to violence, aggressive behavior;
- the formation of mental pathologies, among which there are severe psychoses, personality disorders and manic states.
Impact speed
According to the speed of impact, all alcoholic drinks can be divided into two types:
| "Fast" | These include strong alcohol (400 and above), such as vodka, tequila, absinthe, etc. |
| "Slow" | Low-alcohol cocktails, champagne, beer and wines have a slow action. |
Despite the fact that intoxication from vodka occurs faster than from beer, the harm to health can be equal. Often a person who prefers low-alcohol drinks is not aware of the amount he drinks.
He cannot stop in time, while the amount of ethanol in the body already exceeds the safe limit. The consequence of such irrational behavior is severe intoxication and severe hangover.
Drinking any alcohol should be accompanied by a hearty snack - this significantly reduces the rate of absorption of alcohol into the blood, and also protects the gastrointestinal tract from the harmful effects of alcohol.
Conclusion
Ethyl alcohol in any alcoholic drink is poisonous. However, the liver is capable of processing small amounts of ethanol, thereby completely removing it from the body and protecting vital organs, functions and systems.
Scientists have calculated safe daily doses of various types of alcohol-containing drinks. These indicators are valid for adults who drink rarely and do not have chronic diseases.
Any amount of alcohol is strictly prohibited:
- persons under 18 years of age;
- pregnant and lactating women, as well as couples planning pregnancy.
Among the variety of types of alcohol, vodka is considered the safest, and energy cocktails are the least safe.
Non-alcoholic beer brewed in accordance with brewing technology also contains a small amount of ethanol (from 0. 5%), therefore it cannot be considered safe for health and requires restrictions in the volume of consumption.