Healthy Alcoholic Drinks

Alcohol tends to get a bad rap. However, most people don't realize that an occasional drink can be beneficial to your health. The key is in choosing your drinks wisely and exercising moderation.

Research in the last few years indicates that drinking wine, particularly red wine, may have heart protective benefits. Much of the research has focused on a anti-oxidant found in wine called resveratrol. This compound is believed to help prevent artery blockages caused by fatty deposits.

Other studies, not just that on resveratrol, have found that alcohol taken in moderation may increase high density lipoproteins (HDL), the so-called good cholesterol; reduce blood clot formation and aid in the prevention of arterial damage caused by low density lipoproteins (LDL), the so-called bad cholesterol.

You wouldn't think beer would be healthy, but you would be surprised. Some research indicates that beer might help prevent bone loss as well as aid in rebuilding bone mass. It is believed that the high silicon content may be the reason for this effect.

The flavor in gin comes from juniper berries. In some studies, juniper berries have been shown to act like a diuretic. In animal studies, it also lowered blood glucose levels. While the berries alone offer more nutrition, an occasional cocktail containing gin can still give you some benefit.

For added nutrition, try a gin and juice at the bar. Grapefruit juice has antioxidant effects, helps the liver function more efficiently and may help prevent kidney stones and colon cancer. Orange juice offers a wide variety of vitamins and nutrients, as well as antioxidants, which can help lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Your grandfather was on to something when he took a shot of whiskey every day. An Australian study found that a shot of whiskey could provide equal antioxidant benefits to Vitamin C. Whiskey also contains ellagic acid, which is believed to help fight off rogue cancer cells.

Brandy also appears to offer antioxidant benefits. The process of distilling the alcohol through copper equipment is believed to be the reason. The higher the quality of brandy, the better the benefit.

According to the American Heart Association, moderate consumption of alcohol is an average of one drink per day for women and two for men. A drink is equivalent to one beer (12 oz), one glass of wine (4 oz) or 1 to 1.5 oz of spirits (100 to 80 proof respectively).