Almost no vacation is complete without alcohol. But everything should be in moderation, a small dose of alcoholic beverages will be useful and lift your mood. Some types of alcohol are safer than others. The main thing is that they do not contain methyl alcohol, because this leads to disastrous consequences.
Classification of the dangers of alcohol
Any food product that contains at least 1. 5% ethyl alcohol is alcoholic. Ethanol drinks are systematized according to the level of C₂H₅OH, type of raw material used, type of production and aging criteria.
In the presence of alcohol:
- low content - beer, wine;
- high - vodka, sugar cane rum, gin, grain whiskey, grape and other.
All drinks are produced from different types of raw materials.
The first can be divided into the following
- based on grapes - cognac, wine, Italian brandy;
- cereals - whiskey, beer groups, vodka;
- fruits and berries – Calvados apple, 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 volume of the container;
- 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-alcohol national products, kvass, palm toddy, shandy.
Beverages with an average ethanol content are wines, mulled wine, punch and mead.
Vodka, armagnac, tequila, rum, absinthe and other intoxicating liquids occupy the highest level. The consumption of ethyl alcohol is in the leading position. The volume of alcohol reaches 95%.
It is believed that the main harm to health is caused by the degree of drinking, however, consumption of weak products containing alcohol can cause harm no less than strong ones.
Characteristics of less harmful alcohol
Estimates of intoxicating liquids vary widely. Some nutritionists claim that drinking the drink is beneficial, while others say that it is harmful to health.
The criteria for the least harmful alcohol are as follows:
- The degree of its quality.
- Amount of ethanol.
- Additions of aromas.
- Performance.
According to medical experts, vodka is considered less harmful to health. Of course, this condition is satisfied with minimal use.
This conclusion is due to the following factors:
- small amount of contained calories;
- absence of harmful carbonyl group;
- simplicity of alcoholic liquid - water with alcohol.
Consumed high-quality product almost never causes a hangover. But that doesn't mean you can drink vodka without measure. To prevent poisoning, the snack should be fatty food.
However, experts characterize real grape wine as the least safe alcohol for the liver. The fruits of the bush have no harmful residues. If you do not separate the skins from the berries, you get a red variety of wine, which is recognized as the healthiest.
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 nitrogen compounds.
Antioxidants improve the work of the circulatory system and rejuvenate cells. Wine is successfully used to extract its extract, which is used to make injections and various cosmetic preparations.
Negative effects on the human body
The negative impact of alcoholic beverages is manifested in the following:
Organs exposed to alcohol and diseases that can occur under the influence of alcoholic beverages
- Intoxication interferes with 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: ischemia and hypertension, cardiomyopathy. In some people, alcohol addiction causes an enlarged heart.
- The rate of breathing increases, tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis develop.
- The functions of the digestive system are disturbed, because the mucous membrane takes over the effect of the poison. Patients are diagnosed with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Alcohol destroys the liver, causes cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatosis.
- Excretory function is disturbed. Alcohol is harmful to the kidneys, because their epithelium is destroyed under the influence of alcohol.
- Endocrine glands are affected. Almost half of people suffering from alcoholism have reduced sexual function. Against this background, neuroses, depression and other disorders of the central nervous system arise. In women, the menstrual cycle is disturbed, menopause occurs too early, and gestosis and miscarriage are possible during pregnancy.
- The skin and muscle tissue are exhausted, and various dermatological diseases appear.
- Hematopoietic processes are disturbed, lymphocyte production 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 stops orienting himself in time and space, his pulse quickens, his blood pressure rises, and in some cases, his temperature.
Regular alcohol consumption shortens life expectancy, leads to premature aging and disability.
Does the damage depend on the level of alcohol?
The alcohol content determines the time it takes to remove alcohol from the body. The lower this indicator is, the less harm the drink will bring to a person.
This is why products with a large amount of ethanol are considered the most dangerous.
How to choose the least harmful alcohol
The choice of the least dangerous alcoholic beverage should be based on criteria that determine the degree of harmful effects on the human body. These criteria include:
- quality (manufacturer, compliance with established safety requirements, conditions of filling, transportation and storage);
- strength (amount of ethyl alcohol in the composition);
- availability of flavor additives and their range;
- the rate of absorption of alcohol into the blood.
A properly selected alcoholic drink will cause minimal damage 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 (the breakdown product of ethyl alcohol). This substance is present in all alcoholic beverages and is harmful to health.Expensive products made from better quality raw materials are considered the least harmful.The low price is due to insufficient purification of the composition of fusel oils.
Even homemade wines and moonshine, made from purified water and quality products, are more harmful than those from stores. It is impossible to properly purify raw materials without the necessary equipment and technology. When choosing alcohol, preference should be given to drinks that do not contain synthetic ingredients.
What is the difference between expensive and cheap alcohol?
There is an opinion that the harm from alcohol is the same, regardless of the quality and price of the drink. But there is a difference between cheap, low-quality alcohol and an expensive "elite" product.
The low price indicates that cheap, low-quality raw materials were used in the production. This affects the composition of drinks containing alcohol and also worsens the consequences of its use.
Manufacturers who respect safety standards and care about the quality of the finished product use more expensive raw materials and complex cleaning processes. It certainly affects the price in the direction of its growth.
Spirit world
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 according to strength:
| Classification | Scroll |
strong alcohol |
brandy, whiskey, ethyl (medical) alcohol, sambuca, rum, vodka, absinthe, tequila, gin, cognac |
| medium strength drinks | vermouth, wines of all kinds, liqueurs, cider, martinis, punch, grog |
| low alcohol (and carbonated) | beer, beer products, sparkling wines and champagne |
Many ordinary people talk about the harmfulness of alcohol 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 level. Even weak alcoholic beverages can cause the development of alcoholism in a person.
A few 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, alcohol addiction is caused by light alcohol that was drunk in large quantities and constantly. This caused rapid addiction and consequent health problems.
Alcohol is destructive for all internal systems and organs
So what is it, the safest alcohol, where to look for alcohol that you can drink calmly, regardless of the upcoming health problems? We can say right away: there is no absolutely safe alcohol, any drink containing ethyl alcohol is a priori classified as dangerous and destructive. But there is a list compiled by scientists that lists alcoholic beverages according to the harm they cause. Check out this rating.
1st place: alcoholic energy drinks
In the spring of 2017, the world became familiar with the data of a long-term study organized and conducted by Canadian scientists. According to their research, the greatest danger for people is the mixture of ethanol with various energy drinks or ready-made energy cocktails from alcoholic cans.. In addition to the well-known harm of alcohol, these drinks also 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 than fans of "cleaner" 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 alcoholic person not only does not understand the very fact of drinking, but also does not give an account for his actions, considering them 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 criminal offense due to intoxication with this product, sobering up, cannot remember what they did and where they were. Alcoholic energy drinks rightfully take the honorable first place on the list of the most dangerous alcoholic products.
2nd place: alcoholic cocktails
There is a huge army of fans of various delicious cocktails that are prepared with the use of alcohol. They regularly drink them at parties, cafes and clubs. It is very difficult to convince them of the danger of such a hobby. Can light and so aromatic cocktails be harmful? But in fact, they occupy the 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, ingredients include carbonated drinks, sweetened water, liqueurs, syrups and juices. These components, when mixed with each other, create a dangerous mixture that:
- immediately absorbed into the blood;
- causes severe intoxication;
- increase the concentration of sugar in the body;
- leads to a 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. And the heart increases its rhythm, trying to ensure normal blood flow to actively working organs.
Even one small glass of alcoholic cocktail brings a triple 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 the glass. But the passion for this drink will turn him 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 decay processes, including the remains of undigested food. Champagne owes such processes to the carbon dioxide it contains.
Good champagne will do no harm if you don't drink more than one glass.
Large amounts 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 equally by men and women.But in the meantime, this fragrant foam is very dangerous because of the rapid addiction and development of beer alcoholism.. Dangerously foamy and with a large dose of phytoestrogens, which hop cones are rich in.
Phytoestrogens contained in beer are herbal analogues of female sex hormones. These compounds are extremely dangerous for both sexes. They contribute to a serious disruption of the hormonal system.
Unfortunately, narcologists today diagnose beer alcoholism much more often than addiction caused by strong drinks. Unfortunately, unaware of the dangers of beer, people begin to become addicted to it from adolescence, destroying their own health. It is much more difficult to get rid of beer alcoholism than other types of addiction.
Regular consumption of beer leads to rapid development of beer alcoholism
Long-term and constant addiction to intoxicating drinks leads to the following disorders:
- "live" beer, which is considered the "purest", has a high calorie content and quickly causes obesity;
- inhibits the production of natural sex hormones, which negatively affects the functioning of the reproductive system;
- causes global changes in the thickness and structure of the myocardium (heart muscle), which causes the development of numerous heart pathologies.
Moreover, the harmful effect does not depend on the brand or brand of beer. This drink is dangerous in any case, regardless of the variety and production process. There is no safe beer in nature.
5th place: cognac
According to scientists, the most harmless is the purest alcoholic drink, i. e. 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 aggressive components. Cognac is the least harmful alcohol. In addition, it can bring some advantages:
- Stabilizes high blood pressure;
- It stops the pathogenic activity of the virus.
Cognac has the ability to stabilize blood pressure, but only with moderate and rare consumption
But good cognac can be distinguished by such talents, provided that it is consumed minimally and rarely. It is believed that a safe dose of this strong alcohol does not exceed 50 g.
6th place: liqueurs
This alcohol is much safer than many low-alcohol alcohols. Liqueurs do not contain carbon dioxide, and are traditionally consumed in small doses.Their only significant drawback is the high sugar content.. For this very reason, aromatic and tasty liqueurs should not be consumed by people suffering from diabetes and prone to rapid weight gain.
Disadvantages of liqueurs include a large amount of sugar in the composition.
7th place: wines
With moderate, competent consumption of red and rosé wines, they can even be considered medicinal. But such a statement is valid only in relation to the natural wine alcohol produced by the fermentation of grapes. True, in some people prone to allergic manifestations, red wine can cause allergy attacks.
Women are recommended to drink good red wine (in strictly limited quantities), because this alcohol is rich in antioxidants that prevent 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 fully fermented. When the seeds and remnants of the skin 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 useful for the body, because all the most valuable substances from the skin and seeds of the fruit are transferred to the composition of the wine.
8th place: Vodka
According to the unique opinion of doctors, the safest is vodka, our legendary drink, which is already considered a national treasure.But also insidious, because we can talk about advantages only 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 with 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 that doesn't mean you can drink it without a snack. Good and fatty food is a mandatory addition to this alcohol.
Consequences of consuming alcoholic beverages
The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages are divided into short-term, which occur within a few hours after drinking, and long-term, which are felt after a longer systematic intake.
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 poisoning vary depending on the concentration of ethanol in the blood, and include:
- Confusion of speech and consciousness;
- reduced hearing and vision, hallucinations;
- sticking of red blood cells and, as a result, anemia;
- drowsiness;
- vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
- headaches, tinnitus;
- difficulties in natural physiological processes (breathing, urination, etc. );
- memory loss;
- attacks of aggression, euphoria, sudden changes in mood.
While intoxicated, people are more likely to experience family injuries, get into traffic accidents, and be 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 has a negative impact on 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 diseases, stroke;
- throat, stomach, liver and colon cancer;
- 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 a person addicted to alcohol, who is prone to an antisocial lifestyle.
Social issues such as:
- crisis in relations with family, friends, colleagues;
- difficulties in finding employment and work;
- tendency to violence, aggressive behavior;
- the formation of mental pathologies, including severe psychoses, personality disorders and manic states.
Impact speed
According to the impact speed, all alcoholic beverages can be divided into two types:
| "fast" | This includes strong alcohol (400 and above), such as vodka, tequila, absinthe, etc. |
| "slow" | Low-alcohol cocktails, champagne, beer and wine have a delayed effect. |
Despite the fact that intoxication from vodka occurs faster than from beer, the damage to health can be equal. Often, a person who prefers low-alcohol drinks is not aware of the amount they are drinking.
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 a severe hangover.
Drinking any alcohol should be accompanied by a large 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, thus completely removing it from the body and protecting vital organs, functions and systems.
Scientists have calculated safe daily doses of various types of drinks that contain alcohol. These indicators are valid for adults who rarely drink and do not have chronic diseases.
Any amount of alcohol is strictly prohibited:
- persons under the age of 18;
- pregnant and lactating women, as well as couples planning a pregnancy.
Among the various types of alcohol, vodka is considered the safest, and energy cocktails the least safe.
Alcohol-free beer brewed in accordance with brewing technology also contains a small amount of ethanol (0. 5%), therefore it cannot be considered safe for health and requires restrictions on the volume of consumption.