Almost no holiday is complete without alcohol. But everything should be in moderation, a small dose of alcohol will be useful and will 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 results.
Classification of harms of alcohol
Any food product with at least 1. 5% ethyl alcohol is considered alcoholic. Ethanol drinks are systematized according to the level of C₂H₅OH, the type of raw materials used, the type of production and aging criteria.
With the presence of alcohol:
- low content - beer, wine;
- high - vodka, cane rum, gin, grain whiskey, grape brandy, etc.
All drinks are made from different types of raw materials.
The first can be divided into the following
- grape-based - cognac, wine, Italian grappa;
- grain - whiskey, beer groups, vodka;
- fruits and berries – apple Calvados, liqueur, liqueur;
- herbal - balsam, rum, Mexican tequila, absinthe.
Each alcoholic beverage product has its own ethanol content.
The existence of the latter can be divided as follows:
- high - from 67% to 96% of the container volume;
- normal - between 31 and 66;
- medium - 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 moderate ethanol content are represented by wines, mulled wine, punch and mead.
Vodka, Armagnac, tequila, rum, absinthe and other intoxicating liquids occupy the top tier. Drinking ethyl alcohol is in the leading position. The volume of alcohol reaches 95%.
It is believed that the main damage to health is caused by the degree of drinking, but the consumption of products with a weak alcohol content can cause no less damage than strong ones.
Characteristics of less harmful alcohol
Opinions about intoxicating liquids vary considerably. Some nutritionists claim that drinking alcohol is beneficial, while others claim that it is harmful to health.
The criteria for the least harmful alcohol are as follows:
- Its quality rate.
- Amount of ethanol.
- Flavoring additives.
- Performance.
According to medical experts, vodka is considered less harmful to health. Of course, this condition is met with minimal use.
This result is due to the following factors:
- contains few calories;
- the absence of a harmful carbonyl group;
- simplicity of alcoholic liquid - water with alcohol.
A high-quality product that is consumed almost never causes a hangover. But this does not mean that you can drink vodka without measure. To prevent poisoning, snacks should be fatty foods.
However, experts describe real grape wines as the least safe alcohol for the liver. There are no harmful residues in the fruits of the bush. If you do not separate the skins from the berries, you get a red variety of wine, which is known to be the healthiest.
This is due to the fact that the vitamins contained in the peel pass into the liquid alcohol medium, saturating the body with trace elements and organic nitrogen compounds.
Antioxidants improve the functioning of the circulatory system and rejuvenate cells. Wine is successfully used to make an extract from it, which is used to make injections and various cosmetics.
Negative effects on the human body
The negative effects of alcoholic beverages are manifested by:
Organs affected by alcohol and diseases that may occur under the influence of alcoholic beverages
- Intoxication disrupts the flow of oxygen to the brain, causing the death of brain cells. Encephalopathy develops, the changes are irreversible.
- The cardiovascular system is affected. Pathologies develop: ischemic and hypertension, cardiomyopathy. In some people, alcohol addiction causes an enlarged heart.
- Respiratory rate increases, tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis develop.
- The functions of the digestive system are disturbed, because the mucous membrane receives the effect of the poison. Patients are diagnosed with gastritis and gastric ulcer. Alcohol destroys the liver, causes cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatosis.
- Disturbances in excretory function occur. 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 decreased sexual function. Against this background, neuroses, depressions and other disorders of the central nervous system arise. In women, the menstrual cycle is disturbed, menopause occurs prematurely, gestosis and miscarriages are possible during pregnancy.
- Skin and muscle tissue are exhausted, various dermatological diseases appear.
- Hematopoietic processes are disturbed, the production of lymphocytes decreases, allergic reactions appear.
- Mental disorders occur: convulsions, hallucinations, partial loss of sensation in the limbs.
The most severe form of intoxication is delirium tremens.Even timely treatment may not work. The patient stops orientation in time and space, his pulse accelerates, blood pressure rises, and in some cases the temperature rises.
Regular use of alcohol reduces life expectancy, causes premature aging and disability.
Does the damage depend on the degree of alcohol?
Alcohol content determines the time of alcohol removal from the body. The lower this indicator, the less harmful the drink will be to a person.
For this reason, 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 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, packaging, transportation and storage conditions);
- strength (the amount of ethyl alcohol it contains);
- presence of flavoring additives and their variety;
- rate of absorption of alcohol into the blood.
Properly selected alcohol 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 (the breakdown product of ethyl alcohol). This substance is contained 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 the fact that the composition is not sufficiently purified from fusel oils.
Even home-made wines and moonshine made from purified water and quality products are more harmful than their store counterparts. Proper cleaning of raw materials is impossible without the necessary equipment and technology. When choosing an alcoholic drink, preference should be given to drinks that do not contain synthetic substances.
What is the difference between expensive and cheap alcohol?
There is an opinion that regardless of the quality and price of the drink, the harm of alcohol is the same. 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 are used in production. This affects the composition of the alcoholic drink and aggravates the consequences of its use.
Manufacturers who follow safety standards and pay attention to the quality of the finished product use more expensive raw materials and complex cleaning processes. This, of course, affects the price in the direction of its growth.
The world of spirits
To find out which alcoholic drink is the most harmless, you need to study the types of alcohol. The most common degree is the classification of alcohol by strength:
| Classification | Scroll |
strong alcohol |
brandy, whiskey, ethyl (medicinal) alcohol, sambuca, rum, vodka, absinthe, tequila, gin, cognac |
| medium strong drinks | vermouth, all kinds of wines, liqueurs, cider, martinis, punch, grog |
| low alcohol (and carbonated) | ale, beer products, sparkling wines and champagne |
Many ordinary people talk about the harm of alcohol according to 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.
Harmfulness of alcohol does not depend on its degree. Even weak alcoholic drinks 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 most cases, alcohol addiction was caused by light alcohol, which was drunk in large quantities and constantly. This led to rapid addiction and subsequent health problems.
Alcohol has a devastating effect on all internal systems and organs
Well, what is 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 classified as dangerous and destructive. But there is a list compiled by scientists, which ranks alcoholic drinks according to the harm they cause. Check out this rating.
1st place: alcoholic energy drinks
In the spring of 2017, the world got acquainted with the data of a long-term study organized and conducted by Canadian scientists.According to their research, the greatest danger to humans is the mixture of ethanol with various energy drinks or ready-made alcoholic canned energy cocktails.. In addition to the known harm of alcohol, these drinks bring the following to their fans:
- Attacks of aggressive behavior.
- Suicide attempts, most of which were successful.
- Increased injury rate. Fans of alcoholic energy cocktails are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents than fans of "cleaner" alcoholic drinks.
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 this type of alcohol, has a relaxing effect on the body and suppresses the sedative effect of ethanol. As a result, a drunk person not only does not realize the fact of intoxication itself, but also does not report his 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 commits a crime drunk from this product cannot remember what he did or where he was after he sobered up. Alcoholic energy drinks rightfully take the 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 made using alcohol. They regularly drink at parties, cafes and clubs. It is very difficult to convince them of the dangers of such a hobby. Can such light and aromatic cocktails be harmful? But in fact, they take the second place in the ranking of the most dangerous alcohol.
The harm of alcoholic cocktails is in their composition
The problem is in their composition. Indeed, in addition to alcohol, the ingredients include carbonated drinks, sweetened water, liqueurs, syrups and juices. These components form a dangerous mixture when mixed together:
- 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 the actively working organs.
Even a small glass of alcoholic cocktail causes a triple load on the body. The more a person drinks such a drink, the stronger his hangover syndrome will manifest itself.
3rd place: champagne and sparkling wines
High-quality champagne produced by carefully observing the technological process does not harm the body if you drink it in a glass. But the passion for this drink will turn him into a terrible monster. The explanation is as follows:
- Fine champagne contains a lot of sugar. It has an extremely negative effect on the work and condition of the liver and pancreas.
- Once in the gastrointestinal tract, this drink leads to the development of rapid decay processes involving undigested food residues. Champagne owes these processes to the carbon dioxide it contains.
As long as you don't drink more than a glass, good champagne will do no harm.
A large amount of this pleasant and light alcohol can cause severe poisoning in humans. Sparkling wines work the same way. A mixture of ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide can incapacitate even a strong and large person in a short time.
4th place: beer
An extremely popular drink consumed by both men and women in equal measure.But at the same time, this aromatic foam is very dangerous due to the rapid addiction and development of beer alcoholism.. With a large dose of phytoestrogens, which are dangerously foamy and rich in hop cones.
Phytoestrogens contained in beer are plant analogues of female sex hormones. These combinations are extremely dangerous for both sexes. They contribute to serious disruption of the hormonal system.
Unfortunately, narcologists now diagnose beer alcoholism more often than the addiction caused by strong drinks. Unfortunately, because people are not aware of the harms of beer, they begin to become addicted to it from their teenage years, spoiling their health. Getting rid of beer alcoholism is more difficult than other types of addiction.
Regular consumption of beer leads to rapid development of beer alcoholism
Long-term and permanent addiction to alcoholic beverages causes the following disorders:
- "live" beer, which is considered the "cleanest", has a high calorie content and quickly causes obesity;
- inhibits the production of natural sex hormones that have a negative effect on the reproductive system;
- causes global changes in the thickness and structure of the myocardium (heart muscle), which leads to 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 its type and production process. There is no safe beer in nature.
5th place: cognac
According to scientists, the most harmless is the purest alcohol, that is, without unnecessary additives. It is easier to cope with such alcohol, which does not contain other components of the body, because less effort is spent on neutralizing aggressive components. Cognac is the least harmful alcohol. In addition, it can also provide 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 stand out with such talents if consumed minimally and rarely. It is believed that the safe dose of this strong alcohol is no more than 50 g.
6th place: liqueurs
This alcohol is safer than a number of low alcohol alcohols. Liqueurs do not contain carbon dioxide and are traditionally consumed in small doses.Their only and significant drawback is the high sugar content.. It is for this reason that aromatic and flavored liquors should not be consumed by people suffering from diabetes and prone to rapid weight gain.
The disadvantages of liqueurs are that they contain a lot of sugar.
7th place: wines
With moderate, competent consumption of red and rosé wines, they can even be considered medicinal. However, such a statement is valid only in relation to natural wine alcohol made by fermentation of grapes. It is true that red wine can cause allergy attacks in some people prone to allergic manifestations.
Women are advised 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 choose good, natural wine. Grape juice is completely fermented. When the remains of the seed and skin remain in it, the result is red wine, which is 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 fruit seeds pass into the wine composition.
8th place: vodka
According to the unanimous opinion of doctors, our legendary drink, which is already considered a national treasure, is the safest.But it is also insidious, because we can talk about the benefits only when the quality of alcohol is high and its consumption is minimal..
Vodka is considered the safest of all types of alcohol, but its regular use leads to the development of alcoholism
Speaking about the safety of vodka, doctors explain their words with the following qualities of this strong alcohol:
- minimum amount of calories;
- complete lack of carbohydrates;
- Purity of ingredients, vodka consists of a mixture of water and alcohol.
By the way, high-quality vodka almost never causes a severe hangover. But this does not mean that you can drink it without a snack. Good and fatty food is a must complement to this alcohol.
Consequences of drinking alcohol
The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages are divided into short-term and long-term systemic effects that appear within a few hours after drinking.
The main short-term result is a state of intoxication accompanied by changes in metabolic processes, disturbances in the work of the brain, vestibular apparatus and stress in all body systems.
Symptoms of alcohol intoxication vary depending on the concentration of ethanol in the blood, including:
- Confusion of speech and consciousness;
- decreased hearing and vision, hallucinations;
- adhesion of red blood cells and consequent anemia;
- drowsiness;
- vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
- headache, tinnitus;
- difficulty in natural physiological processes (breathing, urination, etc. );
- memory loss;
- attacks of aggression, euphoria, sudden mood swings.
People are more likely to have domestic injuries, traffic accidents, sexual assault or other physical aggression when they are drunk.
People who systematically drink alcohol for a long time develop a stable addiction. This has a negative impact on both human health and social and household conditions.
Alcoholics face various physiological problems, but in most cases:
- pathologies of internal organs, chronic intoxication of the body;
- spinal cord injuries, atrophic heart disease, strokes;
- throat, stomach, liver and colon cancer;
- hormonal disorders;
- erectile dysfunction, infertility, early menopause, etc. ;
- Lack of B vitamins, calcium and zinc.
These problems are the result of the behavioral characteristics of alcohol addiction, which tend to lead an antisocial lifestyle.
Social problems such as:
- crisis in relationships with family, friends, colleagues;
- difficulties in finding work and work;
- tendency to violence, aggressive behavior;
- the formation of mental pathologies with severe psychoses, personality disorders and manic states.
Impact speed
According to the speed of effect, all alcoholic beverages 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 wine are slow-moving. |
Although intoxication from vodka occurs faster than from beer, the damage to health can be equal. Often, a person who prefers non-alcoholic drinks is not aware of the amount he drinks.
When the amount of ethanol in the body already exceeds the safe limit, it cannot stop in time. The result 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.
The result
Ethyl alcohol in any alcoholic drink is poisonous. However, the liver is able to process a small amount of ethanol, thereby completely removing it from the body and protecting vital organs, functions and systems.
Scientists have calculated safe daily doses of different types of alcoholic beverages. 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 pregnancy.
Among the different types of alcohol, vodka is considered the safest, and energy cocktails are the least safe.
Alcohol-free beer brewed according to the brewing technology also contains a small amount of ethanol (from 0. 5%), so it cannot be considered safe for health and requires restrictions on the amount of consumption.