Almost no holiday is complete without alcohol. But everything should be in moderation, a small amount of alcoholic drink will have a beneficial effect and lift the mood. Some types of alcohol are safer than others. The main thing is that they do not contain methyl alcohol, as it has disastrous consequences.
Classification of the dangers of alcohol
Any food that contains at least 1. 5% ethyl alcohol is alcoholic. Ethanol drinks are organized according to the C2H₅OH level, the type of raw materials used, the type of production and the maturation criteria.
With the presence of alcohol:
- low content - beer, wine;
- tall - vodka, cane rum, gin, grain whiskey, grape brandy and so on.
Each drink is produced from different types of raw materials.
The first can be divided into the following
- grape-based - cognac, wine, Italian grappa;
- cereals - 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 - 67-96% of the volume of the tank;
- normal - between 31 and 66;
- average – 9-30;
- low - between 1. 5 and 9.
In the last row there is 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 top tier. The consumption of ethyl alcohol is in the leading position. The amount of alcohol reaches 95%.
It is believed that the main damage to health is caused by the amount of drink, however, consumption of low alcohol products can cause no less damage than strong ones.
Characteristics of less harmful alcohol
Judgments about intoxicating liquids vary greatly. Some nutritionists claim that drinking is beneficial, while others say it is harmful to health.
The criteria for the least harmful alcohol are as follows:
- Degree of quality.
- Amount of ethanol.
- Flavoring additives.
- Performance.
According to medical experts, vodka is less harmful to health. Of course, this condition is met with minimal use.
This conclusion is due to the following factors:
- low calorie content;
- absence of harmful carbonyl group;
- simplicity of alcoholic liquid - water with alcohol.
A good quality product consumed almost never causes a hangover. But this does not mean that you can drink vodka without moderation. To prevent poisoning, snacks should be fatty foods.
However, experts classify real grape wines as the least safe alcohol for the liver. The fruits of the bush do not contain harmful residues. If you do not separate the skin from the berries, you get a red wine that is recognized as the healthiest.
This is due to the fact that the vitamins in the peel are absorbed into the liquid alcoholic medium, saturating the body with trace elements and organic nitrogenous compounds.
Antioxidants improve the functioning of the circulatory system and rejuvenate cells. Wine is successfully used to extract an extract from which injections and various cosmetics are made.
Negative effects on the human body
The negative effect of alcoholic beverages is manifested in the following:
Organs exposed to alcohol and diseases that occur under the influence of alcoholic beverages
- Poisoning 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 high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy. In some people, alcohol addiction causes an enlarged heart.
- The respiratory rate increases, tuberculosis and chronic bronchitis develop.
- The functioning of the digestive system is disturbed because the mucous membrane takes over the effect of the poison. Patients are diagnosed with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Alcohol destroys the liver, causing cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatosis.
- Disturbances of the selection function occur. Alcohol is harmful to the kidneys, because alcohol destroys their epithelium.
- Endocrine glands are affected. Almost half of those suffering from alcoholism have reduced sexual function. In the background of this, neuroses, depression and other central nervous system disorders occur. In women, the menstrual cycle is interrupted, menopause occurs prematurely, and gestosis and miscarriage are possible during pregnancy.
- The skin and muscle tissue are exhausted, various dermatological diseases appear.
- The hematopoietic processes are disrupted, the production of lymphocytes decreases, and allergic reactions occur.
- Mental disorders occur: convulsions, hallucinations, partial loss of sensitivity in the limbs.
The most serious form of poisoning is delirium tremens.Even timely treatment does not bring results. The patient stops orienting himself in time and space, his pulse speeds up, his blood pressure rises, and sometimes his temperature.
Regular alcohol consumption reduces life expectancy, leads to premature aging and disability.
Does the damage depend on the amount of alcohol?
The alcohol content determines the time at which alcohol is removed from the body. The lower this indicator, the less harm the drink causes to a person.
For this reason, products containing large amounts of ethanol are considered the most dangerous.
How to choose the least harmful alcohol
The selection of the least dangerous alcoholic beverage should be based on criteria that determine the level of harmful effects on the human body. These criteria are:
- quality (manufacturer, compliance with established safety requirements, bottling, transport and storage conditions);
- strength (the amount of ethyl alcohol in the preparation);
- availability and selection of flavoring additives;
- the rate at which alcohol is absorbed into the blood.
A properly selected alcoholic drink causes minimal harm to the body and prevents the development of serious pathologies and hangover syndrome.
How harmful are low-quality raw materials?
The main toxic effect on the human body is acetaldehyde (the decomposition product of ethyl alcohol). This substance is found in all alcoholic beverages and is harmful to health.Expensive products made from higher quality ingredients are considered the least harmful.The low cost is due to inadequate cleaning of the composition from fusel oils.
Even homemade 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 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 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 expensive "elite" product.
The low price indicates that cheap, low-quality raw materials were used during production. This affects the composition of the alcoholic drink and aggravates the consequences of its use.
Manufacturers who comply with safety regulations and care about the quality of the finished product use more expensive raw materials and complicated cleaning procedures. This will certainly influence the price in the direction of growth.
A world of spirits
To find out which alcoholic drink is the most harmless, you need to learn about the types of alcohol. The most common degree is the classification of alcohol by strength:
| Classification | Coil |
strong alcohol |
brandy, whiskey, ethyl (medicinal) alcohol, sambuca, rum, vodka, absinthe, tequila, gin, cognac |
| medium strength drinks | vermouth, all kinds of wines, liqueurs, cider, martinis, punch, grog |
| low alcohol (and carbonated) | ale, beer products, sparkling wines and champagnes |
Many ordinary people talk about the harms of alcohol based on the amount. And they believe that the weaker the alcohol, the safer it is.Based on this argument, 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 the amount. Even weak alcoholic drinks can provoke 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 was caused by light alcohol consumed in large quantities and continuously. This led to rapid addiction and subsequent health problems.
Alcohol has a harmful effect on all internal systems and organs
So what is the safest alcohol, where should we look for alcohol that we can safely consume regardless of impending health problems? We can say right away: absolutely safe alcohol does not exist, all drinks containing ethyl alcohol are inherently dangerous and destructive. But there is a list compiled by scientists that ranks alcoholic beverages in the order of the harm they cause. Check out this review.
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 to people is a mixture of ethanol and various energy drinks or ready-made alcoholic canned energy cocktails.. In addition to the well-known harm caused by alcohol, these drinks bring the following to their fans:
- Attacks of aggressive behavior.
- Suicide attempts, most of which are successful.
- Increased damage rate. People who liked alcoholic energy cocktails were more likely to get into traffic accidents than people who liked "cleaner" alcohol.
Alcoholic energy drinks are 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, the drunk person not only does not understand the fact of being drunk, but also does not give an account of his own actions, considering them to be completely appropriate.
Continuous consumption of alcoholic energy drinks is accompanied by dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness and memory disorders. Sometimes a person who has committed a crime due to the intoxication of the product, after sobering up, does not remember what he did or where he was. Alcoholic energy drinks rightfully occupy the honorable first place in the ranking of the most dangerous alcohol-containing products.
2nd place: alcoholic cocktails
There is a huge army of fans of various delicious cocktails made with alcohol. They regularly drink 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? However, in fact, they take second place in the ranking of the most dangerous alcohols.
The harm of alcoholic cocktails lies in their composition
The point is in their composition. In fact, in addition to alcohol, the ingredients include carbonated drinks, sweetened water, liqueurs, syrups and fruit juices. These ingredients, when mixed with each other, create a dangerous mixture which:
- it is immediately absorbed into the blood;
- causes severe poisoning;
- increases the concentration of sugar in the body;
- leads to a severe hangover;
- significantly increases the load on almost all internal organs.
All body systems go into 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 functioning organs.
Even a small glass of alcoholic cocktail causes a triple burden on the body. The more such drinks a person drinks, the stronger the hangover syndrome will be.
3rd place: champagne and sparkling wines
High-quality sparkling wine made by carefully observing the technological process does not cause much harm to the body if it is drunk in the volume of a glass. But his passion for drink turns 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 rapid decomposition processes, including the remains of undigested food. Champagne owes such processes to the carbon dioxide in it.
Good champagne does no harm if you drink it with one glass at most.
This pleasant and light alcohol can cause serious poisoning in humans in large quantities. Sparkling wines work the same way. The mixture of ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide can knock down even a strong and large person in a short time.
4th place: beer
It is an extremely popular drink consumed equally by men and women.But at the same time, this fragrant foam is very dangerous due to the rapid development of addiction and beer alcoholism. Dangerously foamy and with a large dose of phytoestrogen, which hop cones are rich in.
Phytoestrogens in beer are plant analogues of female sex hormones. These compounds are extremely dangerous for both sexes. They contribute to the serious disruption of the hormonal system.
Unfortunately, narcologists now diagnose beer alcoholism much more often than addiction to strong drinks. Unfortunately, because people don't know the dangers of beer, they start getting used to it from adolescence, ruining their own health. It is much more difficult to get rid of beer alcoholism than other types of addiction.
Regular beer consumption leads to the rapid development of beer alcoholism
Long-term and permanent addiction to intoxicating drinks leads to the following disorders:
- "Live" beer, which is considered the "cleanest", is high in calories and quickly causes obesity;
- inhibits the production of natural sex hormones, which has a negative effect on the functioning of the reproductive system;
- it causes global changes in the thickness and structure of the myocardium (myocardium), which causes the development of many cardiac 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 type and production 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 does not contain other components, since it spends less effort on neutralizing aggressive components. Cognac is the least harmful alcohol. In addition, it can provide certain benefits:
- Stabilizes high blood pressure;
- It stops the pathogenic activity of viruses.
Cognac can stabilize blood pressure, but only with moderate and infrequent consumption
But a good cognac can be distinguished by such qualities, provided that it is consumed minimally and rarely. A safe dose of this strong alcohol is believed to be no more than 50g.
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 their high sugar content.. That is why aromatic and tasty liqueurs should not be consumed by diabetics and those prone to rapid weight gain.
Among the disadvantages of liqueurs is the large amount of sugar in the product.
7th place: wines
Moderate, competent consumption of red and rosé wines can even be considered medicinal. But this claim is only valid for natural wine alcohol made by fermentation of grapes. It is true that in some people who are prone to allergic manifestations, red wine can trigger allergic attacks.
Women are advised to drink good red wine (in strictly limited quantities), as this alcohol is rich in antioxidants that prevent the body from aging.
Wine can only be useful if consumed wisely
Otherwise, doctors opt for good, natural wine when examining which alcohol is less harmful to the liver. The grape juice is completely fermented. When the seeds and the remains of the skin remain inside, the result is red wine, which becomes the basis of wine production.
These wines have the least destructive power for the liver. They are also the most useful for the body, since all the most valuable substances from the peel and fruit seeds are transferred to the wine composition.
8th place: vodka
According to the unanimous opinion of doctors, vodka, our legendary drink that is already considered a national treasure, is the safest.But it is also insidious, because we can only talk about benefits if the quality of the alcohol is good and its consumption is minimal..
Vodka is the safest of all types of alcohol, but its regular consumption leads to the development of alcoholism
Speaking about the safety of vodka, doctors explain their words with the following properties of this strong alcohol:
- minimal calorie content;
- complete absence of carbohydrates;
- the purity of the ingredients, vodka consists of a mixture of water and alcohol.
By the way, good 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 drinking alcoholic beverages
The consequences of drinking alcoholic beverages are divided into short-term, which appear a few hours after drinking, and long-term, which make themselves felt after a long, systematic period of drinking.
The main short-term consequence is a state of intoxication, which is accompanied by changes in metabolic processes, disorders of the brain, vestibular apparatus and stress affecting all body systems.
Symptoms of alcohol poisoning vary depending on the concentration of ethanol in the blood, including:
- Disturbance of speech and consciousness;
- reduced hearing and vision, hallucinations;
- adhesion of red blood cells and anemia as a result;
- drowsiness;
- vomiting, diarrhea, nausea;
- headache, tinnitus;
- difficulty in natural physiological processes (breathing, urination, etc. );
- memory losses;
- attacks of aggression, euphoria, sudden mood changes.
When intoxicated, people are more likely to suffer injuries at home, be involved in traffic accidents, and engage in sexual violence or other forms of physical aggression.
In the long run, 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 suffer from various physiological problems, but most often:
- pathologies of internal organs, chronic poisoning of the body;
- spinal cord injuries, atrophic heart disease, 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 the consequences of the behavioral characteristics of a person who is addicted to alcohol and tends to an antisocial lifestyle.
Social problems, such as
- crisis in relationships with family, friends, colleagues;
- difficulties in finding employment and employment;
- tendency to violence, aggressive behavior;
- the development of mental pathologies, which include severe psychoses, personality disorders and manic states.
Speed of impact
According to the speed of collision, all alcoholic beverages can be divided into two types:
| "Fast" | These include strong alcohols (over 400), such as vodka, tequila, absinthe, etc. |
| "Slow" | Low-alcohol cocktails, champagnes, beers and wines are slow-acting. |
Despite the fact that vodka poisoning is faster than from beer, the damage to health can be equal. A person who likes low-alcohol drinks is often unaware of how much they are drinking.
You cannot stop in time, while the amount of ethanol in your body already exceeds the safe limit. The consequence of such irrational behavior is severe poisoning and a severe hangover.
Any alcohol consumption should be accompanied by a hearty snack - this significantly reduces the absorption of alcohol into the blood and protects the gastrointestinal tract from the harmful effects of alcohol.
Conclusion
Ethyl alcohol in all alcoholic beverages is toxic. However, the liver is able to process small amounts of ethanol, thereby completely removing it from the body and protecting vital organs, functions and systems.
Scientists have calculated the safe daily intake of different types of alcoholic beverages. These indicators apply to adults who rarely drink and do not suffer from chronic diseases.
It is strictly forbidden to consume any amount of alcohol:
- persons under the age of 18;
- pregnant and lactating women, as well as couples planning a pregnancy.
Of the many types of alcohol, vodka is the safest, and energy drinks are the least safe.
Alcohol-free beer brewed using brewing technology also contains a small amount of ethanol (from 0. 5%), which is why it is not considered safe for health and requires a limit on consumption.