by Stella Mcintyre

Created on: April 28, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

There are contradictory opinions surrounding the positive and negative effects on our bodies associated with drinking alcohol. One article suggests that any alcohol consumption is bad for you whilst another advocates the health benefits of certain drinks.

It's so confusing in fact, I find myself unable to give advice one way or the other. Instead, I'll give you a list of the potential benefits and dangers. Then, as an adult, you can weigh up all the information and make up your own mind. The more informed you are the better position you will be in to understand the consequences of alcohol consumption. So here goes:

Half a pint of beer provides 17% of the RDA for folic acid but two pints of beer reduces folic acid levels and has been linked to cancer of the colon. There are other dietary sources of folic acid such as: wheat germ, nuts, leafy greens, whole meal bread and eggs.
The importance of folic acid pre-pregnancy and during gestation is well known as are the negative affects of alcohol consumption on a fetus. Obviously it is essential to source folic acid from whole foods rather than from alcohol.

One unit of alcohol aids sleep whilst too much alcohol prevents restful, refreshing sleep by destroying vitamin B, needed for maintaining normal sleep patterns.

Red wine contains resveratrol which helps prevent heart disease, stroke, brain diseases and some cancers. This is one of the many reasons why natives of Mediterranean countries remain so healthy. The reverse of this is that spirits and dark alcohols contain higher levels of congeners which can be toxic to the brain and nervous system.

Intelligent people tend to drink more alcohol but heavy drinking is not clever. Hemingway and Steinbeck were both prone to alcoholism.

Antioxidant levels increase after drinking beer and white wine; however the increase in antioxidants stops after the second drink. Antioxidants are destroyers of free radicals in the body.

Beer is a rich source of silicon which gives bones strength and flexibility; half a pint provides one-fifth of the body's daily recommended intake. On the negative side beer may not be as good as milk for bone building. The benefits might be outweighed by the damage that irresponsible drinking does to the kidneys.

It doesn't take an accountant to work out the results from this particular balance sheet. The overall message seems to be that alcohol is good for you in moderation, but once consumed in higher quantities it negates the benefits and begins to cause health problems. The old adage "a little of what you fancy does you good" still holds true, at least where alcohol is concerned.

Cheers!

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