In depth research study have been done on the health benefits of drinking small amount of alcohol per day. Newer studies have credited moderate drinking with everything from helping to keep our minds sharp as we age to lowering our risk of developing diabetes.

Drinking alcohol can be good for health, but it can be also harmful. It all depends on the quantity of the drink, age and other factors.

Excess alcohol can increase the risk of:

 • Liver disease
 • High blood pressure
 • High blood fats
 • Heart failures
 • Stroke
 • Fetal alcohol syndrome
 • Certain cancers
 • Injury,violence and death

Drinking too much of alcohol can also lead to too much of obesity and a higher risk for diabetes.

On the other side, drinking moderate amount of alcohol has the following advantages:

• Moderate drinking affects the heart of both male and female. It can raise levels of “good cholesterol” by as much as 20%, which helps prevent harmful blood clots and helps keep blood flowing smoothly through our bodies, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

• Research has also suggested that moderate drinking can increase insulin sensitivity, which can reduce the risk of diabetes.

• Recent researches have suggested that women who enjoy a little alcohol may be more likely to keep their minds sharp with age. According to the research studies, moderate drinkers have 23% reduced risk of mental discipline compared to non drinkers.

According to the experts, it doesn’t make too much of difference on the type of alcohol preferred. According to the US Dietary Guidelines and the American Heart Association, moderate drinking is defined as one drink for women and two drinks for men per day- not averaged over the week. Some studies have suggested that drinking alcohol without eating raises the chance of developing high blood pressure.

Thus, to get any health benefits from alcohol, we must drink responsibly. That means having no more than 1-2 drinks per day, having them at mealtime and as part of an overall healthy diet, and making sure that the calorie needs don’t exceed.