Can Alcohol Ever Be Healthy? | ZOE Science and Nutrition Podcast | Episode 3

Podcast videos will be made available here a week later each Monday.

For many of us, it's a ritual to help us wind down after a long day, an excuse to catch up with friends, or a lubricant to an awkward social situation. Alcohol can be delicious, but our relationship with it is often complicated.

Good times with friends aren’t without sacrifice, and many of us feel the morning after impact of a few too many drinks. For an unfortunate minority, alcohol can lead to addiction and even death.

What we want to know is, can alcohol ever be healthy? Is any amount of alcohol a sure path to an early grave, or could a glass of red wine be the best thing for your heart health? This episode takes a good look at these contradictions to see what the science says.

Jonathan speaks to two leading scientists to better understand the effects of alcohol:
- Professor Tim Spector - scientific co-founder at Zoe and one of the top 100 most cited scientists in the world.
- Dr Sarah Berry - one of the world's leading experts in human nutrition, with over 30 randomised human clinical trials to her name.

Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:10 - Jonathan’s introduction
01:22 - Episode start
01:42 - Tim’s favourite alcohol
02:27 - Is red wine healthy?
05:23 - How does alcohol relate to our microbiomes?
09:45 - What’s the cause of alcohol's positive effects?
12:29 - The importance of the amount of alcohol consumed
18:06 - Understanding the adverse effects of alcohol
20:31 - Why do hangovers get worse with age?
25:08 - Does alcohol influence weight?
28:47 - Alcoholic beers vs non-alcoholic beers in relation to sugar
23:24 - Avoid alcohol if you have these conditions!
34:53 - How does fermentation of beer differ from kombucha?
37:42 - Organic and natural wine
41:17 - Summary
44:36 - Outro

This podcast was produced by Fascinate Productions.

[cinnamon-spice]

Recently gave up alcohol (red wine) and although this tempted me, I'm going to remain alcohol free.

[basilechatelain]

1 year sober today. Best decision in my life, never been happier

[annemcveigh]

A brilliant podcast where there was nothing to convince me to change my choice of 'no alcohol is great medicine for us all

[seattlegrrlie]

The thing I noticed this last year is that alcohol really impacts my ability to perform endurance sports and my recovery from them. Even a small glass of quality red eaten with a meal at lunch will decrease my performance the next day. I know it's personal, but a lot of coaches and trainers say the same thing.

[DebtToHealth]

Day 134 without alcohol. Took my Zoe testing while I was still drinking red wine daily. My blood sugar was most concerning. I am determined to go a year without then evaluate as to whether I’ll have a glass at a wedding or other occasion 🎉

[Philbarblues]

It concerns me that potentially the drinks industry will cherry pick scientific research to accentuate the positive effects and play down the negatives. Really pleased to hear Professor Tim Spector say (20:00 approx) "...In general you're better off without alcohol I believe overall" - YES!

[philcoates]

Unusual for Zoe to be out of kilter with the latest evidence, which points to no alcohol being the best. And I speak as a huge admirer of Zoe's educational efforts in general, and as someone who drinks a large glass (250ml) of wine most days even though I know it's not good for me. It's my only weakness, really.

[leilaredpath]

As a near non drinker with alcoholics in my family circle, one or two drinks a day seems a huge amount to drink. A study only yesterday said over 7 units a week can lead to dementia. It's important really to look at all angles - blood sugars, polyphenols, effects on brain oxygen levels, potential dementia in the future, cost, effects on your family of over consumption and so on. I know my skin always feels wonderful after a rare glass of red wine. But 2 glasses a day with food? Not advice most of us should follow. Too much for many. We all react differently is the main point. And what about the preservatives and pesticides in many wines, not labelled thanks to wine industry lobbying. I'd always go for organic if I could. etc.. It's a difficult subject to bring clarity to.

[shelleybrookes]

Latest research shows no safe limit of alcohol

[viviennesherman]

This was a most interesting and informative podcast. I have to conclude that Tim’s comments about the effect of genes on our tolerance levels is absolutely spot on. I am a 76 year old petite woman and I have been drinking alcohol since the age of about 10 (although it was confined to a glass or two of Dubonnet with Sunday lunch)).in my teens I moved to spirits and in my twenties the joy of wine, white and rosé but mainly red. I still drink at least half a bottle of wine every evening and often more.I rarely get drunk and I never get a hangover. I am of Central European heritage and both parents drank copious amounts of alcohol and lived into their late eighties. I am sure I will cark it with cirrhosis but recent health assessment my GP was able to tell me my liver function is perfect .Long may my genes protect me.

[dawngateshill]

I watched Tim on an interview with John Campbell discussing Zoe when I was studying nursing. I actually changed my diet and feel a lot better for it . I love red wine and enjoy a glass while preparing food then maybe a second glass with the meal . However John Who’s videos I find really helpful states that alcohol has 1 calorie per 1ml and very little if any nutritional value

[chrisboulton]

Much respect for the experts here and for ZOE generally but strongly disagree regarding benefits of alcohol. Ethanol no matter how it is dressed up is a toxin (acetaldehyde to acetate) that causes stress to the liver, detracting from its huge job to keep us balanced and this toxin is certainly not a benefit and polyphenols can easily be provided with a stack of other far more beneficial foodstuffs. This argument re 'Some red wine is good for you' is the excuse a vast number of people have hung on to and always quote when justifying their continued 'enjoyable habit' which they have no wish of giving up. I have not consumed alcohol for 44 days after drinking 'reasonably' for 40 years and thus far I feel 30 years younger so fresh never mind the considerable weight loss etc etc. Yes I miss my couple of pints of nice real ale (though glad to report I do not crave it) and the odd glass of good red wine yes....however, the benefits of not consuming alcohol far far exceed the so called benefits and 1 or 2 hours of so called enjoyment. Many many people that drink find it extremely difficult to stick with a half of a small glass of good red wine with a meal - not practicable for most.

[thebrowns]

So basically we drink a cancer causing nuero-toxin to potentially improve gut health and that may have a knock on effect of protecting the heart...althougn every type of alcoholic drink is different (and most don't have the bit that helps your gut flora) and every person reacts differently.

Got to love science.

'Advice' like this takes a back seat to casual observation for me. My dads mum mostly abstained from alcohol, died early 80s of heart issues whereas my mums mum drank and died mid 80s. She also dripping sandwhiches! Both ate meat and enjoyed their meat veg (home cooked meals) and cakes/puddings. Both had positive mental attitudes.

Either way I think whichever way I go with alcohol would have the same outcome and although I do eat helthier than either of them did - according to modern science at least, I assume I will also be dead at an average age. Which will probably be younger than theh were as we are exposed to more chemicles and will have longer exposure to microplastics (now found in human blood).

Important thing is to enjoy yourself, be kind, try and make a positive impact where you can.
Love the new logo by the way.

[rosiewhite]

My partner drinks from a pint mug and never with food. She drinks because she enjoys it. Sometimes she falls over or gets past the point of being able to walk. Sometimes she because argumentative and vile but she never ever gets a hangover. I gave up drinking over 40 years ago as I was usually horribly sick afterwards and always woke up with a hangover!
I can remember the way that a couple of beers relaxed me and sometimes I miss that feeling, but I have become more confident in my old age and can happily rouse myself to dance in the high street if there's a half decent band playing. These days I'm better behaved than I used to be and I don't feel the desire to let a substance take control or need it as either a crutch or something to blame for my poor judgement! I don't mind being wrong or getting lost because I can learn from the experience. I think I simply have NO SHAME!

[andreamayne]

Is ethanol/alcohol good for you...emmm..NO! If you want the antioxidant reservatrol etc, you can get this from eating red grapes. Alcohol should no longer be drunk given what we know about how it damages organs.

[scootjockey]

Stoped drinking alcohol 30 years ago the side effects still linger on.

[JoeyBlogs]

Alcohol is rarely ever healthy. Game over.

[personalfreedom]

I have been trying to get the balance right with red wine and this far what I have discovered that works is I only drink immediately after dinner so i get the digestive benefit of wine but can avoid using wine to quench my thirst whilst eating, as this often leads to overdrinking… and i keep a digital scale next to my glass so my after dinner glass pour measures 125g, and I limit to 2 glasses in one night, which means 1 bottle will last 3 days… or if i want less ill do a 90g pour for 2 glasses if i want the bottle to last 4 days. I find that organic, preservative free, vegan red wine with lower-moderate alcohol is usually the best mitigate negative effects. Also i use an air stopper suction on the bottle so even at day 4 it still tastes fine. Cheers!

[urbanfrit]

I bought a bottle of 0.5% alcohol cider in the UK and there was no nutritional information on the bottle.
After a bit of digging I found it contains 8g of sugar per 100ml, so the bottle contains 40g of sugar.
That is shocking, no wonder they don't disclose it on the bottle

[giovannacolombetti]

Useful but also contradictory at times .. 'probably no alcohol is better than any amount' but then 'drinking red wine with meals found to reduce cholesterol compared to no drinking with meals'... confusing. Still bottom line seems to be what my dad always said i.e. a bit of red wine with every meal is good for you. And as an Italian I drink with food anyway. Not sure I learnt much more from these 45 minutes... but thanks in any case, I usually enjoy these podcasts.