G.A. Viray
Whenever there is an occasion, gathering or whenever one feels down or depressed, alcohol is the go-to beverage. It is like a friend that some people people cannot live without. But with all the mishaps and accidents from being drunk, alcohol has become an enemy for some. Its image has also been tainted, condemned for always putting people in trouble. But despite of everything, alcohol is still one of the most popular beverage. Now the question is, is it good or bad.
Authority Nutrition gives light to the truth about alcohol.
What’s bad about it?
1. It’s bad for the liver.
Too much and frequent consumption may lead to fatty liver cells or even liver cirrhosis.
2. It’s bad for the brain.
Long-term alcohol abuse can improper brain function.
3. It may cause depression.
Alcohol and depression are linked together. People either abuse drinking it due to depression or become clinically depressed because of alcohol.
4. It may cause overweight and obesity.
It’s 7 calories per gram, compared with fat which is 9 calories per gram. Too much of it can lead to weight gain and obesity.
5. It may cause heart diseases.
Too much alcohol leads to myriad of heart diseases.
6. It may increase cancer risk. 
Too much of it may increase the risk of certain cancers specially mouth and throat cancers.
7. It may cause birth defects.
Alcohol abuse among pregnant women causes major birth defects and can actually affect the development, growth, intelligence, and behavior of the child for the rest of his life.
8. Drinking it is one of the causes of preventable death.
There are 2.5 million deaths annually worldwide due to alcohol.
9. It is addictive.
Consumption of alcohol may lead to alcoholism and dependence on it specially for predisposed individuals.
10. It increases risk of certain diseases.
Alcohol abuse may lead to a number of diseases that are fatal to health. It can damage the brain, heart, cause certain cancers and infections.
What’s good about alcohol?
Moderate consumption of alcohol can:
1. Raise good cholesterol levels.
2. Decrease blood pressure
3. Reduce the factor which is a cause of blood clots.’
4. Decrease stress and anxiety temporarily.
5. May have benefits for brain health in elderly people.
6. It may reduce the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
The experts have laid down what we can get from drinking alcohol, some of them are good and there are actually a lot if bad (if we take too much of it). In everything we take in, let us remember that moderation is always the key. So, let’s drink to that! (Moderately, of course!)
