Holy Matrimony: Alcohol Plus SuperFoods?

Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena, MD

In her day job, treating patients living with chronic disease, nutrition and lifestyle are not after-thoughts, they’re central to helping her patients get well. She’s also our go-to expert on plant-based diets.

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When it comes to cocktails, these are the questions on everyone’s minds and lips:

• Can I mix my SuperFoods with alcohol for a delicious happy hour treat?
• Will the alcohol kill the SuperFoodiness of the blueberry, pomegranate or other fruit/veggie?
• Will the nutrients of the SuperFoods combine with the nutrients in the alcohol to make a fountain of youth elixir powerhouse?
• (And, while we’re at it) Is alcohol even good for us?

The answer is — as you may have already guessed — it all depends.

Studies have pointed to the possibility that low to moderate levels of drinking may help prevent heart disease—likely as a result of alcohol’s ability to thin the blood and also raise good cholesterol. The nurses health study showed lower rates of gallstones and type 2 diabetes in moderate drinkers as well. And, at times, a little booze can help us relax after a long day and feel a little more outgoing socially.

The key here is moderate drinking. One drink for a woman, one to two for a man. At this level it’s likely that you are still absorbing the antioxidants and polyphenols from your pomegranate portion of your pomegranate martini. But it’s not a fountain of youth, people, so go easy on it.

Heavy drinking is out! Not only does it wreck your heart, brain, liver, and ability to absorb SuperFood nutrients, but it can also make you act a fool, ruin relationships and wake up on Saturday morning with a giant case of “the guilties.”

Our thought? Go ahead and make a SuperFood-infused libation, but be careful. Alcoholism and binge drinking cause tens of thousands of deaths in the US every year. We want you around for a long, long, time.

Cheers!

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Sources: Alcohol Health & Research World, Alcohol Research & Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health