Choosing Cleaner Alcohol: A Guide to Minimizing Inflammation

In functional medicine, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to alcohol consumption. Most healthy adults can enjoy alcohol in moderation, while others are better off avoiding it altogether, especially if they’re dealing with inflammatory conditions.

Alcohol is a known inflammatory. How much you can personally handle depends on your individual health, and there are options for alcoholic beverages that are less inflammatory than others. I get into all of it in this complete guide to alcohol and your health.

Alcohol’s Effect On Your Health

Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to an increased risk of alcoholic liver disease, cancer, diabetes, neurological complications, and many more inflammation-related conditions.

When it comes to moderate alcohol consumption, the research is more mixed. Some studies show that light to moderate use may be beneficial to your health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues and type 2 diabetes. (1)

Others show there is no safe level of consumption from a healthcare provider’s perspective and that even moderate consumption contributes to cancer and heart disease risk. (2)

Chronic alcohol use also affects the brain. Increased use over time inhibits the growth of new cells in areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory. This can contribute to higher levels of memory problems, cognitive dysfunction, and early-onset dementia. (3)

Regular ethanol use also weakens the immune system, leaving the body more vulnerable to infections. The liver, responsible for detoxifying alcohol, can suffer severe damage, leading to conditions such as fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis. (4)

This doesn’t even include the devastating psychological hold it can have on those struggling with alcohol abuse or the link between alcohol use and diminished mental health outcomes. (5)

As a functional medicine provider, I always take an individualized approach to patient health. For some, the harmful effects of alcohol outweigh any potential health benefits. For others, limited to moderate alcohol use may be OK as part of a healthy lifestyle overall.

It’s difficult to address inflammation long-term if you don’t understand your triggers. My book, The Inflammation Spectrum, helps you uncover a healthier approach to healing. 

The Specific Link With Inflammation

Inflammation is often the primary underlying factor in chronic diseases. When it comes to alcohol, both how much you drink and what you drink matter if you’re looking to reduce inflammation in the body.

Certain types of alcohol, like red wine, have anti-inflammatory properties thanks to a high concentration of resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red grape skins. (Yes, you can enjoy the same benefits from a handful of grapes if you don’t drink.)

Any potential benefits quickly diminish the more you drink, though. Here’s what happens in the body with an increase in alcohol consumption:

• It disrupts the gut barrier. This can increase your risk of gut permeability, or leaky gut, and cause imbalances in the gut microbiome that promote the overgrowth of harmful pathogens.
• It induces inflammation in the gut. This can increase your risk of epithelial cancers and obesity and worsen medical conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract, like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). (6)
• It disrupts insulin sensitivity. Heavy drinking can make it difficult for the body to regulate blood sugar levels and lead to further fat accumulation, worsening outcomes of conditions like type 2 diabetes. (7)
• It promotes oxidative stress. This can raise inflammation levels that can cause atherosclerosis, a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, and a buildup of plaque in the arteries. (8)
• It triggers an immune response. Alcohol has the potential to confuse the body’s defenses. This can worsen autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and multiple sclerosis and trigger inflammatory conditions like gout. (9)
• It disrupts hormonal health. Heavy drinkers are more likely to have to deal with elevated cortisol, which exacerbates inflammation and influences hormone-regulating pathways. (10) It can also increase estrogen production in women.
• It messes with your sleep. Alcohol triggers inflammatory markers in the body that prevent the kind of deep, restorative sleep you need for healthy immune and central nervous systems.
• It affects muscle recovery. Alcohol disrupts the body’s ability to repair muscle tissue. It also dehydrates the muscles, making them prone to soreness and stiffness, especially after a workout.
• It can heighten cancer risk. Acetaldehyde is a toxic byproduct produced when the body metabolizes alcohol. Over time, the body’s continuous inflammatory response to alcohol damages cellular DNA, leading to cancer-causing mutations. (11)

Reducing alcohol intake is important for lowering systemic inflammation and overall health. While all types of alcohol have the potential to increase inflammation in the body if you overindulge, certain drinks may have a speedier effect because of how they’re metabolized.

Sweet cocktails, dessert wines, and flavored liquors packed with sugar are the worst types of alcohol for inflammation. Any existing food sensitivities matter, too. If you’re sensitive to gluten or prone to digestive issues, most beers shouldn’t be your first choice.

If you’re not sure where your symptoms of inflammation are coming from, an autoimmune condition may be at play. Check out my self-directed course: Mastering Autoimmune Conditions & Inflammation With Functional Medicine.

The Least Inflammatory Types Of Alcohol

When choosing an alcoholic drink, I always encourage my patients to consider how that drink was produced. Go beyond whether something is labeled “organic” or “all-natural,” and consider the ingredients as you choose from the least inflammatory alcoholic drinks.

Beer is inflammatory in most cases if you’re sensitive to gluten, for example. The alcoholic beverages below are less likely to cause alcohol-induced inflammation in the short term, but again, it will always matter how much you drink.

Red Wine

Red wine includes antioxidants like resveratrol that may have modest effects on inflammation, lipid profiles, and blood pressure to reduce your heart disease risk. (12) That’s why many consider it the healthiest alcohol to drink and the least inflammatory alcohol.

Even in studies that support these findings, though, researchers caution that non-drinkers shouldn’t start a wine habit for their heart health. Abstaining from alcohol will always be better for your heart and overall inflammation risk.

If you’re worried about your exposure to toxins, red wine can also contain mycotoxins, or toxic byproducts of mold, that can contribute to a variety of health problems. I recommend opting for natural wines or sulfate-free brands from Europe that follow stricter testing for mold.

I personally love Dry Farm Wines because they are organic, sulfate-free, and paleo- and keto-friendly due to their low sugar content.

LISTEN: GMO Probiotics Myths & Truths + How To Avoid The “Sticky Death Feeling” After Drinking Alcohol | Zack Abbott

Tequila (100% Agave)

If Taco Tuesday is your favorite day of the week, 100% agave tequila is the best choice if you’re looking to pair your meal with an alcoholic beverage. Clean tequila contains fewer additives linked to increased inflammation, making it one of the better options for skin health.

Just make sure to have your tequila on the rocks or with soda and a splash of lime. Sugar-filled pre-made margarita mixes will counteract any anti-inflammatory benefits of going 100% agave. If you do need a little sweetness, a little bit of pure maple syrup is a great complementary option.

Vodka

Vodka is an option if you’re looking to avoid grains that cause gut inflammation. Just choose potato-based vodka over wheat, rye, or corn options, and avoid flavored options with added sugar.

High-quality vodkas generally have minimal additives, which can reduce their potential to trigger inflammation. That’s only if you drink it clean, though. When consumed with sweet mixers, it’s just as likely to spike your blood sugar and wreck your gut as any other option.

Important note: While potato vodka is a great choice for those avoiding gluten, you should skip this choice if you have a sensitivity to nightshades.

Hard Cider

If you’re craving something sweeter, hard cider is a naturally gluten-free choice. Choose dry ciders for a lower overall sugar content. These are made from apples but generally contain quite a bit of sugar that may not work when you’re trying to balance glucose levels.

You should also double-check the label to ensure they didn’t add barley or other gluten-containing ingredients for added flavor.

Light Beer

Light beer is generally lower in alcohol and calories than heavier options, making it a somewhat better option than regular beer for reducing inflammation risks and symptoms of gastritis.

However, it still contains gluten from grains like barley or wheat, which can be inflammatory for those with gluten sensitivity. Light beer may also include additives and preservatives that contribute to inflammation.

This is one of those options that is dependent on what you have going on in your body. If you’re dealing with digestive issues, seek out gluten-free beer or choose one of the alternatives on this list.

Sparkling Wine

If you’ve got something to celebrate, sparkling wines like Champagne, cava, or prosecco are a decent choice. Due to its fermentation process, sparkling wines actually have some probiotic properties that might help promote a healthy balance of microbiota in your gut. (13)

To add a little color and antioxidants to your glass, top it off with pomegranate seeds or berries.

Gin

Gin is unique in that it’s distilled using botanicals like coriander, juniper, and cinnamon, which have antibacterial, antimicrobial, and blood-sugar stabilizing properties. Juniper, in particular, has anti-inflammatory properties that might offer a slight advantage over other spirits. (14)

Gin is also made using grains like wheat and barley, but the distillation process typically breaks gluten down to the point where most can tolerate it, even with a sensitivity. If you have celiac disease and are worried about trace gluten, opt for potato-based or true gluten-free options.

Rum

Rum is grain-free, which means it’s less inflammatory than other choices. That said, compared to spirits like vodka, it’s distilled using molasses and sugarcane, so it has a higher sugar content than some of my other top picks.

Stay away from spiced or flavored rums because these can have gluten-containing ingredients or other unhealthy additives. Clean or light rum may have fewer congeners, which are byproducts from fermentation that can worsen hangovers, but moderation is still the key here.

Whiskey

Most whiskeys are made from gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley, but some brands use corn. Whiskey isn’t my first choice, but if it’s one of your favorites, I’d recommend testing out some gluten-free options.

If you’re a fan of whiskey and Coke, try a can of cola-flavored Zevia to reduce the sugar in your favorite beverage.

How Much Is Too Much?

As you consider healthy alcohol options, portions matter. Moderate alcohol use is defined as just one standard drink per day for women and 2 standard drinks daily for men. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define standard drinks as the following:

• 12 ounces of beer with 5% alcohol
• 8 ounces of malt liquor with 9% alcohol
• 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol
• 1.5 ounces of liquor or distilled spirits with 40% alcohol

In my practice, I recommend that my patients treat alcohol like sugar. It’s a treat meant to be consumed occasionally and in proper moderation.

The way I see it, there’s no doubt that alcohol can be inflammatory due to the burden that it puts on your GI tract and liver, which houses your body’s detoxification system. That’s before we get into the effects on your blood sugar, sleep, and food cravings that contribute to inflammation.

Limiting alcohol intake as much as possible is the safest approach. I often see patients who do everything “right” but still have issues with their gut, mood, anxiety levels, and inflammation levels. Often, eliminating those weekend drinks or evening glasses of wine is the answer.

Making Cleaner Alcohol Choices Fun

Making healthier, cleaner choices when it comes to your alcohol consumption doesn’t have to be boring. You can get creative with any of the options above without adding inflammatory sugars or high-calorie mixers.

Cocktails are a fun opportunity to play around with plant-based herbal medicines like adaptogens, which can help your body manage stress as you drink. Mix ashwagandha powder into a vodka- or gin-based cocktail for a subtle, earthy taste.

Here are a few more tips to fix yourself the best alcoholic drink for inflammation:

• Say no to soda or other pre-mixed syrups loaded with sugar that can impact your gut health and perpetuate inflammation. Stick to flavored seltzers like LaCroix, Spindrift, or Zevia, or teas and coconut water.
• Opt for Stevia, monk fruit, natural honey, or maple syrup over sugary mixers.
• Try kombucha as a mixer for the added benefit of probiotics and the antioxidant power of tea.
• Incorporate fresh herbs like mint, basil, or rosemary into your anti-inflammatory alcoholic cocktails. All three boast antimicrobial effects that support healthy immune cells. (15)
• Add a dash of citrus from fruits like lemon, lime, or grapefruit for immune-boosting vitamin C.
• Fresh veggies like cucumber or celery can add a refreshing element and hydration.
• Make homemade syrups out of ingredients like lavender to reduce stress and anxiety or cilantro to enhance neuroprotective effects. (16, 17)
• Infuse your drink with spices like turmeric or ginger for anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger reduces digestive distress, too, an added benefit for those with a sensitive gut.

You can also explore alcohol-free alternatives. Seek out non-alcoholic beer or wine options that won’t add to liver inflammation. Just read the labels carefully. Some brands contain additives or residual sugars that won’t do you much good.

Homemade mocktails are an even better option because you control the ingredients. That’s especially important during periods of potential excess like the holidays.