Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. That's the same category as asbestos, for the record. Photo / Getty Images
When it comes to cancer, the experts agree, there's really no "safe" level of alcohol, writes Niki Bezzant.
When I speak to corporate groups about healthy eating, I always say I'm not going to tell them what not to eat. That's because it feels more important (and fun) to talk about adding good things in than banning 'bad' foods, which is what diets always do. But there's one thing I always talk about the benefits of reducing, and it always signals a slightly uncomfortable shifting in the seats. It's a slide about alcohol.
There's not really a positive way to spin the alcohol story. No matter the occasional random stories we see trying to say that red wine is good for the heart, for example, the overwhelming body of evidence points to the fact that booze is not good for us. We're better off not drinking than drinking, and that seems pretty clear.
Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. That's the same category as asbestos, for the record. That means the evidence is strong that alcohol use causes cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund says there's "convincing" evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk for breast cancer, bowel cancer (in men) and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx and oesophagus. They say alcohol also "probably" increases the risk of bowel cancer in women.
When it comes to cancer, the experts agree, there's really no "safe" level of alcohol. Less (or none) is better. Even one or two drinks a day increases our risk, for example, of breast cancer.
It's interesting to read in the Cancer Society's Position Statement on cancer risk and alcohol that the volume of alcohol consumed over our lifetime is important in determining the risk of developing cancer. Every drinking occasion, they say, adds to the lifetime risk of cancer.
And those heart health claims? Not worth the risk, according to the Heart Foundation. Since there's no safe drinking threshold for the harmful impacts of alcohol, there's no potential "window of benefit" where we get the benefits without risk of harm.
If the cancer stuff doesn't get you, the weight gain stuff might. Alcohol is the most energy-dense food there is – it has a lot more calories per gram than fat or sugar. It always makes me smile to see people choosing low-carb beer or vodka and soda; it's not the sugar or carbs in these drinks that makes us fat. It's the alcohol. Three glasses of wine - not an unusual amount to drink over the course of an evening - has about the same energy as seven slices of bread. Most of us wouldn't routinely add seven slices of bread to our dinner.
Another way alcohol messes us up is with our sleep. Although it makes us feel sleepy, it also interferes with the quality of our sleep – when we drink we don't get as much of the deep, restorative sleep we need. That's why you might wake up the morning after a few wines and feel as if you've hardly slept at all.
So – what are we to do if we enjoy the taste of alcohol, and the feeling we get from it? Is there such a thing as safe, moderate drinking?
Despite all of the above official health warnings, we do also have "low risk" drinking guidelines. These are designed to help keep our risk of alcohol-related accidents, injuries, diseases and death low – but they come with a proviso: low-risk is not no risk.
These guidelines say we should have no more than two standard drinks a day for women or three standard drinks a day for men; and no more than 10 standard drinks or 15 standard drinks a week, respectively. If that sounds quite a lot, it's worth remembering that a standard drink is a very small glass of wine (100ml) or a single 330ml bottle of beer. A pub or restaurant pour could easily see you drinking two standard drinks in one glass.
The low-risk drinking guidelines also say we should have at least two alcohol-free days a week. I reckon if we can do better than that, even better. I like the "123 rule". I don't know where this originated but it's easy to remember: one drink a day; no more than two drinks at any one time; no more than three times a week. This keeps us within the guidelines for safe drinking, allows for plenty of non-drinking days, and keeps us mindful of harmful binges.
And if you're feeling like you want more – a bit of an alcohol re-set, say – Dry July is here to motivate you. Abstaining for a month might be as restorative as a holiday.
See dryjuly.co.nz for info.
* • Niki Bezzant is a food and nutrition writer and speaker, and editor-at-large for Healthy Food Guide . Follow her on Facebook or Instagram @nikibezzant