The healthiest type of alcohol, according to a GI doctor
When it comes to overall health, it’s well established that booze is bad news, but is all alcohol equally odious?
California gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi has taken to TikTok to share his surprising pick for the “healthiest choice” for drinkers.
Sethi’s preference? Tequila.
While he explains that no amount of alcohol is “good” for your health, tequila has an edge or a salt rim over the competition.
He explains, “Tequila is made from the agave plant, which is low in both sugar and carbs.” Unlike liquors distilled from grains, tequila is naturally gluten-free.
Per The Post, Mexican researchers from Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Biotechnology and Biochemistry Irapuato have found that the agave in tequila is non-digestible and will not raise blood sugar levels as much as other booze.
Tequila may also make the medicine go down.
Researchers at the University of Guadalajara have discovered that the blue agave used to make tequila can create a protective barrier around drugs used to treat intestinal ailments and prevent the medication from diluting in the stomach.
As Medical News Today reports, agave contains compounds such as fructans and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), which may function as prebiotics and promote healthy gut microbiota, improve digestion, and potentially alleviate GI issues.
Part of the reason that booze is bad for the body is that when we drink alcohol, it breaks down into acetaldehyde, a toxin and known carcinogen that damages the body’s DNA and prevents it from repairing the damage.
While tequila also triggers the production of acetaldehyde, the process is slower, which may benefit people the morning after and in the long run.
Sethi says, “Tequila is metabolized into acetaldehyde at a slower rate than other alcoholic beverages. This slower metabolism may explain why some people report fewer hangovers with tequila.”
According to a study by the Behavioral and Social Sciences Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University School of Public Health, a key culprit in hangovers is the presence of fermentation products known as congeners.
Clear tequila made from 100 percent blue agave has fewer congeners than brown liquors that share its top-shelf perch.
Sethis notes, “These benefits apply only to one hundred percent agave tequila. Mixing tequila with sugary drinks negates potential advantages.”
Tanya Zuckerbrot, a certified dietician with F-Factor Nutrition in Midtown, recommends tequila to her clients who like to imbibe.
Compared to a 1-ounce shot of vodka, which has 96 calories, she tells The Post, “A shot of tequila is only 64 calories. Plus, it’s made with agave and has a naturally sweet flavor. That eliminates the need for sugary mixers, which is where calories and carbs really tally up.”
While tequila may have a leg or a lime up on other bottles of booze, Sethis says, “The healthiest option is to avoid alcohol as much as possible.”
