"There has been a substantial amount of research to support the idea that drinking alcohol high in congeners, which tend to be higher in darker alcohol, increases the likelihood and severity of hangover symptoms experienced the next day" writes alcohol expert Dr Kelly Courtney from University of California, San Diego.
However, no matter what you drink your cognitive function is likely to be impaired even after you sober up, LiveScience reported Dec. 18. Dark-colored liquors contain more congeners — toxic substances caused by fermentation — than light-colored ones.
Alcohol is generally made up of the same compounds, so beer and hard liquor both pose similar risks to a person's health. The only catch is that hard liquor comes with a higher threat because it contains a higher alcohol content than beer.
Clear liquors are technically healthier for you, leading to less hangovers. Vodka is considered one of the purest spirits to take. Dark liquors might have natural caramel causing components (the amber color) but some are deliberately colored or might have a berry or some plant product added, eg herbs.
Dark Alcohol vs. Clear Alcohol: Which Gives You a Worse Hangover? | Dr. Anish Sheth
Which alcohol is hardest on your liver?
Myth 3: Drinking hard liquor is worse than drinking beer or wine. Contrary to popular belief, the type of alcohol you drink doesn't make a difference – what matters is how much you drink. "The safe limit is fixed at 14 units a week," explains Dr Lui. "Below this limit, alcoholic fatty liver is less likely to occur.
If you have a FODMAP intolerance, drinking alcohols high in FODMAPs could cause gas, bloating, and stomach pain. These alcohols include spirits and dessert wines like: Rum. Sweet wines like moscato, white zinfandel, and some rieslings.
Choosing types of alcohol with fewer congeners—like beer, vodka and wine—might reduce your hangover symptoms compared to alcohols with higher congeners—like brandy, whiskey and rum.
"Darker alcohol — like red wine, scotch, whiskey and bourbon — will have higher levels of conjoners. "[They're] more likely to cause hangovers the following day," he continues. "Clear liquors — like gin and vodka, for instance — are less likely to have these compounds and less likely, therefore, to cause hangovers."
Red wine tops the list of healthiest alcoholic beverages, because it contains a good amount of antioxidants from grapes. The alcohol content in wine differs, in case of sparkling wines it is around 10-12%, whereas in case of fortified wines it is around 20%.
If a person still chooses to drink alcohol, they may consider that certain types of alcohol may be healthier options than others. These can include lower-calorie and high antioxidant options, such as red, white, and sparkling wine, low sugar cocktails, light beer, and cider.
Gin is often considered one of the healthier alcohol options due to its relatively low calorie and sugar content compared to other spirits. However, it's important to note that alcohol in general can have negative health effects when consumed excessively.
Some dark liquors can actually protect the stomach lining. While some congeners can cause sensitivity to consumers, others can have a protective effect. It has been discovered that butanol, found in whiskey, has a protective function for the stomach lining.
"Because congeners are toxic, our bodies don't tolerate them well," Popeck says. "Drinking alcohol with high congener levels can lead to side effects including headache, nausea and dizziness."
In particular, dark rum may be associated with more aggressive behaviour than white rum is. Of course that's just anecdotal, not hard evidence. Liquors contain ethanol (ethyl alcohol), in water. Dark liquors usually contain more other substances (mainly congeners from the production process) than light liquors.
Darker alcoholic drinks contain high amounts of substances called congeners which increase the likelihood and severity of hangover symptoms the next day. The effect of congeners though is only part of the hangover story because alcohol and its metabolites also have toxic effects no matter what your tipple.
The reduction of caloric content, when compared to beer, is primarily due to this distillation process. Alternatively, beer is a high-calorie beverage because of the fermentation process. Vodka is less likely to trigger weight gain making it the go-to beverage if you're on a strict diet or trying to lose weight.
' Answer: there's none. No matter how much we might convince ourselves that mixing different type of booze makes us drunker or more hung over it simply isn't the case. The existing evidence suggests that hangovers can't be blamed on mixing drinks.
While red wine was the most common among these (reported by 77.8% of patients and followed by white wine, champagne, and beer), it was a consistent trigger in only 8.8% of patients. Vodka was cited as the least likely to provoke headache (8.5% of patients).
Vodka doesn't contain a significant amount of minerals or nutrients. Vodka has no sugar and fewer calories than some other liquors. If you already consume alcohol, vodka may be a slightly healthier option. Be careful of adding vodka to mixers, however, since they are frequently high in sugar.
So after a night of heavy drinking, down a glass of water (and a second one, if you're particularly thirsty), and leave a full glass on your nightstand to treat dry mouth at 5 a.m.
Have years of too many beers morphed your six-pack abs into a keg? If you have a "beer belly," you are not alone. It seems beer drinkers across the globe have a tendency to grow bellies, especially as they get older, and especially if they are men.
According to the pH level, gin, tequila, and non-grain vodkas are the lowest acidity options; choosing drinks made with these alcohols will be best on your stomach. You'll be best served by a drink made with a light juice like apple, pear, or cranberry, but sometimes you just really want that kick of citrus.
Antibiotics to control certain types of GI bacteria that may contribute to the irritation and damage. Proton pump inhibitors and other acid reduction medicines. Antacids to neutralize acid that is produced. Probiotics to encourage helpful gastric bacteria.
