Red wine is widely regarded as an excellent beverage for beautifying the complexion and delaying aging. In reality, whether any alcoholic beverage is harmful or beneficial hinges on moderation. Today, let's debunk some common myths about alcohol.
Myth 1: Mixing Alcohol with Soft Drinks is Trendy
Mixing alcoholic beverages with soft drinks has become a popular trend. Red wine with Sprite, whiskey with iced black tea, beer with cola... the combinations are endless. Since these mixed drinks have lower alcohol content, they feel more like beverages, making them a favorite for many.However, experts warn that the carbonated drinks commonly used for mixing release carbon dioxide gas in the stomach, forcing alcohol to enter the small intestine rapidly. The small intestine absorbs alcohol much faster than the stomach, increasing the potential harm.
Furthermore, mixing drinks with alcohol may seem to dilute the alcohol, but it actually encourages people to drink more. Because drinkers initially feel like they're consuming a beverage, they tend to drink heavily. By the time they notice the effects of alcohol, they've already consumed too much.
Myth 2: Baijiu Harms You, Red Wine Nourishes You
Many believe baijiu is harmful while red wine benefits health, thinking it's okay to drink more. The notion that red wine promotes wellness has long been deeply ingrained in people's minds.The benefits of red wine have been widely touted in recent years, including preventing heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and more. However, this view does not apply to patients with alcoholic liver disease. Red wine also contains alcohol, and the cumulative alcohol intake from red wine brings not health benefits but damage to the liver. Therefore, whether the alcohol comes from baijiu, beer, or red wine, the consequences are the same.
Experts indicate that weekly alcohol intake should not exceed 140 grams for men and 70 grams for women. Exceeding these limits increases the risk of alcoholic liver disease. 140 grams of alcohol is equivalent to 3-4 liang (approximately 150-200 grams) of 50-proof baijiu. This means adult men should not consume more than 3-4 liang of 50-proof baijiu weekly, while red wine intake should be limited to 1-2 liang daily.
Myth 3: Flushing from alcohol means you won't get drunk
"People who flush when drinking don't get drunk easily" is a common excuse used at banquets to encourage drinking. However, intoxication has little to do with facial color.
Some believe that turning as red as Guan Yu after drinking is a good sign, thinking it indicates good blood circulation that quickly breaks down alcohol, thus preventing drunkenness.Experts clarify that alcohol tolerance varies significantly between individuals and is largely unrelated to facial color. The common perception that flushed drinkers stay sober longer stems from two factors: they are typically urged to drink less, and their post-drinking drowsiness allows them to recover quickly after a 15-30 minute nap. In contrast, those who remain pale often misjudge their limits, drinking excessively while highly stimulated.
Myth 4: Smoked meats and sausages as drinking snacks
Never drink on an empty stomach during gatherings. If you can't eat beforehand, at least eat while drinking.Crucially, avoid pairing alcohol with salted fish, sausages, or cured meats. These smoked and cured foods contain high levels of pigments and nitrosamines. When reacting with alcohol, they not only damage the liver but also harm the mucous membranes of the mouth and esophagus, potentially leading to cancer.
To minimize alcohol's damage to the stomach and liver and reduce the risk of fatty liver disease, it's best to eat something before drinking. Options like a glass of milk or some eggs and meat are ideal, as these high-protein foods can bind with alcohol in the stomach, reducing its absorption.
Myth 5: "Deep feelings call for a shot!"
Some people enjoy drinking quickly, often urging others with phrases like "Deep feelings call for a shot! Shallow feelings call for a sip!" or "Let's go for it!"
In reality, drinking should be slow rather than fast. Rapid drinking causes blood ethanol levels to rise quickly, leading to intoxication sooner. Drinking slowly gives the body ample time to break down ethanol, reducing its accumulation and making it harder to get drunk.
Myth 6: Cigarettes and alcohol go hand in hand.
Some believe "a cigarette and a drink make life blissful."" Especially when drinking gets lively, if someone offers a cigarette, even non-smokers might say, "It's a rare occasion," and light one up.
But in reality, smoking while drinking harms both the liver and lungs. The nicotine in cigarettes weakens alcohol's effects on the body, creating a kind of "numbing" effect that unknowingly increases alcohol consumption.
Myth 7: Only high-proof liquor packs a punch
In daily life, some people believe low-proof liquor is merely alcohol mixed with water, lacking punch. They claim high-proof liquor, often grain-based, gets you drunk without a headache and delivers a stronger kick.
In reality, higher alcohol content means higher pure alcohol levels. Since over 90% of alcohol is metabolized by the liver, large amounts of alcohol increase the liver's detoxification burden. The higher the alcohol content and the greater the intake, the more severe the damage to the liver.Additionally, breaking down alcohol in the liver requires multiple enzymes and vitamins. The higher the alcohol content, the more enzymes and vitamins the body expends. Myth 8: The more you drink, the better your liver detoxifies alcohol Most patients with "alcoholic liver disease" or alcoholic cirrhosis are heavy drinkers.In reality, high tolerance merely indicates greater alcohol resistance and improved ability to metabolize ethanol into acetaldehyde. Thus, heavy drinking does not imply superior liver metabolism or detoxification capabilities—alcohol's harm to the body remains unchanged.For those already suffering from alcoholic liver disease, the most effective way to halt liver damage remains active medical treatment. Commonly used medications include Kuaifu Hepatoprotective Tablets containing schisandrin B, silymarin, and glycyrrhizic acid preparations. Among these, schisandrin B effectively scavenges free radicals and lipid peroxides, thereby protecting liver cells.
Myth 9: Abruptly quitting alcohol harms your health
Many people are advised by doctors to quit drinking due to health concerns, yet a significant portion fail to achieve sobriety. Some even justify continuing their drinking habits by claiming that "suddenly quitting alcohol is harmful to the body."
Experts clarify that the notion of "sudden abstinence harming health" actually refers to withdrawal symptoms. Individuals dependent on alcohol may experience tremors, palpitations, seizures, vomiting, and other withdrawal symptoms upon abrupt cessation. However, this is precisely when abstinence is crucial—not a reason to drink lightly to alleviate symptoms. Clinically available medications can effectively manage these withdrawal symptoms.
Myth 10: Inducing Vomiting After Drinking Too Much
In social settings, many people resort to the "secret trick" of inducing vomiting by sticking their fingers down their throats after drinking excessively. They feel better afterward and may even continue drinking. However, experts warn this is a dangerous practice.
Inducing vomiting should only be done while sober or under medical supervision. Intoxicated individuals, being disoriented, are at high risk of aspirating vomit, leading to suffocation or even death. Additionally, forceful vomiting increases abdominal pressure, potentially causing gastric bleeding and allowing duodenal contents to reflux, triggering acute pancreatitis and other emergencies.
Myth 11: Strong tea or coffee can sober you up
Some believe drinking strong tea or coffee after drinking alcohol has a "sobering" effect, but this is a misconception. Consuming strong tea after drinking alcohol allows substances like caffeine to rapidly exert a diuretic effect. This promotes the premature entry of acetaldehyde (a substance highly irritating to the kidneys) into the kidneys before it has been broken down into acetic acid, causing kidney damage.
Coffee's primary component, caffeine, stimulates the central nervous system and muscles. Consuming coffee after drinking alcohol shifts the brain from extreme inhibition to extreme excitement, dilates blood vessels, accelerates blood circulation, and significantly increases cardiovascular strain. The resulting harm to the body can be many times greater than drinking alone and may even trigger hypertension.
Myth 12: Drinking yogurt helps sober up and protects the liver
The absorption of alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract is relatively low. Only a small amount of alcohol dehydrogenase exists in the gastric mucosa to metabolize alcohol, while 90%-98% of ethanol still needs to be metabolized in the liver.Therefore, drinking yogurt only reduces alcohol's damage to the gastric mucosa and slows absorption—it does not protect your liver. The best way to avoid liver damage is to reduce alcohol intake.
Myth 13: Alcohol aids sleep?