Are There Any Paleo Diet Alcohol Drinks You Can Enjoy?

There are people who expunge alcohol in any form from their system on the day they go Paleo. However, there are some people who still drink alcohol or cannot remove the alcohol because of their jobs or social activities. But is it possible to enjoy Paleo diet alcohol drinks?

There are forms of diet where alcohol consumption (mostly red wines) is allowed. However, on the Paleolithic diet, alcohol in any form is not recommended.

But you may find it hard to resist the temptation of alcohol, especially if it has been a part of your lifestyle for some time. There are people practicing the Paleo diet who cannot stop other people from serving alcohol during an occasion. Alcohol is definitely not all bad. There are some which your body can benefit from. But how does alcohol fit in with the Paleo diet?

Before we explore the possibilities of including alcohol in your Paleo diet plan. Let us first get some more background information about alcoholic beverages. Alcohol or alcoholic beverages are depressants in the form of a drink that contain a large amount of the psychoactive drug ethanol, or to put into layman’s terms, alcohol.

They usually make these adult beverages through the fermentation of different ingredients such as barley, grapes, and even rice. There is some evidence found that suggests that alcohol or fermented drinks were already present during the late Stone Age and Paleolithic era.

Given that there are fermented drinks in the late Stone Age, wouldn’t it fit in with the Paleo lifestyle? The answer is it can but they are still not recommended. To make it easier for you to understand and if Paleo diet alcohol is a great addition to your Caveman diet, there are certain things you must consider.

We are talking about the good and bad effects of alcohol on us.  As well as looking at the alcoholic beverages you need to remove or can add on to your Paleo diet alcohol drinks list.

Why Alcoholic Beverages are Not Healthy

Cons Of Alcohol

Consuming large amounts of alcoholic beverages isn’t healthy. Even with drinks, moderate alcohol consumption is the key, but drinking less is even better. There are dangers of long-term and heavy drinking, no matter how many “organic options” are available.

Many still consider such a choice of drink a recreational drug which with long-term use can be addictive and cause damage to different organs in the body.

Here are a few things that might stop you from drinking any alcohol:

Heart Issues

The most common heart issue to know of throughout long-term alcohol abuse is high blood pressure. From there, everything can spiral down if we do not control alcohol intake. If you are already into alcohol and a heavy drinker, you need to know that the possibility of suffering a stroke, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy is much greater. These medical terms are a fancy way of saying alcohol will mess up the way your heart functions and lead to you developing cardiovascular disease.

Liver Failure

Our liver cannot totally remove the toxins that alcoholic beverages contain. Whilst your liver is working double time in trying to remove all the toxins that alcohol produces, it will have a hard time helping your body burn fat and may even cause fat to accumulate. Fibrosis, cirrhosis, fatty liver, and hepatitis can result from alcohol abuse.

Compromised Immune System

There are studies that prove how vulnerable the body becomes when it is intoxicated with alcohol. Because the body tries to eliminate these toxins, the immune system isn’t able to work as hard.  This means that our body cannot fight off infections as easily.

Studies carried out have linked drinking alcohol with people being at great risk contracting diseases like tuberculosis or autoimmune disease. This is often because of a compromised immune system, so increasing the risk of infection along with other health issues.

Causes Harm To Your Pancreas

Just like the liver, the pancreas also helps the body to deal with toxins. But when we drink large quantities of alcohol this, then causes the pancreas to release toxins into the body. These toxins cause inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas which can lead to pancreatitis.

Risk Of Developing Cancer

Because of the multi-organ failure, you can get when abusing alcohol, you will definitely have an inkling that cancer will come knocking at your door. With the whole body compromised from intoxication, cancer cells can develop and spread throughout the body with ease. The most common body parts are in danger from cancer because of alcohol abuse are the breasts, throat, liver, mouth, and esophagus.

The Other Side Of Alcohol

Now you know the downside of alcohol abuse, let’s talk about why there are diets, including the Paleo diet, which still allows for alcohol on their food list. Again, moderation is the key, even when it comes to alcoholic drinks. Here are a few health benefits that alcohol may also provide to our bodies:

Heart Health

This may seem odd, but studies suggest that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol can reduce the risks of heart disease. Another factor considered is the type of alcoholic drink. Studies have proven that red wine is a healthy alcoholic drink when drank with meals. As long as you restrict yourself to just drinking 1 or 2 glasses. Red wine allows blood to flow better, reducing the risk of narrowed or blocked arteries from blood fats.

Decreased Risk Of Dementia And Alzheimer’s

Ethanol or the alcohol content of alcoholic drinks can be toxic for the body if taken in jugs daily. But when ethanol is consumed in a moderate fashion, it can help keep your brain sharp even when you are already old. Ethanol can reduce the wear and tear on the brain’s neurons, resulting in a sharper mind and better memory.

Lowers Chances Of Diabetes

Alcohol can help the body’s metabolism work faster, burning unwanted fats which can cause obesity which is often linked to diabetes. Alcohol also helps the body produce more hormones that can control how the body processes and uses glucose, reducing blood sugar levels. But having said that drinking alcohol shouldn’t be part of a healthy diet plan for weight loss.

Reduced Risk Of Gallstones

The gallbladder is also at risk when cholesterol levels are high. The cholesterol deposits in the gallbladder can develop into stones and may cause pain. As alcoholic beverages reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream, it also affects the gallbladder and reduces the risk of developing these stones.

Increased Libido

Both men and women can enjoy this benefit. Increased libido also means having less risk of depression and more energy. Alcoholic drinks can increase the blood flow in the body, giving it a boost for the activities throughout the day (or night).

Say Goodbye To Colds

With the proper consumption, alcohol can keep the common cold at bay. This benefit is another contradiction to the dangers of alcohol because the prevention of common cold is only possible when a person has a healthy immune system.

The fact is, there are alcoholic drinks that are rich in antioxidants, which boost the immune system. Again, the difference here is the amount of alcohol consumed regularly.

What Alcohol Is Paleo And What Is Not?

Now we have established the pros and cons of drinking alcohol and why drinking small amounts is the key. It’s time to know which alcoholic drinks are Paleo and which are not. These Paleo diet alcohol drinks are mostly considered being healthier choices. We’ve also included the alcoholic beverages you should never order at a bar.

Paleo Diet Alcohol Drinks

You notice that most Paleo diet alcohol drinks are not the kinds that are made using cereal grains. Most come from fruits or plant parts and are distilled or fermented.

Red Wine

The first one to appear on the Paleo diet food list is red wine, which is made from hand-picked, fermented grapes. The intensity of flavor and alcohol content depends on the age and type of grape used in the fermentation process to make a beautiful bottle of wine.

These days you’ll find many in the Paleo community suggest you source such from a local organic producer. Plus make sure to consume it in moderation as it contains antioxidants such as resveratrol in it. Of all the drinks that we suggest on this list, we consider this to be the healthiest.

Sparkling Wine

Also made from grapes and have significant levels of carbon dioxide by natural fermentation and through the inclusion of yeast and sugar. They call it sparkling because of the effect of the fizz from carbon monoxide (like soda water, only healthier). Champagne is one of the most common sparkling wines you can enjoy as a wine lover.

White Wine

Another bottle of wine produced using grapes, only this time without the fizz of sparkling wine. To create white wine, they remove the grape skin and this changes the colour and taste along with the resveratrol. Although this type of beverage still contains antioxidants, the levels are much lower compared to a glass of red wine.

Tequila

A distilled beverage produced from the blue agave tequila has a strong alcoholic taste. As like all drinks suggested here this undergoes various processes. It is best if you stick to tequila made from 100% agave. Other options tend only to contain 51% agave in them, the rest of this drink is made up of sugar.

Rum

This drink can be made through the distillation of fermented sugarcane byproducts or juice, such as molasses. It is best if you choose rum made from sugarcane juice. As for dark rum, it is this colour as the manufacturers of such age it in charred oak barrels, whereas white rum is placed into steel drums.

Potato Vodka

They make most vodkas through the fermentation of grains such as rye and wheat. Potato vodka is the best alternative when it comes to these types of spirits. You may also want to consider trying vodka made from fruits such as sugarcane or grapes.

Non-Paleo Diet Alcohol Drinks

When it is grain-based, it is definitely not Paleo. These are the alcoholic drinks that are not considered Paleo.

Beer

Most, if not all beers are grain based. But if you were to do some research, you now find that some companies now make gluten-free beer. This is probably the most common type of alcohol that most people drink.

Bourbon

Is also known as American whiskey and made from corn. Corn is developed using agricultural methods and is not considered Paleo.

Whiskey

An alcoholic drink made from fermented grain mash such as corn, rye, and wheat.

Grain-Based Gin

As the name implies, this type of alcoholic drink is made from cereal grains. It may also include other ingredients such as berries.

Grain-Based Vodka

They also make vodkas from grains (except for the above potato vodka) and are therefore not a Paleo diet food.

If you are a former alcohol drinker, you don’t have to punish yourself by abstaining from drinking alcohol, even on the Paleo diet. If it is your first time drinking (good on you!). Enjoying the odd Paleo diet alcohol drink may be a great start. However, always keep in mind to drink in moderation and with a good meal. Now you can definitely enjoy every sip and know that you don’t have to feel guilty afterward. Cheers to that!