Brimming with vitamins and minerals, it is only 15 calories. I drink it most mornings and find it delicious. Alcohol is another drug whose effect on heart disease and health has been debated, but the exact degree of cause and effect is not clearly established. Excess alcohol is definitely known to be linked to increased risks of cancers of the mouth, larynx, esophagus and pharynx. A relationship between alcohol consumption and cancers of the pancreas, rectum and breast has also been shown.
Liver disease is a common result of long term alcohol use.
Some studies have shown a link between small amounts of alcohol and a rise in one kind of HDL good cholesterol, but that may not actually reduce total cholesterol. For many, keeping the amount of alcohol to the low levels which may prove beneficial is difficult or impossible. Consumption of alcohol in larger amounts can lower HDL, raise blood pressure, damage the heart and also lead to loss of bone mass, which can increase the risk of osteoporosis. For reducing heart risk, it is recommended that persons with increased risk of heart disease avoid alcohol. If you choose to drink, you should have no more than two mixed drinks or two 12 ounce servings of beer or two 4 ounce glasses of wine a day, preferably with meals.