Published on
Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Alexandra Murcier (Liberal dietitian-nutritionist)
Medical validation:
January 04, 2023
At the start of this month without alcohol, many people have stopped or reduced their consumption of wines, beers and other cocktails. A good initiative, provided you do not rush on alcohol-free drinks, stuffed with sugar and preservatives.
Sugar, additives, preservatives… While non-alcoholic beverages seem at first sight to be a good option to replace alcohol, they are actually unhealthy. The explanations of our dietitian-nutritionist, Alexandra Murcier.
Sugar, sulphites and preservatives
While alternatives to alcohol abound on supermarket shelves (fake champagnes, fake ciders or even fake beers, etc.) and recipes differ depending on the brand (product de-alcoholized by distillation or not containing an alcohol base), these “alcohol free” drinks would not be without consequences for our health.
“Reducing your alcohol consumption is a good thing, as long as you don’t replace your glass of wine or beer with sodas or other harmful substitutes. Not only are non-alcoholic drinks often packed with sugar – which increases the risk of obesity, overweight, diabetes or even inflammatory pathologies such as endometriosis – but they also contain preservatives, such as E330, 414 or even E445, which can cause allergies. The toxic effects of E445 have also been demonstrated at high doses in animals.“, says Alexandra Murcier.
Other information to take into account: if some drinks claim to be “alcohol free”, they could actually contain minute quantities of alcohol (0.3%). This is often the case with “de-alcoholized” drinks, such as fake wines or fake champagnes.
Caution therefore on the side of pregnant women or alcoholics in the process of weaning, who must be extra careful when reading labels.
“The main thing is finally to have a moderate consumption, whether it is drinks with or without alcohol“, specifies the dietitian-nutritionist.
Healthy alternatives to alcohol
If plain water or apricot juice don’t make you dream at aperitif time, good news: it is possible to twist your glass with citrus fruits, aromatic herbs (such as rosemary or mint), or spices such as ginger.
Thirst-quenching, fun and antioxidant, these waters flavored with lemon, kiwi or even ginger combine the qualities.
Another refreshing option: homemade iced tea (unsweetened), rich in antioxidants and low in calories.