The weekend is a great time to break out the top-shelf vodka and relax with a vodka cocktail. It’s when people choose to leave their worries behind and celebrate the week finally being over. However, there is much more to vodka than having a good time with your friends after a long, tiring week. Actually, there are quite a few health benefits of vodka most people don’t even consider.
Contents
- 1. It Can Help You De-Stress
- 2. It Can Impact Sleep Quality
- 3. It Can Help You Lose Weight
- 4. It Can Lower Your Cholesterol Levels
- 5. It Can Be Used as a Skincare Product
- 6. It Can Help Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
- 7. It May Reduce Inflammation
- 8. It May Stimulate Hair Growth
While vodka (like any type of alcohol) isn’t necessarily healthy, there are some benefits to the spirit. Just make sure you don’t use them to justify excessive drinking.
1. It Can Help You De-Stress
Everyone has a way that they use to unwind after a long and stressful day at work. While some might turn to exercise or binge-watching Netflix shows to relax, some choose vodka as their companion for the night.
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There is a widespread belief that for such an activity, wine is the right alcoholic beverage. This idea might stem from the fact that we’ve seen hundreds of movies on how certain protagonists drink bottles of wine to recline after a hard day. Well, despite the popular opinion on wine, science doesn’t necessarily agree with it. In the study, both vodka and red wine’s effect on stress were examined, and the results suggest that vodka had an apparent impact on stress reduction, unlike red wine that didn’t have any effect.
2. It Can Impact Sleep Quality
Like any other alcoholic drink, you’re not taking full advantage of the benefits if consumed at larger amounts. Science says that if drunk moderately and not regularly, it’s possible for vodka drinkers to experience the drink’s benefits.
In small doses, vodka can induce sleep and stimulate sleep latency. That’s why many people that suffer from insomnia drink alcohol right before bed. It’s one of the many benefits of drinking vodka (moderately, of course!). Plus, you can use the best vodka mixers and have yourself a before-bed cocktail.
One of the leading symptoms for insomniac people is the difficulty of falling asleep. However, the quality of sleep will leave a lot to be desired if you regularly drink more than you should. You’ll increase your alcohol tolerance and may experience a reduction in sleep duration and increased sleep disturbances.
3. It Can Help You Lose Weight
If you happen to be thinking about dieting but can’t really consider the option of having to give up on alcohol, then vodka is the right drink for you. Other alcoholic beverages like cheap beer can give you the ‘beer belly’ due to the sugar and calorie levels found in the beer. However, the case with vodka is quite different.
There are many varieties of vodka; some are made from potatoes, some from grain, and some from grapes. The number of calories might depend on the type of vodka you choose, the alcohol level in it, and whether it’s proof or flavored. Still, vodka drinks contain approximately 60 calories, a way lower number than other alcoholic beverages.
4. It Can Lower Your Cholesterol Levels
So, is vodka good for your health?
Once again, moderation comes into play. Vodka as an alcoholic drink can increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL) which fights the bad cholesterol (LDL) from clogging the arteries. Instead, it sends LDL toward the liver from where it’ll be removed from the body.
Not only does vodka help with the cholesterol levels, but it also reduces the risk of myocardial infarction. According to the study that came to this conclusion, the participants that experienced this decrease of the risk consumed alcohol three to four days a week. However, beware that the excessive use of vodka as any type of alcohol can lead to damage in the cardiovascular system.
5. It Can Be Used as a Skincare Product
Almost everyone has a skincare routine they follow through every night. A skincare routine contains a number of products, and vodka—with its disinfectant and detoxifying properties—could quite easily become part of it. Its uses would vary from unclogging and tightening your pores to treating acne breakout.
While vodka could help clear your skin all by itself, when combined with different ingredients such as green tea, distilled water, oils, and many others, the effects will be apparent sooner.
6. It Can Help Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
The mouth can serve as the window to overall body health. That’s why we should pay more attention to maintaining our oral health. While we can use many dental products to manage our mouth health, we could also put vodka’s properties to use.
If you struggle with getting rid of bad breath, vodka could resolve this issue for you. You can simply take a shot of vodka and instead of chugging it, gargle your mouth with it and done—the bad breath is gone. You could also mix the vodka with other ingredients to serve this purpose. It’s all up to you.
7. It May Reduce Inflammation
Among the many mentioned properties of vodka, we’re going to mention an additional one. Vodka may also act as an analgesic. This side of vodka came forward in a study where moderate consumption of alcohol and specifically vodka was linked to risk and severity reduction of rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and consumed vodka for a month experienced less severe symptoms than those that didn’t drink vodka or alcohol of any kind. Though this study should be taken with a grain of salt.
8. It May Stimulate Hair Growth
Using vodka to stimulate hair growth is one of the many remedies that are suggested by many beauty blogs on the internet.
According to one of these blogs, mixing vodka with water and then using the mix as a rinse after washing your hair can remove the product buildup from the scalp and strands, and, in turn, stimulate the growth of hair and give them lots of shine. The same blog suggests that using vodka with other different ingredients like dried rosemary, organic honey, and conditioner can lessen dandruff, reduce frizz, and prevent hair loss. While there isn’t any scientific study yet that can prove these claims, this remedy seems to be doing something right since people keep bringing it up.
Overall vodka can sort of be an all-purpose drink. It can help people relax, sleep well, take care of their appearance, and most importantly, reduce medical symptoms and risks. What can we say other than it’s a win-win situation for all vodka enthusiasts out there? Assuming you they’re drinking responsibly.
You can start taking advantage of these numerous vodka benefits starting today!
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FAQs
Does vodka have any health benefits? ›
Vodka can increase blood-flow and circulation in your body which can prevent clots, strokes, and other heart diseases. Vodka can also help lower your cholesterol. And, for those watching their weight, it's also generally considered a lower-calorie alcohol. (Check out these recipes for "healthy" vodka cocktails.)
Is one shot of vodka a day good for you? ›Drinking vodka every day can be harmful to your health.
If you drink alcohol every day, health experts recommend you do not drink more than 0.6 ounces (for women) or 1.2 ounces (for men) of pure alcohol. Due to vodka's high alcohol content, this comes out to 1 or 2 shots of vodka per day.
Heart – high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, sudden death from heart failure. Kidneys – dehydration and low levels of sodium, potassium, and other essential minerals. Liver – alcohol problems are the leading cause of liver disease and liver-related problems.
What is the best vodka for your health? ›Potato vodka is known as the "healthiest" of vodkas because of its gluten- and sugar-free nature. The tuber might also remain the base that results in the best vodka served over ice and/or straight up. Here's The Manual's guide to enjoying some of the world's best savory, versatile vodkas.
What damage does vodka do to your body? ›Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
What is the healthiest alcohol? ›However, if you are going to drink, having red wine in moderation is a healthier choice than other alcoholic drinks. This is due to its high levels of antioxidants called polyphenols, which have been linked to better heart and gut health.
How many shots of vodka is a good amount? ›For getting a little drunk, three shots of vodka are enough. If you continue to drink up to 8 to 9 shots, that's when they start getting more drunk. The upper cap for men is ten shots of vodka. Exceeding this, they will be extremely drunk.
Is vodka an anti-inflammatory? ›It May Reduce Inflammation
Vodka may also act as an analgesic. This side of vodka came forward in a study where moderate consumption of alcohol and specifically vodka was linked to risk and severity reduction of rheumatoid arthritis.
Whiskey reduces your blood pressure and it is against bad cholesterol and blood clots, both lower the risk of stroke or heart attack. Drinking wine, dark beer, and whiskey moderately helps to reduce the risk of heart attack.
Why is vodka the healthiest alcohol? ›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.
Does vodka cause belly fat? ›
If you're wondering, “Does liquor make you gain weight alcohol belly fat?” The answer is yes. Any type of calories, whether it's from sugary foods or beverages, oversized portions of food, or alcohol can increase belly fat and skin issues, such as acne.
What happens to your brain when you drink vodka? ›Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes. Long-term heavy drinking causes alterations in the neurons, such as reductions in their size.
Is vodka easy on your liver? ›So, now on to the all-important question, which alcohol is easiest on the liver? The quick answer is, none of them. The reason is that the main liver-damaging ingredient in all types of alcohol is ethanol. It doesn't matter which alcohol you chose, be it weak beer or grain alcohol.
Why is vodka better for you than wine? ›For those dieting but still drinking alcohol, vodka is typically the go-to due to its low calories and non-existent carbs. It is considered a much lower calorie alternative to beer and wine.
Why is vodka better for you than beer? ›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.
Does vodka clog arteries? ›Excessive alcohol consumption can cause a buildup of plaque in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. This leads to one or more of these arteries to become partially or completely blocked, thereby reducing the blood flow.
Who should not drink vodka? ›Alchohol present in vodka are a major concern especially on excessive consumption. It can expose you to major diseases of multiple organs such as brain, liver, heart and pancreas. Excessive consumption may lead to faster heartbeat, elevated blood pressure and can also disrupts the immune system.
Why should you not drink vodka? ›It leads to deterioration of your liver, hangovers, bad decisions, increases your chances of cancer, and also makes you dependent on alcohol. Always remember that moderation is the key to taking advantage of the benefits that Vodka has to offer.
What is the unhealthiest alcohol? ›- Sugary Cocktails (500 Calories per 8 oz Serving) Fancy mixed drinks might sound tasty, but they're often loaded with calories. ...
- Frozen Beach Drinks (280 Calories per 5 oz Serving) ...
- Craft Beer (170 Calories per 12 oz Serving)
- 01 of 07. Lavender Honey Cream. Courtesy of Liquor.com. ...
- 02 of 07. Manhattan. Courtesy of Liquor.com. ...
- 03 of 07. Scotch and Soda. Courtesy of Liquor.com. ...
- 04 of 07. Brady's Milk Punch Cocktail. Courtesy of Liquor.com. ...
- 05 of 07. Hot Toddy. ...
- 06 of 07. New York Sour. ...
- 07 of 07. French Connection.
What is the purest vodka? ›
...
1. Absolut: Overall best vodka.
Vodka is often used in mixed drinks and cocktails, but can also be drunk neat or on the rocks. Vodka typically has 40% alcohol content, which is higher than most other liquors. Because of this, it will usually take about 10 to 20 minutes for vodka to start having an effect on you.
How long should you wait between vodka shots? ›It takes 30 minutes to feel the effects of alcohol.
This is a good gauge for pacing yourself. Drinking more than one drink every 30 minutes means you are probably drinking too much, too fast. Slow yourself down, and if you find yourself feeling thirsty before those 30 minutes have passed, try a glass of water first.
Generally speaking, most people become noticeably tipsy after consuming two shots of vodka (1.5 ounces). To reach a BAC of 0.08%, which is the legal limit, it typically takes about five shots for an average-sized man and three to four shots for an average-sized woman.
What is the best alcoholic drink for inflammation? ›Red wine has a compound in it called resveratrol, which has well-established anti-inflammatory effects. Some studies show wine consumption is associated with a reduced risk of knee OA, and moderate drinking is also associated with a reduced risk of RA.
What medicine was vodka used for? ›Vodka also has a long history of use as medicine, having been sold by druggists to cure everything from infertility to colic and the plague. While some of those historic promoters were half-cocked, it's true that vodka has a wide range of potential uses beyond serving as a relaxer and social lubricant.
Does vodka make arthritis worse? ›There's no direct evidence that alcohol has either a positive or negative impact on the condition of arthritic joints, says Rebecca L. Manno, MD, MHS, assistant professor of medicine in the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center in Baltimore.
What is the number one food that causes high blood pressure? ›Salt or sodium
Salt, or specifically the sodium in salt, is a major contributor to high blood pressure and heart disease. This is because of how it affects fluid balance in the blood. Table salt is around 40 percent sodium. Some amount of salt is important for health, but it's easy to eat too much.
Citrus, such as lemon and limes, has been shown to reduce blood pressure and has the added benefit of adding a little flavor to a boring glass of water.
Is vodka healthier than soda? ›Ordering this crowd-favorite sweet mixer will actually cut down your calories sipped for the night. This drink is definitely a good choice for people who are watching their weight. Since soda is simply carbonated water with zero calories, so most of the calories you get comes from the vodka.
Is vodka the cleanest alcohol? ›
Sure, vodka is 40 percent alcohol, but the other 60 percent is water. This libation is one of the cleanest out there because when a grain, fruit or vegetable is distilled, all sugars are left behind, making the resulting substance quite pure.
Does alcohol help arthritis? ›While moderate drinking may reduce some risks of developing arthritis, if you already suffer from arthritis or a condition like gout, it may do more harm than good. Enjoying a drink with some regularity might reduce your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a few studies.
What 3 weeks without alcohol does to your body? ›- More energy.
- Better sleep.
- More free time.
- Weight loss.
- Better memory.
- Improved skin.
- Reduced anxiety and depression.
- More money.
If you've been drinking alcohol, you should drink water to quickly get rid of bloating in your face and stomach. In fact, drinking water before, during, and after drinking alcohol can help prevent its inflammatory effects on the body. If you're feeling bloated while drinking alcohol, switch over to drinking water.
Is there a lot of sugar in vodka? ›Vodka is a low-calorie liquor with no carbs, fat, or sugar, and no nutritional value for that matter. If you're on a diet or just want to drink without an overload of calories, vodka is a good choice. It has less calories and carbs than beer, wine, champagne, and pre-mixed cocktails.
Can vodka cause a stroke? ›Drinking alcohol is related to the incidence of stroke. In general the more alcohol that is consumed on the excessive side the greater the risk for the development of a stroke. This is true of both types of stroke (ischemic and hemorrhagic).
How much alcohol does it take to cause dementia? ›Regardless of type of alcohol consumed, the risk of dementia increased linearly, starting around 14 units/week (appendix figure S5).
Does vodka make you forget? ›In addition to impairing balance, motor coordination, decisionmaking, and a litany of other functions, alcohol produces detectable memory impairments beginning after just one or two drinks. As the dose increases, so does the magnitude of the memory impairments.
Is vodka hard on your heart? ›2. How does alcohol affect my heart? There is a very clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) puts strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Is it better to drink beer or vodka? ›It is a common misconception that beer is safer than vodka because the alcohol content is lower, and while it is true that it is harder to become intoxicated when drinking beer than when drinking hard liquor, you can still get drunk on beer if you drink enough of it.
What is the safest alcohol for liver? ›
There is no safe amount of alcohol for people with any type of alcoholic liver disease. Is one kind of alcohol safer than another? No. The amount of alcohol you drink is important, not the kind of alcohol you drink.
What happens if I drink vodka everyday? ›Heart – high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, sudden death from heart failure. Kidneys – dehydration and low levels of sodium, potassium, and other essential minerals. Liver – alcohol problems are the leading cause of liver disease and liver-related problems.
Does vodka cause inflammation? ›Alcohol is a toxin that can cause damage at the cellular, tissue, and organ levels. Consuming alcohol can trigger inflammation across the entire body, including in the gut, liver, face, joints, and brain. Alcohol can cause two types of inflammation: acute inflammation and chronic inflammation.
How many beers equals one shot of vodka? ›The vodka shot at 1.5 oz (44ml) has 0.6 oz (17.4ml) of alcohol. When you compare alcohol content, this fairly simple math shows that one regular beer is equal to one shot.
Which is healthier whiskey or vodka? ›Whiskey too has a low-calorie content. However, due to several other mixtures present, whiskey is less healthy than vodka. Vodka is a clean drink with no impurities and is considered a better drink in terms of health.
Is vodka the healthiest alcohol? ›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.
Is vodka an anti inflammatory? ›It can alleviate symptoms caused by arthritis. Apparently, patients who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and had semi-regular vodka drinks throughout the month felt less pain and inflammation associated with their disease, according to this study.
What is the safest alcohol to drink for your liver? ›There is no safe amount of alcohol for people with any type of alcoholic liver disease. Is one kind of alcohol safer than another? No. The amount of alcohol you drink is important, not the kind of alcohol you drink.
What alcohol is best for pain relief? ›A 1941 Time Magazine article stated, “Whiskey is one of the cheapest and best painkillers known to man.” During the civil war, paramedics would give wounded soldiers whiskey when they ran out of opioids to keep the pain more manageable.
Is vodka the purest form of alcohol? ›Most distillers prefer 99% of the NGS in their vodka, providing it with no distinguishing characteristic. Also, making it the purest form of alcohol that is colorless and transparent.