For years the idea has been spread that alcohol in moderation was not dangerous to health, or could even have benefits. Surely we have heard it said that “nothing happens” for a beer or a glass of wine a day. But science does not understand opinions or customs, and the latest studies have come to spoil the party (not intended to make a joke).
In a study published by The Lancet medical journal, researchers concluded that the safest level of alcohol was zero. In other words, even moderate drinking, considered less than 14 drinks per week, causes damage, especially to the brain. That daily beer decreases both gray matter and white matter, where the connections between neurons are found.
Alcohol also plays a role in weight gain. Not only because of the calories it provides, but because it interferes with the absorption of nutrients and can lead to the accumulation of visceral fat around internal organs, increasing the risk of obesity and cardiovascular diseases.
Knowing this, and for many other reasons, it is not surprising that many people have decided to switch to non-alcoholic drinks or have not directly considered their consumption at any time.
Non-alcoholic beer and wine
Non-alcoholic beer was invented in the 1970s, mainly due to the tightening of restrictions on alcohol consumption while driving. There are two main preparation methods: the first is to stop fermentation before the alcohol is fully developed, using special yeasts and controlling the temperature. The second is to remove the alcohol from the already fermented beer, either through vacuum distillation, reverse osmosis or heating. These processes allow the characteristic flavor of the beer to be maintained, although with less intensity.
The first non-alcoholic beers had a strange taste that was compensated by adding sugar. The most modern ones use secret and patented methods that better preserve the properties and flavor, but which are essentially reduced to the previous methods after fermentation.
In the case of wine, the complexity of the compounds that develop during fermentation are what give character and aroma, so making alcohol-free wine is an even greater challenge. Its production begins like that of a traditional wine, through the fermentation of grape must. Once the wine has fermented and matured, techniques such as vacuum distillation or reverse osmosis are used again to remove the alcohol. Vacuum distillation allows the alcohol to be extracted at low temperatures, preserving most of the aromas and flavors of the wine. Reverse osmosis, on the other hand, separates the alcohol molecules from the wine through a semipermeable membrane.
What they take away and what stays in non-alcoholic drinks
A non-alcoholic drink is always a better option for health than the same drink with alcohol. Aside from the harm caused by even moderate amounts of alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks help reduce the total amount of alcohol consumed in a week.
Even so, it must be taken into account that, in non-alcoholic beer and wine, the alcohol is not completely eliminated. The amount is, however, very small, between 0.0% and 0.5%. However, one study found that 30% of the non-alcoholic beers studied exceeded this limit of 0.5%, and could reach up to 1.8%.
The calories don’t disappear either. Although alcohol is very caloric (7 calories per gram compared to 4 for sugar), in the case of beer there are also carbohydrates from barley or wheat present. A normal can of beer has between 130 and 150 kcal. If we remove the alcohol, it drops to 70 kcal.
One of the most widespread myths is that non-alcoholic beer produces more gases. Beer is a carbonated drink and as with all drinks, the dissolved gas can cause belching or a bloated feeling. However, a study by the Complutense University of Madrid in which the effects of beer with and without alcohol were compared found that there were no differences in gas or gastric reflux. Quite the contrary, non-alcoholic beer can be beneficial for the intestinal microbiota.
And the wine? If it is not a sweet wine, which contains sugar and is higher in calories, but rather a dry wine, with 13% alcohol, a glass has about 150 kcal. However, they are reduced to about 30 kcal when the alcohol is eliminated, since wine hardly contains carbohydrates.
As always, it must be taken into account that the calories in alcoholic beverages are often added to the food that accompanies them, and in the worst case this consists of snacks, peanuts, olives and other products very high in fat and calories.
Another possible risk comes from the fact that non-alcoholic beer and wine are very popular drinks, and they look too similar to the originals. People who suffer from alcohol addiction may find that they trigger the desire to consume the alcoholic version.
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