When drinking, it's best to remember four "bests".
Best Varieties: Alcoholic beverages are divided into spirits, beer, and fruit wine. From a health perspective, red wine, a type of fruit wine, is the superior choice. The French suffer less from heart disease, a benefit attributed to this. Researchers have introduced that red wine contains a plant pigment component. This substance, acting as both an antioxidant and a platelet inhibitor, protects the elasticity of blood vessels and ensures smooth blood flow, preventing myocardial ischemia. Regular consumption of red wine can cut the risk of heart disease in half.
Best Time: It is safer to drink after 2 PM. During the morning hours, the concentration of alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the stomach, is low. Consuming the same amount of alcohol can cause greater damage to organs like the liver and brain. Furthermore, drinking on an empty stomach, before bed, when you have a cold, or when emotionally agitated is inadvisable, especially for spirits, to avoid cardiovascular damage.
Best Amount: The human liver can metabolize approximately 1 gram of alcohol per kilogram of body weight daily. Therefore, a person weighing 60 kg should limit their daily alcohol intake to under 60 grams. Those weighing less than 60 kg should reduce this amount accordingly, preferably to around 45 grams. This translates to the following for various finished products: 50 grams of 60-proof liquor, 1 kilogram of beer, 250 milliliters of whiskey. Although red wine is beneficial for health, it should not be consumed excessively; 2 to 3 glasses per day is ideal.
Best Food Pairings: Drinking on an empty stomach is harmful to your health. Choosing ideal food pairings can satisfy your palate while reducing the harm of alcohol. Based on the metabolic process of alcohol, the best accompaniments are foods high in protein and rich in vitamins, such as fresh vegetables, fresh fish, lean meat, legumes, and eggs. Note: Avoid pairing alcohol with cured fish, sausages, or other preserved meats, as these smoked and cured foods contain large amounts of pigments and nitrosamines. When they react with alcohol, they not only damage the liver but also harm the oral and esophageal mucosa, and may even induce cancer.