Whiskey is widely favored for its buzz and its ability to help get the mind to unwind.
There is something about whiskey that not many people know about; however, there are real health benefits to a whiskey habit as long as you drink it in moderation.
Whiskey was originally considered a medicine. While other liquor was forbidden during the Prohibition of the 20s, whiskey was allowed, and it was made available at pharmacies.
What follows are six ways in which whiskey can help you live a healthier life.
Whiskey, like champagne, may help prevent dementia.
A study published by the National Institute of Health in 2003, found that alcohol consumption, in general, helps lower the risk of dementia.
A 2011 study published in Germany found much the same thing. The studies recommended up to six alcoholic drinks a week to help lower the risk of dementia by half.
People who consumed more than six drinks a week, according to these studies, raised the risk of coming by other health disorders.
Whiskey helps make the heart healthier
Recent research published by Harvard University has found that drinking up to six small glasses of whiskey each week can help improve heart health and lower the risk of heart failure. Single malt whiskey is an incredibly rich source of antioxidants that can help the heart.
With no sugar, fat, or carbs, whiskey is good for the diet.
The Harvard study mentioned above also finds that whiskey helps, to some degree, to prevent type II diabetes. If you have diabetes, whiskey is one beverage that you’re allowed. Even sweet whiskeys contain no sugar.
Their sweetness comes from the various chemical compounds rather than from sugar. Whiskeys contain very little sugar even when they are colored with caramel.
If you have a cold, whiskey can help.
Whiskey is more prevalent in Scotland than anywhere else in the world. Among the Scottish, whiskey is well-known as a home remedy for colds.
They prepare a hot toddy drink with whiskey, hot water, honey and lemon, and sip on it to feel better. The alcohol in whiskey helps dilate the blood vessels and helps the body fight the infection more effectively.
Whiskey helps prevent cancer better than red wine.
Single malt whiskey is richer in ellagic acid than even red wine. Ellagic acid is an important antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in the body. If you like red wine for its health benefits, you should consider whiskey, as well.
Whiskey can lower the risk of a stroke.
Consumption of any alcoholic beverage, whiskey included, can lower your risk of a clot-related stroke by as much as 25 percent.
It’s important to remember, however, that your risk of stroke can increase when you drink more than one small glass of whiskey a day.
The secret lies in moderation.
Most people don’t think of whiskey as a beverage that can help their health, but it does come with benefits. With a light whiskey habit, you could beat stress, as well as help your health.