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How To Drink Consciously To Savor The Enjoyment & Protect Your Liver

Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
Author:
September 20, 2024
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
By Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Molly Knudsen, M.S., RDN is a Registered Dietician Nutritionist with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Texas Christian University and a master’s in nutrition interventions, communication, and behavior change from Tufts University. She lives in Newport Beach, California, and enjoys connecting people to the food they eat and how it influences health and wellbeing.
Friends clinking by glasses with various alcoholic cocktails at table
Image by Ilnur Khisamutdinov / iStock
September 20, 2024

Drinking too much during a given night can leave you feeling sluggish and peevish the next day. And for good reason — alcohol is a toxin. Luckily, in moderation, the body knows how to dispose of it.

The liver is one of the body's main detoxification organs. The body considers alcohol a toxin, so it's the liver's job to neutralize the threat. The liver is responsible for breaking down about 90% of the alcohol1 you drink, as well as water, carbon dioxide, and energy. But heavy alcohol exposure over years (if not decades) can wear away at your liver.

While most people don't have to give up alcohol entirely, it's important to be mindful of your consumption and make sure you're supporting your liver in other ways.

How much alcohol is OK to drink?

Now, this is a loaded question. 

Guidelines around alcohol consumption2 in the United States encourage people to not exceed moderate alcohol consumption of one drink a day for women and two for men.

"To be clear, one for women and two for men is a max level, not a daily recommended need. Some people treat it like the latter," mindbodygreen's vice president of scientific affairs, Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, previously told us. "Because at the end of the day, alcohol is a toxin, and even moderate consumption can hurt sleep quality and brain health. And when it comes to liver health, less is definitely better."

This is where things get murky. Because (playing devil's advocate here), there can be some upsides to intentional alcohol consumption. 

We know that red wine offers beneficial plant polyphenols3 that serve as antioxidants. And some research even shows that social drinkers4 feel more in tune with their local community and have friends to rely on for social support. 

Of course, if you currently abstain from alcohol, this is not a reason to start drinking. But there's still no set magic number of drinks per week or month to stay under to protect liver health. 

So, to help you best walk this narrow line, here are our best tips when it comes to having an occasional libation and protecting your liver health.

Try only drinking during special occasions

One strategy could be to pare back how often you drink and reserve it for special occasions. Maybe you set a goal of only drinking for a celebration, whether that's a birthday dinner out, an anniversary, or a holiday. This may cut back your alcohol consumption to just a handful of nights each month. 

If that doesn't feel realistic for you, even going from drinking four nights a week to one or two is a great place to start. 

Heck, this 101-year-old longevity-focused neurologist shared on the mindbodygreen podcast that he still enjoys a weekly Friday night martini with his wife. 

Keep to one beverage during an occasion (or space them out)

Each time you do drink, try sticking to just one beverage that day. A "standard drink5" is considered to be:

  • 12 ounces of beer (at 5% alcohol content)
  • 5 ounces of wine (at 12% alcohol content) 
  • 1.5 ounces (a shot) of spirits (40% alcohol content) 

(Check out this list of dietitian-approved drinks to help make healthful choices if and when you decide to drink.)

If you decide to partake in more than one drink on a given day, space them out by at least an hour. It takes the liver about an hour to break down one standard drink1. So consuming more than that at a time can overload your liver and slow detoxification processes (and lead to intoxication). 

So after enjoying your drink of choice for the evening, consider switching over to a mocktail, a seltzer water with lime, or a tasty alcohol alternative

Have a drink with part of your meal

Drinking on an empty stomach is never a good decision. If you choose to drink, make sure it's part of a meal or snack. 

Food prolongs the amount of time alcohol stays in the stomach (where it's also partially broken down) before it passes to the small intestine to be absorbed into the bloodstream. 

These digestion processes actually spur the liver to increase alcohol metabolism6, allowing for more efficient alcohol breakdown and excretion ultimately.

Prioritize other liver-supporting habits during the day

In addition to adjusting your drinking habits, there are other daily lifestyle choices you can make to make sure your liver is in tiptop detoxification shape: 

  • Stay hydrated: Simply drinking enough water can give the liver some much-needed help. According to Jessica Cording, M.S, R.D., CDN, INHC, "Dehydration makes it harder for all organs to function, including the liver."
  • Bolster detoxification with targeted supplements: Detoxification processes are on 24/7, and sometimes these pathways need a little extra support to keep things running without a hitch. mindbodygreen's liver detox+ is designed to do just that. daily detox+ feeds your detox organs (like the liver) with the bioactives, like glutathione, milk thistle, and NAC it needs to efficiently eliminate toxins before they become a burden.* 
  • Eat plenty of fiber: Fiber helps keep waste moving through the digestive tract. and according to Rachel Muzzy, M.S., R.D., as it can, "help bind and carry out waste and toxins." It's recommended to get between 21 and 38 grams of fiber daily, and most people are falling woefully short of that. Consider adding these high-fiber foods to your diet.

The takeaway

It's well established that drinking in excess is harmful to overall health. But that doesn't mean you have to go cold turkey. Consider taking a more conscious approach by adjusting how frequently you drink, how much you drink in one sitting, and how you pair alcohol with food. 

And be sure to incorporate other daily habits to support your liver such as taking a targeted supplement like mindbodygreen's daily detox+, hydrating, and eating plenty of fiber.*

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

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