Weighing in on holiday cheer

A glass of spiked eggnog won't kill you, but pace yourself, know your limits and scarf a few snacks

LESLIE BECK

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

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December 19, 2007 at 8:30 AM EST

There's nothing like a spiked eggnog or a glass of bubbly to get you into the holiday spirit.

But with recent news that alcohol boosts cancer risk, you might be wondering if your holiday cocktail is worth the risk.

According to a report released last month by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, even small amounts of alcohol - one drink a day - increases breast-cancer risk. Two drinks each day ups the risk of colon cancer, and more than two daily drinks increases the odds of liver cancer. Higher intakes are linked to a greater risk of mouth and throat cancer in smokers.

Based on the evidence, the report recommended that individuals limit alcohol intake. If they drink at all, men are advised to consume no more than two drinks a day and women no more than one. One drink is defined as 341 ml (12 ounces) of regular beer, 142 ml (5 ounces) of wine, or 43 ml (1.5 ounces) of 40 per cent spirits.

Alcohol may increase cancer risk by damaging the genetic material in cells, harming the liver and reducing the amount of folate in the bloodstream. (The B vitamin folate is used by cells to create and repair DNA; it prevents changes that could lead to cancer.)

A couple of drinks each day can also promote weight gain, a risk factor for some cancers. A glass of wine, a bottle of beer or 1.5 ounces of spirits delivers 100 to 150 calories, while every mixed drink is almost twice that. A serving of eggnog punch can pack as many as 400 calories.

You can compensate by eating less food, but studies show we don't downsize our portions to accommodate extra alcohol calories. In fact, many people eat more when they drink. Alcohol reduces your inhibitions or general awareness of how much you're eating. Drinking on an empty stomach can also trigger food cravings.

But the news isn't all bad. Studies have consistently found that a moderate alcohol intake - no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women - substantially reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

A daily drink or two helps ward off heart disease by slightly increasing levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.Alcohol (ethanol) and antioxidants in wine may also reduce inflammation in blood vessels and help prevent blood clots from forming.

Ever since the French paradox was first observed in 1819 - the fact that the French have relatively low rates of heart disease despite their high saturated fat intake - red wine has been a popular explanation. Red wine, made with the seeds and skins of grapes, is rich in natural compounds called flavonoids and other antioxidants.

Yet the heart benefits of alcohol are not limited to red wine. To date, no one type of alcoholic beverage has been proven more protective than the others. Of 10 major studies that compared wine, beer and spirits, three found stronger evidence for wine, three for beer, three for liquor, and one study found no difference between alcoholic beverages.

While a glass of merlot contains more antioxidants than one of chardonnay, it seems that alcohol is the beneficial ingredient.

(Then again, the French paradox may have nothing to do with alcohol - the French may have less heart disease because they exercise more, weigh less and eat smaller portions.)

A moderate alcohol intake may also keep Type 2 diabetes at bay. A recent analysis of 15 studies concluded that one to two drinks a day reduces the risk of diabetes by about 30 per cent.It's thought that a moderate alcohol intake may improve the body's ability to use insulin, the hormone that clears sugar from the bloodstream.

Despite these positive findings, I am not advocating that you consume one or two drinks each day to be healthy. There are plenty of other ways to protect your heart such as quitting smoking, improving your diet and becoming physically active.

If you enjoy the occasional social drink, it won't protect your heart but won't harm your health either. Whether you drink moderately or abstain, make dietary and lifestyle changes that can help guard against cancer - take a multivitamin with folic acid, eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, limit red and processed meats and lose excess weight.

If you're concerned about the calories you'll sip this holiday season, the following tips will help you manage your waistline - and drink responsibly:

Eat before you drink. If you imbibe on an empty stomach, the alcohol will enter your bloodstream and make its way to your brain more quickly. Likewise, snack while you drink to slow alcohol absorption. But stick to the low-fat hors d'oeuvre.

Limit yourself to one drink per hour. Drinking faster will result in a higher blood-alcohol concentration. To slow your pace, drink two glasses of water in between drinks.

Dilute your drinks. Order cocktails made with a calorie-free mixer, such as soda water or diet soft drinks.

Set your limit. Resolve ahead of time to have only one or two drinks. Then switch to water. Beware of servers who keep filling your glass - it makes it hard to keep track of how much you've had.

If hosting a party, offer alternatives such as virgin punches, alcohol-free beer and low-fat eggnog. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort.

Leslie Beck, a Toronto-based

dietitian at the Medcan Clinic,

is on CTV's Canada AM every Wednesday. Visit her website

at lesliebeck.com.

Calories in holiday cheer
Eggnog, 7% MF, 8 oz.	361
Black Russian, 3 oz.	250
Baileys Irish Cream, 2 oz.	234
Rum and Coke, 7.5 oz.	170
Screwdriver, 7 oz.	175
Eggnog, fat free, 8 oz.	165
Martini, 2.5 oz.	156
Beer, regular, 12 oz.	150
Wine, 5 oz.	120
Beer, light, 12 oz.	95
Champagne, 4 oz.	78
Rum and Diet Coke, 7.5 oz.	70
Wine Spritzer, 2 oz. wine	48

SOURCE: LESLIE BECK, RD

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