Is Tequila the Healthiest Alcohol?

Over the last few years, tequila has definitely grown in popularity, and rather than being seen as the start or end of a wild night and more of a college drink, it has finally been taken seriously as a more high-brow drink. 

One of the big reasons why is because of the belief that tequila is a healthy drink, or at the very least a healthy alcoholic drink. Is that really true? In the following post that’s what we are going to dissect.

Will it Benefit Your Health?

It’s often red wine that is connected to good health, but there have been numerous pieces, articles, and the like that have been written suggesting that tequila is abundant in health benefits. Are they really true? Well, no. Tequila is not some magical potion that will help you lose weight or strengthen up your bones. There at present have been no official controlled studies that have found direct tequila health benefits. 

Agave Plant and Agavins

There have, however, been studies into the potential health boost your body could experience as a result of the agave plant and the sugars of that plant, known as agavins, being included in your diet. The important thing to note here is that while the above is true, those properties are not actually present in the plant once it has been distilled and turned into tequila. 

Healthier Alcoholic Drink, Not Health Drink

We are not completely dismissing the fact that of all the choices you could make, tequila isn’t a healthy one. It is definitely one of the healthier alcoholic drinks available right now. But that doesn’t make it a healthy drink. Nutritionally, it is worth highlighting, for instance, the fact that 100% pure agave tequila is much lower in sugar than other alcoholic drinks, spirits, and cocktails. There is also the fact that thanks to its distillation process, there are no carbohydrates present in tequila and just 65 calories per ounce. 

So, it’s definitely not all bad news, but don’t switch those fruit juices or smoothies for tequila. Especially not before 5pm.
 

Tips for Making your Tequila Drinks Even Healthier

As is the case with most spirits, it is how you prepare and drink it that makes the difference as to how healthy or not it is. Check out the tips below that can help make enjoying your favorite tipple a little healthier. 

Don’t Mix With soda

Although it can add a nice fruity taste on top of that syrupy flavor, when you add any kind of soda, even if it is made from 100% fruit juice, you can add literally tablespoons of sugar to your tequila. Not great for the waistline when you are on a health kick. Try instead to use club soda or seltzer water as that way you will get those bubbles and a smoother and easier way to drink the tequila without all the unnecessary calories. Mineral water is another great option but depending on the sodium content and type of minerals present, it could change how your cocktail tastes.

Choose a Clear Tequila

Silver or clear tequila is the way to go, especially if you want to avoid terrible hangovers. Darker tequilas are often full of congeners, which is a compound that is created in the fermentation process that has links to long-lasting and severe hangovers.

100% Agave or Nothing

Likewise, you should always look for 100% agave tequila, as it will not have any additives like grain alcohols or caramel colorings. Those kinds of additives are known to add to the calorie and sugar content of your drink.