When it comes to finding alternatives to alcohol, one of the simplest options available is to switch to the non-alcoholic option. There are a number of non-alcoholic drinks available, from mocktails to non-alcoholic beer.
Non-alcoholic beer tastes the same as typical alcoholic beer, and if poured out or viewed from a distance, it is very difficult to tell the difference. This can be very helpful if you feel pressured to drink while at a bar or party. No one but you needs to know that you’re drinking non-alcoholic beer.
The effects of drinking too much non-alcoholic beer won’t be the same as if you drink normal alcoholic beer, but it still runs the risk of health issues, as they tend to be high in sugar. Just like if you drink too many sugary drinks, you may end up with issues with your teeth or with your weight.
Frequently overdoing sugary non-alcoholic beers can also raise your risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is a buildup of fat in the liver that isn’t caused by alcohol but can still lead to serious problems with your liver over time.
Can Non-alcoholic Beer Cause Liver Damage?
One of the biggest dangers that comes from drinking normal alcoholic beer is the long-term effects it can have on your body. Especially as beer is bad for your liver with long-term use. As your liver helps your body filter out toxins, constantly bombarding it with alcohol can cause serious liver damage and even lead to liver failure.
Now the important question – is non-alcoholic beer bad for your liver?
No, non-alcoholic beer is not necessarily bad for your liver. In fact, a study conducted by the Journal of Alcohol and Alcoholism found that there is no correlation between non-alcoholic beer and liver damage in healthy adults. However, this is for people who are healthy and didn’t drink heavily in the past. It’s also worth noting that there is no safe level of alcohol, and it’s never entirely risk-free. So, non-alcoholic beer is generally seen as the better option.
In some non-alcoholic beers, there may be small amounts of alcohol. Because of this, if you already have liver damage, it is recommended that you avoid any form of beer, as it could still prove harmful.
This can also cause issues if you already have liver conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver, as your body can’t filter the small amounts of alcohol out.
Impacts of Non-Alcoholic Beer on Liver Health
When it comes to a healthy liver, the best thing you can drink is lots of water, as it doesn’t contain toxins that your liver needs to filter out.
Non-alcoholic beer contains small amounts of alcohol, so it still has something that needs to be filtered out. While this amount is normally too small to do any harm to anyone who doesn’t already have serious liver problems, drinking regularly isn’t recommended.
Non-alcoholic beer is not damaging your liver so long as you don’t go overboard. Be sensible about how much you consume, drink enough water to offset its effects, and watch your sugar intake.
How Many Non-Alcoholic Beers Are Equal to One Beer?
There’s a rough rule of thumb that people use which says it takes around 10 non-alcoholic beers to have about the same amount of alcohol as a standard alcoholic one, which usually has 5% alcohol. Non-alcoholic beers are legally capped at 0.5% ABV.
Most non-alcoholic beers are below the 0.5% limit. More accurately, they are around the 0.05% mark, which makes the real ratio more likely to be around 100 to 1. Some are even brewed to be genuinely 0.0%, such as Guinness Zero.
Is Non-Alcoholic Beer Healthy?
The short and simple answer about whether non-alcoholic beer is better for your health than alcoholic beer is yes. Long-term alcohol abuse, which is often defined as regularly having more than 14 units of alcohol a week, can cause serious long-term health problems.
These health problems include:
- Vulnerability to types of cancer
- Liver damage
- Heart damage
- Kidney damage
- Infertility
- Impotence
- Brain damage
- Higher risk of dementia
- Higher risk of depression
- Higher risk of anxiety
- Alcohol poisoning/Alcohol overdosing
While alcoholism is synonymous with health problems and can result in death at an early age, in moderation, it can be enjoyed without so many risks. Non-alcoholic beers, on the other hand, can significantly reduce the risks.
There are actually some benefits that you can get from the non-alcoholic version. Some non-alcoholic beers contain antioxidants and may also contain vitamin B, which can be beneficial for your mental and physical health. It also tends to be lower in calories than alcoholic beer and even offers some help with reducing abdominal bloating and fat to aid in weight loss.
Can I Drink Non-Alcoholic Beer When I Have a Fatty Liver?
If you’ve had a diagnosis of a fatty liver, non-alcoholic beer is likely to be a safer choice than alcoholic beer.
Many studies that have looked at whether non-alcoholic beer is okay for people with liver disease have been looking at people with cirrhosis rather than the specific case of fatty liver. So we shouldn’t be taking that as a blanket ‘go for it’.
The safest thing to do if you’ve got a fatty liver is to speak to your GP or a specialist before making non-alcoholic beer a regular part of your diet. They can give you advice that’s tailored to your specific situation based on how bad your condition is, what’s causing it and how that fits in with the rest of your diet.
Non-Alcoholic Beer Alternatives
Sometimes, the smell or taste of beer can trigger relapse, which might mean you want to avoid even imitations of beer. Alternative drinks that don’t taste exactly like beer include:
- Soda water with lime/fresh fruit
- Mocktails
- Kombucha
- Hop water
If you’re drinking non-alcoholic beer or other substitutes because you’re worried about your drinking in general, consider talking it over with a professional. Our team is here, and we can be contacted on 0800 001 4070.
Reach Out for Support
Non-alcoholic beer, for a healthy person who drinks it in moderation, is not bad for your liver. But with overconsumption and possible underlying conditions, there could be serious health risks.
If you feel as though you are trying to use non-alcoholic beer as a crutch for an addiction, please know that there are people you can talk to and support available.
Get in touch with us today or call 0800 001 4070 if you are struggling with addiction.
