Tequila is one of the healthiest booze choices
Source: New York Post
By Michael Kaplan
May 5, 2016
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo doesn’t have to make for a massive hangover. While many associate tequila with nauseous Jose Cuervo nights and nasty hangovers, good tequila – made from 100 percent agave – actually has health benefits. Have a look at some of the reasons to drink it up – just stay away from sugary mixers and avoid impressing pals with how many shots you can down.
It won’t spike your blood sugar
Mexican researchers from Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados Biotechnology and Biochemistry Irapuato have found that the agave in tequila is non-digestible and will not raise blood sugar levels as much as other booze. This is good news for Sue Torres, consulting chef with the hot Brooklyn restaurant Leyenda. Like 86 million Americans, she suffers from pre-diabetes. It leaves her with low blood sugar – and an instant headache when she drinks most forms of alcohol. But tequila made from 100 percent blue agave actually agrees with Torres. Unlike other liquors, she tells The Post, “Tequila has a soft sugar that does not cause my blood sugar level to spike, my body to sweat and my energy to crash. If I choose booze, I choose tequila.”
It’s low in calories
Tanya Zuckerbrot, a certified dietician with F-Factor Nutrition in Midtown, recommends tequila to her clients who like to imbibe. Compared to a 1-ounce shot of vodka, which has 96 calories, she says, “A shot of tequila is only 64 calories. Plus it’s made with agave and has a naturally sweet flavor. That eliminates the need for sugary mixers, which is where calories and carbs really tally up.”
It makes medication more effective
Researchers at the University of Guadalajara have discovered that the blue agave used to make tequila can create a protective barrier around drugs used to treat intestinal ailments, and prevent the medication from being diluted in the stomach.
It’s gluten-free
For those who are avoiding grains, tequila ranks among the safest spirits you can drink. It’s distilled from agave (which is a fruit) and there’s not a trace of wheat or barley.
Hangovers are minimized
One main culprit when it comes to hangovers is the presence of fermentation products known as congeners, according to a study done by the Behavioral and Social Sciences Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies at Brown University School of Public Health. Clear tequila made from 100 percent blue agave has fewer congeners than brown liquors that share its top-shelf perch. Hence, milder hangovers for Cinco de Mayo celebrants – so long as they drink it straight and steer clear of sugary mixers.