Women should limit themselves to one drink day, while males should limit themselves to two, according to the CDC guidelines.
Christine Byrne, a registered dietitian and Ruby Oak Nutrition proprietor in Raleigh, North Carolina, said the CDC defines moderate drinking as one drink for women and two for men per day.
Consume water after each alcoholic beverage you consume if you do want to indulge.
It’s not an official guideline, but the notion of following up an alcoholic drink with a glass of water is a good practice to follow, Byrne said.
“Not only does it hydrate you, it slows you down, which can be helpful,” she said. Diuretics like alcohol dehydrate and increase urination.
Avoid drinking before eating. You probably have a vague recall of drinking on an empty stomach. Byrne advised against drinking on an empty stomach for several reasons.
Alcohol should not substitute food. Brooks says alcohol provides calories but not protein, fiber, or fat.
However, nutrition is about acquiring what we need: proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Cutting those items out to maintain calorie balance is a nutrition risk.
Understand binge drinking. Byrne said the formal binge drinking definition is crucial. Binge drinking is defined by the CDC as five drinks for males and four for women.