When I heard the 2025 Surgeon General’s advisory that any amount of alcohol can increase one’s risk of cancer, I decided to cut out drinking forever (even though I’m not a heavy drinker). Throughout my life, I’ve been nervous about cancer and have done my best to avoid risk: I exercise often, stay out of the sun when possible, and limit processed foods. Swearing off alcohol would be just one more cancer-avoidant habit.
But drinking, even moderately, isn’t just associated with cancer—there are many other health issues that are commonly linked with consuming alcohol, such as heart disease, liver disease, pancreatic issues, inflammation (which can contribute to chronic diseases), and brain shrinkage, says Nichole Andrews, RDN, a registered dietitian specializing in oncology.
Still, despite the health risks, people will largely keep drinking because they enjoy it, Andrews says. “Humans are wired for pleasure, and alcohol is deeply embedded in culture,” she adds. (After a few months of not drinking, I too began to question whether I wanted to stop drinking forever, or just be choosy about what I drank.)
If you’re in the same boat—and are wondering whether some alcoholic drinks are healthier than others—keep reading to find out how to drink with your health in mind, and the healthiest (and least healthy) bevs to consume.
How To Drink With Your Overall Health In Mind
Even small amounts of alcohol can increase your risk of cancer, which is why Bragagnini encourages her patients not to drink—or do so as little as possible.
Still, if you choose to consume alcohol, there are ways to mitigate risk:
Watch for percent of alcohol by volume (ABV).
Alcohol breaks down in the body into acetaldehyde, a carcinogen, per the National Institutes of Health. (Acetaldehyde has been shown to contribute to at least seven forms of cancer, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.) So, if you’re drinking alcohol, consuming this carcinogen is unavoidable. And when it comes to cancer risk, no type of alcohol has been proven to be safer than others.
Still, the risk is higher in drinks with a larger percent of alcohol by volume (ABV), says Eleonora Teplinsky, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist specializing in breast and gynecologic oncology. This isn’t to say that a shot of liquor is worse than a glass of wine—Dr. Teplinsky says that each standard serving of alcohol (12 fluid ounces of beer at five percent ABV, five fluid ounces of wine at 12 percent ABV, and 1.5 fluid ounces of liquor at 40 percent ABV) carries equal cancer risk.
But it’s important to note that not all alcohols abide by these ABV standards—some beers, wines, and specialty drinks can have higher (or lower) percentages. For instance, “if you’re consuming 12 ounces of beer with 10 percent alcohol content, that is going to be equivalent to two five-percent beers,” says Dr. Teplinsky.
So, you may be having one drink, thinking you’re sticking to the recommended limit, but you’re effectively having double. That’s why “paying attention to the alcohol content is very important when thinking about cancer risk,” Dr. Teplinsky says.
ABV isn’t the only thing you need to look out for. If you’re at a restaurant or bar, it’s important to consider whether or not you’re being served the correct volume, says Wendy Kaplan, RDN, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition.
She urges drinkers to ask themselves: How heavy is this waiter’s pour? Is this five ounces of wine or am I really getting nine ounces? (You can even ask the waiter themselves if their pour technically counts as one serving—or more.) The same goes for when you’re pouring yourself a glass at home. “If your glass seems larger than expected, you don’t have to finish it. Being aware of your serving helps you make mindful choices,” Kaplan says.
Go for lower-calorie drinks.
If you’re going to drink, choose low-calorie beverages—such as light beers, a glass of wine, or hard seltzer—and avoid high-calorie options with lots of sugary mixers, says Lizzy Swick, RDN, a registered dietitian.
“Any beverage with fewer calories, just like any food with fewer calories, is ultimately better for weight management,” she says, noting that being overweight can be a key contributor to many of the same conditions connected to alcohol intake, including cancer, heart disease, inflammation, and more.
Less is more.
The standard for “moderate” drinking is one drink per day for women, but “this isn’t a goal—it’s an upper limit. The less, the better,” says Andrews. If you’re going to drink at all, though, Swick recommends striving for “light drinking” (one to four drinks per week), rather than moderate drinking. Indeed, a 2017 study in Cancer Research and Treatment found that compared to moderate drinking, “light drinking” and “very light drinking” were associated with fewer instances of most types of common cancers (though this is not the case for breast cancer in women).
No drinking is safe, but heavy drinking (eight or more drinks for women per week) and binge drinking (four or more drinks for women in about two hours) pose the most threat to one’s health, says Swick.
Make substitutions.
For those looking to limit or cut their alcohol intake, Swick recommends asking oneself why having a drink is important to you. If you love having a glass of wine at night to relax, consider whether it’s really the wine that you like, or if it’s taking a pause in your day. If it’s the latter, replace that wine with a nice cup of tea or a fun, fizzy mocktail, Swick says. She’s found that many of her female clients, especially those who are moms, “don’t really care about the alcohol as much as having the ‘me time’ carved out,” she says.
Some Alcoholic Drinks Are Better Than Others
Curious about which drinks may be “lesser evils”? While all alcohol poses health risks, experts say these drinks might be less problematic:
1. Light Beer
Light beer is known to have a low amount of alcohol per drink—some light beers have 4.2 percent ABV, while regular beer typically has five percent ABV and some craft beers have 10 percent ABV, per the NIH. Plus, light beer is a low-calorie drink, and which can help with weight management, as unnecessary weight gain can be a contributing factor to many illnesses, Andrews says.
2. Sangria
One of the main ingredients in sangria is fruit, such as chopped oranges, peaches, pineapple, nectarines, pears, and apples. These are a great addition as fruit contains antioxidants which can help reduce risk of age-linked chronic issues like cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a 2020 study in Antioxidants. However, antioxidants can be reduced as a result of consuming ethanol, a type of alcohol, and this can lead to nutrients not being absorbed in your system as well, per 2023 research in Nutrients.
Fruit is also a good source of fiber, which may also protect against cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, and diabetes, per 2023 research in Food Hydrocolloids. Plus, citrus fruit juices (particularly orange juice) contains vitamin C and folate, which can help with the immune system and inflammation, according to a 2021 study in Frontiers in Immunology.
However, these added nutrients aren’t a free pass to down a ton of sangria. It’s great to add more fruit into one’s diet but the benefits found in the cocktail “aren’t in concentrations high enough to counter the ill effects of the alcohol,” Swick says.
3. Fresh Fruit Margaritas
Fruit has valuable health benefits, but it’s extra beneficial if it takes the place of sugary mixes in a drink, Andrews says. So, if you’re making margaritas, instead of buying a pre-made mix, grab some fresh lime, strawberries, or whatever fruit you like in your margarita, to add to your blender.
Of course, it can be hard to tell how the bartender at a restaurant makes their margaritas (with fresh fruit or lots of sugary mix), so margaritas might be a smart drink to save for home.
4. Dry Wines
It’s not just mixers and syrups that make a drink sugary—sometimes it’s the alcohol itself. And when it comes to wine, sugar content varies greatly.
The USDA defines dry wines as those with sugar content under nine grams per liter (equivalent to 1.33 bottles)—with some dry varieties having less than one gram per liter. Popular dry wines include Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Meanwhile, semi-dry wines, semi-sweet wines, and sweet wines can have much more sugar, with sweet wines (like Moscato and White Zinfandel) being defined as having a sugar content over 45 grams per liter. To put that in perspective, the American Heart Association recommends women limit their added sugar intake to 25 grams per day.
5. Bloody Mary
When it comes to mixers, the Bloody Mary has a pretty decent one, health-wise: Tomato juice is packed with antioxidants like lycopene, has many benefits, including helping to fight inflammation, obesity, and diabetes, per a 2024 study in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.
Drop in some celery—which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-hypertension, and neuroprotective properties, per 2022 research in Foods—and this boozy drink looks way more nutritious than your average cocktail. But just like with a sangria, people shouldn’t take the healthy ingredients as a sign to over-indulge in these drinks. “Let’s be real—it’s still alcohol,” Andrews says.
6. Wine Spritzer
This light, summery drink mixes white wine with sparkling water. While Andrews may prefer her patients stick with sparkling water on its own, she acknowledges that combining alcohol with water could help reduce alcohol consumption while also providing hydration.
7. Hot Toddy
A Hot Toddy is typically made with a spirit like whisky—plus lemon, honey, and hot water. If you’re feeling under the weather, the non-alcoholic ingredients in this warm drink can indeed help make you feel better when you catch a cold. Honey can improve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, per a 2021 study in BMJ. And lemons can protect against diseases, like cardiovascular disease, and also have anticancer effects, according to 2023 research in Nutrients. Plus, water will help with hydration—key if you’re feeling unwell.
But it’s important to note that, if you’re trying to recover from an illness, the alcohol in a Hot Toddy is counter-productive. Drinking a lot can prevent your body from being able to ward off infections as well, and can weaken your immune system, per the NIH.
Still, if you’re in the mood for a warm beverage (and you’re not feeling sick), simple mixers make the Hot Toddy a good alternative to other hot alcoholic drinks—like boozy hot coco and Irish coffee—which may contain a lot of sugar and calories.
8. Mojito
Mojitos typically contain rum, mint, lime, sugar, and soda water. And while simply drinking water flavored with mint and lime would be ideal for your health, these cocktails can serve as a nice alternative to sugary beachy drinks like Piña Coladas. Plus, it’s worth noting that limes have potential neuroprotective effects, according to 2023 research in Foods and mint may help with inflammation, according to a 2024 study in Phytotherapy Research.
The Mojito is also another drink that dilutes alcohol with water, so if you’re making your own drink, it’s easy to include more water, and less rum, in your recipe.
What are the worst alcoholic drinks for my health?
While some alcoholic drinks may be seen as lesser evils—there are other beverages that experts say should be avoided completely.
High-Sugar And High-Fat Drinks
Bragagnini warns that drinks made in a blender, like Piña Coladas, Daiquiris, and Margaritas, created with commercialized mixers and syrups, could be calorie-laden and contain increased amounts of added sugar. “Consuming these frequently may lead to unwanted weight gain and spikes in blood sugar,” she explains.
Andrews notes that the same goes for cream-based drinks like boozy milkshakes and White Russians, which are known to be “high in sugar, fat, and alcohol.”
Complex Mixed Drinks
Bragagnini advises against ordering cocktails made with multiple types of hard liquor, like Long Island iced teas, Mai Tais, and Negronis. These usually have a high alcohol content and are loaded with calories. She also notes that drinks with multiple servings of alcohol can carry worrisome short-term risks, such as alcohol poisoning and inebriation-related injuries.
Kaplan adds that mixed drinks can be risky because a restaurant menu won’t typically tell how much of each alcohol is going into a beverage—and what ABV those drinks contain.
Too Many Glasses Of Anything
When it comes to your overall health, the quantity of drinks consumed is more important than the type, Bragagnini says. Your best bet? She suggests choosing just one drink that you really want, rather than ordering round after round of a drink you think might be “healthier.” So, having one sugary strawberry daiquiri would likely be a better choice than consuming seven low-calorie sangrias.
While some drinks may be better or worse than others, Kaplan reiterates that there is no safe level of alcohol. But this doesn’t mean that everyone who drinks will get cancer, she says.
There are some foods—and drinks—that we want to limit, but that doesn’t mean we should go through life never having a little treat, says Kaplan. It’s important to do things that bring us joy, she says, and if that means enjoying a drink with friends every so often, so be it. For many, it’s just about finding balance.
Meet the experts: Nichole Andrews, RDN, is a registered dietitian specializing in oncology at her practice The Oncology Dietitian in Tri-Cities, Washington. Amy Bragagnini, RD, is a clinical oncology dietitian at Trinity Health Lacks Cancer Center in Grand Rapids, MI, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Eleonora Teplinsky, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist specializing in breast and gynecologic oncology and the Head of Breast and Gynecologic Medical Oncology at Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Care in Paramus, NJ. Wendy Kaplan, RDN, is a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition based in New York. Lizzy Swick, RDN, is a registered dietitian based in New Jersey.
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