Which Is More Dehydrating: Beer, Wine or Liquor?

Gourmandize

The days are getting hotter, and with that the risk of dehydration is high. Drink too little, or even drink the wrong thing, and you can suddenly feel dizzy, nauteous and weak.

Alochol is infamously dehydrating... But are there some that are better to drink than others? After all, there's nothing more relaxing than a cool cocktail and on a hot summer day. Let's take a look..

Which Alcohol To Choose?

The bad news: alcohol is a diuretic, so any drink you choose is going to dehydrate you. But the key is that it's the alcohol itself, not the liquid it's in.

So let's take a look at alcohol content:

• Beer: Between 3-7% alcohol for the average 12-ounce glass 
• Wine: About 14% alcohol per glass
• Liquor: Up to 70% alcohol for one shot

This makes beer, with its low alcohol content, the clear winner for least dehydrating drink. But there's a caveat: that's only if you keep to a single serving. If you drink several beers in one hour (that's the time it takes your liver to process a single serving), then you'll end up just as dehydrated as if you had taken a shot at the bar.

The Takeaway

Drink slowly. We know, once you have one drink it's easy to have five or six... But slow your drinking down — really savor your drink — and you'll be able to enjoy that delicious buzz without the nasty side-effects.

And if you really want to stay hydrated, the answer is easy: drink more water! Drink a glass of water after every drink, or even order cocktails with fizzy water. That way, you'll be replacing any water you lose through alochol-induced urination.

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