U.S. Government officials tell us we shouldn’t have alcohol for breakfast. That’s a great use of our tax money.
Drinking has always been a political football. For years, the guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture has suggested limiting alcohol consumption in adults to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men. Under the new guidance for 2025 through 2030, abstinence is replaced with moderation because drinking can help create social relationships that are beneficial to mental health.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In a news conference promoting the new guidelines, he stressed the social benefits of drinking may outweigh the damage to one’s health.
Alcohol is a social lubricant that brings people together. In the best-case scenario, I don’t think you should drink alcohol, but it does allow people an excuse to bond and socialize, and there’s probably nothing healthier than having a good time with friends in a safe way.
When asked to clarify the new recommendation of using alcohol in moderation, Dr. Oz said the takeaway should be “you shouldn’t have it for breakfast”.
More good advice from the U.S. Government.
The new advice barely touches alcohol, advising Americans to drink less for better health, and to avoid it completely if pregnant, taking certain medications, or have a family history of addiction.
This is starkly different than the Biden Administration. Officials wanted bottles of alcohol to carry a warning label, much like cigarettes, claiming alcohol use increases the risk of several different cancers. The National Cancer Institute claims light drinkers are 1.8 times more likely to develop throat and mouth cancers and 1.3 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than non-drinkers.
In response, Dr. Oz cited longer life expectancy in other cultures where alcohol use is part of their lifestyle and culture. He stresses moderation is the key.
You look at the Blue Zones, for example, around the world, where people live the longest. Alcohol is sometimes part of their diet. Again, small amounts. There is alcohol in these dietary guidelines, but the implication is to not have it for breakfast. The general move away from two glasses for men, one glass for women — there was never really good data to support that quantity of alcohol consumption.
So, drink up! While science claims there may be health effects, politicians say there will be more people at your funeral!
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