I’m a typically healthy guy who often hits the gym, but I’ll be frank: I like drinking with my friends on the weekends and occasionally overdo it. What’s the “healthiest” way to have a big night out and minimize the damage? Don’t lecture me. CHAD J., SAN FRANCISCO, CA
According to Jim White, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “Liquor is healthiest if served ‘alone,’”—that is, without sugary sodas or juices. Which liquors? “The clearer types, which go easier on the body and are less caloric,” he says. So think vodka and gin.
Then there are the other, more obvious actions that can help: Eating good food to avoid nutrient depletion, drinking tons of water, and boozing only on a full stomach and after consuming fats and carbs.
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White’s recommendations for preparty meals that will help offset the harsh effects of alcohol on your body: a fish that’s high in fatty acid (such as salmon), with a side of whole-wheat pasta, or Greek yogurt with fruit.
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