Paleo Alcohol Guide: Is Alcohol Paleo-Approved In 2024?

Maybe you’re sipping a glass of white wine as you prep your healthy paleo dinner — but what about that drink? Is it paleo, too? 

Most alcohol is made from grains, which isn’t paleo-friendly. Plus – although we’ve all heard that a glass of red wine here or there is a healthy alcoholic option – new research suggests that might not be the case. 
So, which is the right alcohol can you have on the paleo diet? Read on to find out if you can still have your favorite drink, how much is okay, and health tips to remember.

What Is The Paleo Diet?

The paleo diet proposes we should be eating foods similar to our ancestors^[1] from millions of years ago. It focuses on whole, unprocessed foods — but only ones available during the Paleolithic era. That means mostly meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. 

Even though grains are whole foods, they only entered human diets^[2] with the agricultural revolution — around 10,000 years ago. So, according to the paleo community, no grains are allowed. Paleo dieters also exclude other natural foods unavailable back then, like dairy and legumes.

Basically, the whole premise is to mimic our hunter-gatherer ancestors and eliminate every food brought into the human diet within the last 10,000 years. 

Research shows that paleo dieters have improved blood sugar control,^[3] weight management, and lower inflammation levels.^[4] The paleo community claims that consuming processed foods such as those with added sugar promotes chronic inflammation,^[4] increasing the risk for lifestyle diseases.

Can We Add Alcohol To The Paleo Diet?

If you want to stay true to the Paleolithic diet, you have to think of what was available during that time period. And no, alcohol wasn’t around back then. Evidence suggests that early alcohol consumption began^[5] with the advent of agriculture.

Of course, how strictly you want to follow paleo principles is up to you. Many paleo dieters try to eat paleo-friendly most days, allowing a moderate amount of drinking now and then. 

Be mindful to stay within the guidelines^[6] of a maximum of one drink a day for women or two for men. In general, though, the less alcohol you drink, the better for your health goals. 

Which Alcohol Is The Best?

Technically, there is no healthy alcoholic option. But the most paleo-friendly drinks are grain-free ones. That includes red wine, white wine, hard ciders, and some spirits like potato vodka and silver tequila. 

Remember that sweet and sour mixers with added processed sugars won’t make it paleo anymore. Even diet soda isn’t paleo as it contains an artificial sweetener, but soda water, club soda, and fresh lime juice are safe. 

Risks And Safety Tips

Alcohol consumption is well-known to be inflammatory and can lead to major health issues,^[7] such as:

Cancer

Research shows a direct link between alcohol use and certain cancers.^[8] These include the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum. In fact, 4% of cancer cases^[9] are caused by alcohol. All types of alcohol are linked to an increased risk of cancer. 

Liver Disease

Alcohol-related liver disease^[10] has a range of symptoms and severity, starting with alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even a few days of heavy drinking can lead to reduced fat metabolism and a build-up of fat in the liver. Luckily, eliminating alcohol can help your liver return to normal within about two weeks. 

With continued drinking, you might develop irreversible cirrhosis^[11] – scarring of the liver tissue – and liver failure. 

Gastrointestinal Issues

Excessive drinking can lead to or worsen a range of gut issues.^[12] These include gut-derived inflammation, GERD, gastrointestinal bleeding,  irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease.  

Chronic Inflammatory Conditions

Alcohol can trigger inflammation around the body, including the brain, face, liver, gut, skin, and joints — almost anywhere and everywhere. That’s also why people with pre-existing inflammatory conditions tend to suffer more after drinking.  

Cardiovascular Disease

We’ve all heard that a daily glass of red wine might help lower your risk of heart disease^[13] — but that might not be exactly true. 

It’s difficult to separate wine drinking from other healthy behaviors. For example, people who drink red wine^[14] have a higher income,^[15] better education, and greater access to healthy foods^[16] — all necessary to have a higher quality of life and health. 

There’s a fine line between light, moderate, and heavy drinking, which you can easily cross. There’s no doubt that excess alcohol leads to cardiovascular disease, but the evidence can’t say for certain that moderate drinking helps. 

Nutritional Deficiencies

Malnutrition is common among heavy drinkers. Alcohol depletes^[17] our vitamin stores, especially essential minerals and a few B vitamins.^[18] These include folic acid, thiamine, and vitamin B12.^[19] Experts think these deficiencies can cause brain damage, increasing the risk of dementia^[20] in heavy drinkers.

Weight Gain

Drinking alcohol can not only prevent weight loss but lead to weight gain.^[21] Sure, it’s high in calories and added sugar, but that’s not the only reason it can cause weight gain. Your body works to digest alcohol first, which can stop your body from burning fat. 

Plus, it increases appetite and impairs decision-making,^[22] putting you at risk of unhealthy meal choices. Drinking too much can even increase your risk of developing metabolic syndrome.^[23]

Mental Health Problems

There’s a strong link between alcohol and mental health^[24] problems, especially anxiety, depression, sleep, and bipolar disorder. Even one day of binge drinking can lead to anxiety and depression^[25] the next day. 

Plus, there’s the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder.^[26] Alcohol is highly addictive since it can temporarily relieve your troubles. But it worsens negative emotional states over time, triggering a cycle of needing more alcohol to cope. 

Mindful Drinking Tips

Here are some ways to keep your drinking lighter: 

• Pause: Before you have a drink, check in with how you’re feeling. Ask yourself if it’s a stress response or an old habit, or a moment where you can appreciate it and drink responsibly. 
• Hydrate: Drink a glass of water between every alcoholic drink and have even more the next day. The Institute of Medicine recommends^[27] aiming for 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women daily.
• Nourish: Get a healthy meal or snack in your stomach before drinking to aid digestion and blood sugar balance. Consider adding a paleo supplement to ensure adequate nutritional intake to help manage the inflammation. There are also protein powders for paleo diets if you’re not getting enough. 
• Track: Download a mindful drinking app and track how much you’re drinking. Many also let you set goals and offer a pressure-free way to observe your habits and triggers. 

The Takeaway

Alcohol isn’t allowed on a strict paleo diet because humans probably started consuming alcohol after Paleolithic times. But it’s up to you how strictly you want to follow paleo principles. Many paleo dieters allow the odd alcoholic drink every now and then. 
If you do decide to drink alcohol, go for grain-free drinks such as wine, cider, and some spirits. Be mindful to stay within the guidelines^[6] — no more than one drink daily for women or two for men. But in general, the less alcohol you drink, the better for your health.

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