Time and time again, scientists have good things to say about moderate alcohol consumption. For example, it gives your immune system a boost. But there’s a downside to moderate drinking, at least in terms of health.
A study published in Appetite has found that moderate drinking is linked with eating more—especially high-fat, savoury food. Researchers had twenty-four healthy men, all regularly moderate drinkers, divide into two groups: drinkers and non-drinkers. Drinkers enjoyed vodka with orange juice, while the non-drinkers had plain ‘ol orange juice.
Afterwards, they enjoyed a buffet lunch, presumably to celebrate their status as luckiest study participants ever. The buffet consisted of bread with four categories of topping: high-fat savoury (pate, salami), low-fat savoury (lean ham, smoked meat), high-fat sweet (Nutella, coconut), and low-fat sweet (various jams). Researchers then recorded what men ate and in what quantities. Participants came back the next day to repeat the experiment, this time the drinkers and non-drinkers swapping roles.
Researchers found that men ate more (about 19% more), if their orange juice had been spiked with vodka. More interestingly, they consumed 24% more high-fat savoury food after drinking.
So, is this why we’re eating wings with our beer? You bet.
