SavvySugar

Whiskey: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 04:00:00 -0800

When it comes to spirits, I don't discriminate. It really depends on my mood, but I enjoy vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey, and everything in between equally. When I was younger, my go-to shot was tequila; however, now that I'm a little more refined, I like to shoot whiskey! It's also what I fill my flask with. Since St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner, I'm wondering, how do you feel about whiskey?

Happy Hour: Grab Some O'Drools or Hiney Sniffen

PetSugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:00:28 -0800

On many nights, happy hour can't come quickly enough and, frankly, every hour is playtime for furry friends. So turn some time soon into your pup's happiest one and grab some bottles. These cute squeaky toys let a dog safely imbibe - well, chew - drinks named suspiciously similar as beers you'd recognize, but with a canine twist. (Case in point: Heineken sounds way more dog-appropriate as Hiney Sniffen.)

For the underage pooches or four-legged teetotalers, there are still nonalcoholic, nonalcoholic choices - like this Mountain ~~Dew~~ Drool. Bottoms up and order from the rest of the products in the widget below.

Guinness - It Really Is Good For You!

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:30:35 -0800

Happy almost St. Patrick's Day, and TGIF! Now is the time of year that we celebrate our country's Irish heritage by knocking back some Jameson whiskey and a pint or two of Guinness. Oh, and we wear a lot of green and eat Irish soda bread too. Before you start feeling too bad about the alcohol and carb overload, you'll be glad to know that all those ads from the 1920s that read "Guinness Is Good For You" were no joke.

When tested on dogs, antioxidants in Guinness helped reduce blood clots and slow down deposits of cholesterol on the artery walls. It looks like a little bit of Guinness may be heart healthy, then. Researchers say that a pint a day may work as well as a low dose of aspirin in preventing heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks.

Some other reasons you may want to enjoy a pint of beer on St. Patty's Day or this weekend: better bones, weight management, and a better memory. This is not a license to go out and get wasted though. As always, everything is better in moderation! And remember: don't drink and drive.

Do You Cook With Alcohol?

partysugar — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:00:11 -0800

A Little Bit of Alcohol May Help With Weight Control

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:00:57 -0800

Moderation is key, especially when it comes to alcohol. The occasional glass of wine, cocktail, or beer has been shown to help the heart, and studies have indicated that moderate drinkers are less depressed and more active than non-drinkers. Here's another reason to have a glass of wine with friends: a new study published in Archives of Internal Medicine says that moderate drinkers are less likely to become overweight or obese later in life.

The study - conducted by Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital - followed 19,000 women over the course of 13 years. Of this group, 40 percent said they didn't drink at all, 33 percent had about two drinks a week, 20 percent said they had one drink a day, six percent drank one to two alcoholic beverages a day, and the remainder of the participants drank two or more a day. While all of the women in the study gained some weight, the group that gained the least were the women who drank one to two alcoholic beverages a day. On average, women who fall into this category are 30 percent less likely to become obese than non-drinkers. The women who gained the most weight were the ones who reported they drank two or more drinks per day.

To make sure that the study was accurate, researchees also factored in age, race, total calorie intake, activity level, and whether or not the participants smoked. The results still showed that moderate alcohol consumption may have positive results for the waistline. Researchers are still uncertain if there is a biological factor that makes alcohol protective in itself, or if the lifestyle of most moderate drinkers just tends to be healthier than others. Remember, the key is moderation!

Another Reason to Stop After One Glass: Endorphins

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:05:29 -0800

I'm doing a little Spring cleaning and found this simple health tip in the FitSugar files. It's a good reminder to enjoy your nightly wine in moderation.

By now we all know that drinking in moderation, especially wine, is beneficial for your health. However, it is important to remember to drink in moderation, and for women that means stopping after one glass. Here's another reason to keep your alcohol intake in the moderate zone: endorphins. Recent research found light to moderate drinking releases endorphins, while heavy drinking does not. A "feel good" brain chemical, endorphins can also reduce anxiety.

Lead researcher in the study and professor of psychiatry and physiology at McGill University, Christina Gianoulakis PhD, hammers the point home with this explanation:

Readers should understand that drinking only low amounts of alcohol will increase endorphin release and produce pleasant effects. Thus, if after consumption of about two drinks of alcohol an individual does not experience the pleasant effects . . . he or she should stop drinking.

Mommy Dearest: Alcohol Isn't Appropriate at a Child's Party

babysugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:00:55 -0800

Mommy Dearest –

Birthday season is in high gear in my daughter's preschool class, meaning that we are attending several parties every weekend. I thought I had seen every iteration of a gym, magic or cooking party, but this weekend one party stuck out like a sore thumb. At this early afternoon party, while the kids were shrieking with laughter as the clown/magician did his shtick, a waitress passed by with mimosas and sangria on her tray. As I turned to observe the other parents' reactions, I saw many reaching in for a glass and enjoying themselves throughout the party. One father commented to me that this was the best way to make it through the endless string of parties we were enduring.

I don't consider myself to be a teetotaler, but isn't it inappropriate to be liquoring up the adults at a children's party?

– Banish the Booze Mama

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Dear Banish the Booze Mama –

Alcohol and kids is always a controversial topic. Some moms are quick to offer cocktails at afternoon playdates while others don't allow their tots to see them imbibe at all. Given the celebratory nature of a party, regardless of the age of the guest-of-honor, I don't see any harm in offering adult guests an alcoholic beverage. If they aren't comfortable with the idea, they don't have to participate. That said, I would not offer an endless supply of beverages, simply having enough for everyone to have one drink should be enough.

– Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this series at the Mommy Dearest Group on our new community page.

Hello Happy Hour: Calorie Edition

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:06 -0800

After work, most people love to de-stress by kicking back a few drinks with friends, and munching on some snacks. Whether you hit up your local sports bar or invite friends over to your place, knowing how many calories are in that glass or appetizer can prevent weight gain. Let's see if you know which drinks and foods are lowest in calories.

Take the quiz

Drink to Remember

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:00:50 -0800

Those couple of drinks you had over the weekend might actually be doing some good for your brain. Findings from a new study indicate that mild to moderate alcohol consumption may protect against cognitive disorders that come with growing older, like dementia.

Researchers in Brazil tested a group of 1,200 elderly adults for a variety of age-related mental disorders, comparing the findings against the alcohol use of the participants. In comparison to non-drinkers, heavy drinkers had the highest rates of mental decline and dementia. What might be surprising to many is that mild and moderate drinkers fared the best amongst the group.

This is not the first time moderate drinkers have come out on top in a clinical study. Last year, researchers found that heavy drinkers and non-drinkers are more likely to become depressed than moderate drinkers. Red wine has a multitude of health benefits associated with keeping the heart healthy. And light to moderate drinking may also help prevent physical disabilities amongst elderly adults.

Researchers say that these findings should not make non-drinkers feel as if they need to start knocking a few back to be healthy. All of these findings are relatively new and it's still not understood if it's the alcohol that brings on the health benefits, or if it's things that are commonly associated with moderate drinkers that lead to better health. In most of these studies, moderate drinkers were in a higher socioeconomic class, had a larger social network, and tended to be more educated. What do you think?

Do You Order Alcohol at Dinner If No One Else Is Drinking?

YumSugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:45:42 -0800