The surprising benefit that makes alcohol healthier than you thought

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the bad news…

Drinking alcohol is terrible for your health. So terrible, in fact, that a new study published in the medical journal The Lancet proclaimed that if you want to stay healthy, you shouldn’t drink any alcohol. None. Zip. Zilch.

But before you commit to life as a teetotaler, here’s something to consider. There’s a hidden benefit to drinking alcohol that plenty of people don’t think of…

Alcohol makes you social. And being social comes with some serious health perks.

How drinks with friends helps your health

Robin Dunbar, an evolutionary psychologist, is playing devil’s advocate in the recent backlash against alcohol.

He admits that excessive drinking is bad for your health. But he also says there’s a good reason humans love alcohol and have for thousands and thousands of years…

It makes us more social. And being social is good from an evolutionary and health perspective.

Just think about what happens when you share a bottle of wine or have a few beers with friends. Everyone talks, laughs and bonds more than normal. And all this talking, laughing and bonding is good for you.

Forging strong bonds with other people makes you more resilient to external threats (because your friends have your back). But it also helps combat internal stress, because it activates your endorphin system.

Related: How to release your natural anti-anxiety drug

As you probably already know, endorphins make you feel good. They’re your body’s answer to opiates. When you’re high on endorphins, you’re more likely to trust people… which means you’re more likely to make friends. In fact, this system is directly responsible for helping monkeys, apes and humans develop and keep friendships.

But those endorphins also strengthen your immune system. That may explain, at least partially, why socialization is so good for your health.

Research shows, for example, that having a solid group of friends helps you recover from surgery quicker, live longer and makes you more likely to survive a heart attack.

Other perks of light drinking

Besides the fact that alcohol makes you social and being social is tied to better health, there are other reasons that alcohol isn’t all bad…

Recent research show that moderate drinking lowers your risk of certain diseases more than total abstention. Two studies from this year found that light drinking (drinking roughly 0.5 drinks per day or less) reduces your risk of cancer and dementia more than giving up alcohol altogether.

Does that mean you should ignore the latest advice about avoiding alcohol?

Well, that depends. Even Robin Dunbar admits that the social benefits of drinking are only worthwhile if you’re able to drink moderately. Once you start overdoing it, any potential health benefits go out the window and you put your health in real jeopardy.

So, if you’re an alcoholic or anyone who struggles to control their drinking, a teetotaling lifestyle is your healthiest option. There are other ways to bond with people and release endorphins, including exercising and eating. So, enjoy a tasty meal or exercise class with friends sans alcohol.

If you’re able to have a drink with friends without getting out-of-hand, however, there’s lots of evidence that this won’t do you any harm. It may even do you some good. So, go out with a friend a few times per week and have that glass of wine or that beer. It is possible to have fun and be healthy.