Scotch is good for you!

Yes, you read the title correctly. Scotch is good for you – in moderation, obviously.

In his 1577 book Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, historian Raphael Hollinshed wrote about the health benefits of the water of life, better known as whisky.

“Being moderately taken, it slows the age, cuts phlegm, helps digestion, cures the dropsy, it heals the strangulation, keeps and preserves the head from whirling, the tongue from lisping, the stomach from womblying, the guts from rumbling, the hands from shivering, the bones from aching…and truly it is a sovereign liquor if it be orderly taken.”

During Hollinshed’s era, whisky was also used as an antiseptic on battlefields because it was not easy to get effective medicine back then.

During America’s Prohibition in the 1920s, whisky could be legally imported into the United States as it was considered medicine, not liquor. In those days, it was sold in pharmacies for use as a tonic.

In Grace Jones’ case, drinking whisky led to a long life. One of Britain’s oldest women, she attributed her ripe age of 112 to drinking whisky every night for the last 60 years of her life until her death in 2019.

Scotch has been praised by health experts for its ability to prevent heart attacks, blood clots, strokes, dementia and even cancer. A lot of this is thanks to the ellagic acid, which is a very powerful antioxidant, that is found in whisky.

Whisky is more than a drink you enjoy with friends or at a special event; it actually has some health benefits. Here are five important ones:

Lowers risk of heart disease

According to many studies, a glass of whisky a day can help reduce your risk of heart disease and heart failure. A study by Harvard discovered that a moderate amount of alcohol increases the “good cholesterol” in your blood and decreases “bad cholesterol”. This is a natural protection against heart disease.

The high levels of polyphenols – plant-based antioxidants – in whisky also reduce fat in your blood.

Reminder: Alcohol cannot replace actual medical care to prevent or treat heart issues. Never self-medicate with any alcohol.

Helps fight cancer

Whisky contains ellagic acid, which helps absorb rogue cells in your body. This acid is also found in fruit and wine; however, it is found in higher levels in whisky – especially single-malt.

Reduces risk of diabetes

If you are at risk for diabetes, whisky is good for you. The drink reduces the chances of diabetes by up to 40%.

According to a study, a moderate amount of whisky can improve your body’s ability to regulate insulin and glucose levels. This is because of all the simple sugars in the drink, which are easy to process. If you can control your body’s blood sugar levels, then you lower your risk for developing diabetes.

Gluten-free and containing very little sugar due to the distillation process, whisky is your best choice of an alcoholic beverage if you are diabetic.

Decreases risk of dementia, improves brain health

There is no cure yet for dementia, one of the most prominent diseases facing the elderly. So, if you want to protect yourself from dementia, you need to take preventative steps to avoid the disease.

According to a 2003 study, adults who drank one to six glasses of whisky a week were half as likely to suffer dementia as non-drinkers and heavy drinkers.

Remember that while a couple of glasses a week will lower your risk of dementia, drinking multiple glasses a day will greatly raise your risk.

There is more good news for the brain. The plant-based antioxidants in whisky may help maintain a healthy chemical balance in your brain.

Research shows that small amounts of whisky — especially aged varieties — increase activity in the brain’s GABA neurotransmitter, which is responsible for things like nervous system function.

One study found that moderate alcohol intake might reduce cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Reduces blood clotting

Whisky significantly reduces blood clotting. It is a natural blood thinner.

Blood clots often cause issues when they get stuck in bad cholesterol. As mentioned above, whisky promotes good cholesterol, which fights the bad stuff. Therefore, if you do have a blood clot, it is less likely to cause damage, such as stroke.