The benefits of an alcohol-free life surpass the outdated theory that light alcohol consumption is good for our health.
For years, Sarah van Niekerk believed her nightly glass of red wine was doing her heart a favor. It wasn’t until her breast cancer diagnosis—and a quiet comment from her oncologist—that she learned even low levels of alcohol can raise cancer risk.
“I felt betrayed,” she said. “No one ever warned me.”
Lighting a cigarette in a crowded room might earn you glares, but pouring a glass of wine? That’s still seen as relatively harmless—even healthy by some. Yet, few people realize that alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, in the same category as tobacco and asbestos. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Group I carcinogens can result in cancer in humans.
Alcohol Links to Cancer
The idea that alcohol can cause cancer isn’t new and was recognized as such nearly 40 years ago.
Today, alcohol is linked to at least seven types of cancer: oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, colorectal, liver, and female breast. Globally, alcohol consumption is associated with around 740,000 new cancer cases each year. Breast, esophageal (food pipe), and liver cancers are the three most strongly linked to alcohol use.
The main culprit is ethanol—the pure form of alcohol found in all alcoholic drinks. When the body breaks down ethanol, it produces acetaldehyde, a toxic substance, which can damage DNA.
The effect of ethanol and acetaldehyde on our cells and DNA may change how cells replicate and stop the body from repairing the damage.
“All types of alcoholic beverages contain ethanol—beers, wine, and spirits all pose a risk,” Carina Ferreira-Borges, a public health specialist and Regional World Health Organization adviser for alcohol, told The Epoch Times.
Alcohol also promotes oxidative stress and inflammation, which can further harm DNA. It may also affect hormone levels, particularly estrogen, which can raise the risk of breast cancer.
Despite clear indications, many people, like Sarah van Niekerk, still believe that one drink a day is harmless—or even beneficial.
No Safe Levels
Research has established that alcohol is a cause of cancer, even at low levels of intake.
For instance, it has been shown that women who have less than one drink per day still have a higher risk of breast cancer than those who don’t drink at all.
Light to moderate drinking—defined as fewer than 20 grams of pure alcohol per day—was linked to approximately 23,000 new cancer cases in the EU in 2017. That’s roughly equivalent to less than 1.5 liters of wine, 3.5 liters of beer, or 450 ml of spirits per week.
More than a third of these cases were tied to light drinking of less than 10 grams per day.
By Zena le Roux
