To a lot of people this concept might be blasphemous. Like telling a Christian to skip communion, a Muslim to eat pork or a Hindu to eat beef. Alcohol is so intertwined with Western culture that any suggestion that it’s not ambrosia might seem like an attack. An affront to our common sensibilities and customs. We drink alcohol to celebrate. We drink it to mourn to passing of loved ones. We drink as a coming of age ritual. We toast champaign at New Years. And many of us met our husband or wives over drinks.

We love wine. But we have to admit that alcohol can sometimes overshadow the food. Interrupt the sensory experience of consuming carefully crafted meals by excellent chefs. When done well a wine pairing with a meal brings out the flavors in both. But too much of a good thing and the tongue can become numb to the exquisite flavors of the food. Or we can find ourselves in a situation where we’re trying to be mindful of our calories and it becomes a competition.

Alcohol damages and dulls our senses. Both in the short and long term. Before the rise of modern medicine alcohol was the most commonly used anesthetic. Administered both topically on the skin to dull sensations and internally to dull the patients ability to experience and remember pain. This was later replaced by other drugs deemed to be more safe and effective for the patient. But alcohol doesn’t discriminate and also dulls our ability to feel pleasure as well. The same anesthetic that was used to treat war wounds during the American Civil War was also has the same effect on our sense of smell and taste. Coating the mouth with a low grade anesthetic reduces the taste buds ability to differentiate between different flavors. In some cases large amounts of alcohol can actually kill the cells that make up our taste buds. The amount of alcohol in your average drink is considerably less than the concentrations used on the battlefield. But heavy consumption over a long period of time can still cause damage to the tongue and cause it to lose sensitivity. The good news is that the cells that make up taste buds regenerate frequently. The average lifespan of a taste bud on your tongue is only 10 days. Shorter than it takes some insurance companies to get back to you about your claim or the time it takes for the DMV to process any request. And even a brief period of cutting back or abstinence can restore the tongues ability to fully taste the subtle nuances of the pine nuts in the pesto or the lemongrass in the soup.

Being a more thoughtful eater and drinker can really enrich your life in meaningful ways.

The calories in a glass of wine are roughly equal to your typical can of soda. And like in soda most of those calories come from the sugars present in the drink. Many health experts consider the calories from alcohol to be “empty” calories. In that there’s not much nutritional value or other vitamins or minerals present in any significant amount. And while drinking several cans of soda at dinner is not as common, drinking multiple glasses of wine is very common and encouraged. You may or may not be surprised to learn that a glass of wine contains roughly 150-200 calories depending on the size of your pour and whether you drinking red or white wine. Two to three glasses of wine is roughly equivalent to eating a medium sized hot fudge sundae. Or if savory salts and oils are more your delight a T-bone steak. Or if Vietnamese food is more your style a bowl of pho is more or less two glasses of wine. A bottle of wine is equivalent to eating two fast food cheeseburgers dripping with special sauce. There’s certainly no shame in overindulging a good thing and it can be a crucial part of a healthy diet. But if you wanted to cut back on your caloric intake we would recommend eating the cheeseburger and skipping the alcohol. Food and water are necessary components of life and without them we would cease to be. Alcohol is more of a luxury item that isn’t necessary for survival.

Alcohol is a great social lubricant that relaxes us and reduces our inhibitions to open up to others. But it also reduces our inhibitions towards having another round and eating foods high in salt and saturated fats. After a night out on the town you might find yourself at a greasy fast food joint that you might otherwise avoid during the day. Or you might find yourself ordering for delivery the extra large pizza with extra cheese and bacon. These foods are delicious and an important part of any healthy diet. But when we’re drinking our bodies prioritize metabolizing alcohol over food. This can result in a glut of extra calories that our bodies need to digest over a longer period of time. Alcohol can also raise our cortisol and overall stress levels. Higher stress levels encourage the body to store more calories for later. An evolutionary advance that once helped our ancestors survive through drought stricken lean periods with little food. But in today’s modern world it often leads to us carrying more weight in our midsections and cholesterol in our arteries.

We’re not advocating abstinence or throwing away your collection of expensive wine bottles. But instead a more mindful consumption of it. Slow down and take the time to really enjoy it. A joyful celebration of the flavors in both the wine, the food and the people you are enjoying it with. If you’re having a decedent meal at an expensive restaurant maybe skip it or only have one glass of wine with your meal. Get what the sommelier recommends and really pay attention to the flavors and how they pair with the food. What are the textures and how does it feel on your tongue? What does it smell like and can you detect the hint of smoked paprika? You can always order another glass or ten after the meal is done or at a bar later on in the evening.

Being a more thoughtful eater and drinker can really enrich your life in meaningful ways. This is our opinion and we encourage you to find a lifestyle that works for you.