There are countless health headlines about the benefits of cutting out sugar. Or caffeine or gluten or carbs. But there’s one thing 79 percent of Kiwi adults consume, which is linked to nine different types of cancer, strokes and heart disease, yet it generally slips under the radar when it comes to elimination diets – alcohol.
New Zealand households spent, on average, the same on alcohol as on fruit and vegetables in 2018 – more than $4 billion per year. This is despite Ministry of Health recommendations that men drink no more than three standard drinks a day and no more than 15 standard drinks a week. For women, it’s two standard drinks per day and no more than 10 standard drinks a week. Everyone needs at least two alcohol-free days every week.
If you’re drinking more than the recommendations (and a standard drink is a lot smaller than you think), you’re definitely not alone. A 2017 survey showed that 25 percent of Kiwis who consume alcohol are classed as
