Is There Such A Thing As Guilt-Free Wine?

It’s the question we all want the answer to. We speak to the experts…

- Natalia Lubomirski

You might not think about your liver very much. Hidden deep inside your body, it’s one of the least talked-about organs. However, right now as the pubs reopen, it may be a good time to give it some thought, as alcohol is one of the main causes of liver damage.

The UK is currently facing a liver disease epidemic. In just years, cases have risen by %.

Every day, more than people die from liver disease in the UK. According to the British Liver Trust, it’s now the biggest cause of death for people aged between and , and these mortality rates are expected to overtake heart disease in a few years.

How much damage will that drink do?

Aside from being one of our hardest-working organs, the liver is also one of the smartest. In fact, it’s the only one in the body that can completely regenerate itself. But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to look after it.

Discussing the alcohol and liver health connection, Prof Ryder explains that although many people who are diagnosed with liver disease don’t drink and have never done so, drinking to excess is still its leading cause.

‘It can cause fat to build up in the liver, leading to inflammation and subsequently stop the liver from functioning optimally,’ explains nutritionist Sophie Bertrand. ‘Heavy amounts of alcohol can eventually lead to alcoholic fatty disease (where your liver is unable to break down fats) and alcohol abuse can lead to alcoholic hepatitis and cellular mutation that may lead to liver cancer.’