Valentines Day has – once again – come and gone, and in its wake left many lonely people out in the cold, or in the bars. However, it does not matter whether it is a jovial night out with friends, laughing over a ridiculous past relationship or a somber night of searching for some comfort from a broken heart. Neither case should leave one seeing the remnants of the ‘night life’ in the mirror or at your next doctor’s check-up.

Alcohol, while amazing for building up a sense of courage, is known for being very unhealthy for the body in a number of ways, such as slowing the metabolism and dehydration, which decreases the body’s ability to breakdown fat, according to June Russell’s Health Facts.

On the flip side, alcohol can be good for the body – when drank in moderation. A study done by the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that alcohol is a great ally in the fight against heart disease, reducing the risk by 30 to 50 percent over that of nondrinkers. Also noted in the study is that “alcohol raises the blood levels of HDL – good cholesterol – which removes cholesterol from the bloodstream, and thus helps prevent hardening of the arteries.”

While both sides make very persuasive arguments for, or against, alcohol, there is one key to balancing both benefit and pitfall: moderation. Whoever said ‘you can never get too much of a good thing,’ would be poorly mistaken to the fact that in all actuality, too much of a good thing, can be a bad thing.

You must be aware of the pros and cons and find the balance between the two that best benefits you. To help in this effort, FYI has done some research to help you make better drink choices, and we aren’t talking about price specials.

Good and Bad Drinks

Long Island Ice Tea (Bad, but so tasty).

More alcohol involved in your cocktail concoction means more sugar and calories.

According to the University of Rochester, a 12 oz Long Island Ice Tea has 789 calories. The key with this drink is to spread it out over an evening. If you are looking to have a long night, with many different locations, this probably isn’t the right drink of choice.

Wine (Good)

A glass or two of a nice red wine can be a very fulfilling choice for both your health and your buzz. Generally higher in alcohol content per ounce, a few glasses of wine is a great way to spend an evening while at that new trendy spot with friends, all while keeping the calorie count low, and, of course, refining your palette and expanding your cultural bounds.

Beer (Good or Bad)

One to three beers is listed as equal to two glasses of wine, in reference to the healthy side effects on the body, though it is definitely higher in the calorie count.

The key factor with beer is the light or darkness of your choice.

A pale ale will have about half as many calories as a mixed drink, thought not as low as wine, and certainly more filling.

A dark lager will leave you with nearly double as many calories as a mixed drink.

Mixed Drinks

A general favorite over other choices – especially with women – mixed drinks can have a nasty effect because of high sugar content in the alcohol and the addition of sugar from whatever mixer is being use, pop, tonic, juice etc.

Rum and Coke, a very common drink at any late night establishment, has a calorie count well into the two hundreds for a mere eight ounces, although this can be greatly lowered with the use of diet Coke.

For a list of calories and other stats about many different wines, beers, liquors and mixed drinks, please check out www.rochester.edu/uhs/healthtopics/Alcohol/caloricvalues.html.