Aside from no booze, what are the benefits?
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I caught some of the F1 highlights from the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend and noticed wall-to-wall promotion of Heineken’s 0.0 beer around the Zandvoort circuit; it was huge exposure for a nonalcoholic (NA) beverage from a big brewer. Zero-alcohol beers and canned cocktails sponsored a series of major sporting events this summer, so big money is clearly backing booze-free beer.
But do these drinks offer any health benefits over their “full-fat” equivalents? That’s what we’ll be investigating today, with the help of registered dietitian Kirsten Seele. |
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Cheers!
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |
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Written by Tim Snaith
September 1, 2026 • 2 min read |
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| Q: |
Are nonalcoholic beers and wine good for you? |
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| A: |
If you frequent breweries, wineries, bars, or even the beer and wine aisle at the grocery store, you may have noticed an increase in nonalcoholic beverage options. In the U.S., this label means it’s 0.0% to 0.5% alcohol.
I want to emphasize the main benefit of nonalcoholic beverages: They don’t put you at risk of the health effects of drinking alcohol.
That being said, a nonalcoholic beverage does not necessarily have fewer calories, carbs, and grams of added sugar than one that contains more alcohol. You’ll always want to check the nutrition label to see what your drink of choice contains. (For a 12-ounce NA beverage, I try to aim for under 100 calories, but that’s just a loose guideline.)
One benefit of alcohol-free wine, in particular, is that it contains polyphenols. These antioxidant compounds can fight off free radicals that would otherwise damage your cells and increase your risk of conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Polyphenols may also reduce inflammation, which is thought to be the root cause of many chronic health conditions.
Just like many of my clients and our readers, I’m on my own journey of trying to navigate where (or if) alcohol has a place in my life. Part of this stems from my passion for liver health, which I discussed in a previous edition of our newsletter. I’ve seen the consequences of addiction firsthand. And the 2025 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory about the potential link between alcohol and cancer has further opened my eyes. So it’s exciting for me personally to have so many NA options to choose from these days. Taste is highly subjective, but I’ve tried my fair share of NA drinks, and I find them very palatable!
If you are managing alcohol use disorder, I recommend speaking with your support network before exploring these NA options. If you are pregnant, I would not risk engaging in the NA options since some contain up to 0.5% alcohol per serving.
Speaking of healthier NA options, our editors recently tested several mocktail recipes that are low in added sugars and packed with natural flavor. Check them out! |
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| Kirsten Seele, Registered Dietitian |
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| Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com, and we’ll look into it for you! (Heads-up: We may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.) |
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