Everything You Need to Know About Canada’s New Alcohol Guidelines

How much alcohol is safe and healthy to drink?

Written by Liana Greenshields, Student in the Dietetics Specialization program at the University of Alberta and reviewed by our Health Stand Nutrition Dietitian Team. 

Why did the alcohol consumption guidelines change? 

It used to be said that consuming up to 2-3 alcoholic beverages per day was the limit, but with new evidence on the significance of alcohol-related mortality, disease risk, and social harms, Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA) is sharing with Canadians that alcohol use comes with risks. This evidence-based report suggests reducing alcohol intake and that no amount of alcohol is good for your health. The guidelines suggest if you choose to drink alcohol, you should have no more than 2 alcoholic drinks at one time and understand that consuming 3-6 drinks per week can increase the risk of developing cancer (including breast and colon cancer), and that 7 or more drinks per week can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. 

In our Dietitian practice, we know that some of our clients will continue to drink alcohol and we will encourage them to do so responsibly within the amounts recommended in the report. It is also important to note that alcohol can disrupt sleep, blood sugar levels, and diabetes control and can also cause negative digestive symptoms, especially for individuals with IBS and other digestive health issues. Alcohol can also trigger menopause hot flashes and be a huge challenge for individuals struggling with mental health and taking medication. While some research does not support the connection between alcohol stimulating appetite and triggering consuming more food, for many of our clients we do see a connection that consuming alcohol can sometimes lead to less focus on choosing healthy choices and more cravings for sweet and savoury food.  Some research also suggests consuming an excessive amount of alcohol may negatively influence our sensitivity to the overall taste of food leading to less pleasure in eating.

Do drinking recommendations vary between men and women? 

Traditionally, drinking recommendations have varied between men and women. However, the new guidelines suggest that at low levels of consumption, both males and females can experience harm. It is important to note that the health risks increase more steeply for women drinking a large amount of alcohol than for men. Also, it is important to note that research has shown that men are more likely to take other risks and when combined with alcohol, this can lead to physical harm, violence, injuries, and death. 

If you are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant, no amount of alcohol is safe to consume given alcohol can cause abnormalities and birth defects and lead to lifelong negative learning, health, and social effects. For breastfeeding moms, it is important to note that alcohol passes through breastmilk within 30-60 minutes of drinking and can influence infant sleep patterns, decrease milk supply and lead to an end to breastfeeding. It is therefore said that no alcohol is safe in breastfeeding given an infant is less able to metabolize alcohol. 

What role does alcohol play in cancer risk? 

Decades ago, alcohol was declared a Group 1 carcinogen. Several newer studies have found similar findings that significant alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer. The body breaks down alcohol into a toxic chemical that can damage DNA and cells, causing the cells to grow and multiply out of control which can create a cancerous tumour.  

Aside from the health benefits, what other benefits may arise from Canada’s new alcohol guidelines? 

These changes may help prevent certain accidents and injuries caused by alcohol intoxication, such as motor vehicle collisions. They may also reduce incidents that may occur when intoxicated such as violent and impulsive behaviour, sexual assault, and slowed reaction time, as well as the dangers to mental health caused by chronic alcohol consumption, which may lead to depression, psychosis, anxiety, and antisocial behaviour. 

What effect does drinking have on people emotionally and physically? 

Emotionally, long-term consumption of alcohol can cause difficulty with relationships, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and depression. Physically, alcohol intoxication can cause people to make rash decisions which can cause injury to themselves or others. Alcohol can also lead to weight gain as it usually contributes to extra calories (7 calories per gram of alcohol) with little nutritional benefit and may contain lots of sugar (if pop, juice, or sweetened ingredients are mixed with the alcohol). 

Will Canada’s new alcohol guidelines play a role in changing drinking habits, shifting towards a more open and accepted support of choosing non-alcoholic options? 

Many Canadians enjoy an alcoholic beverage every evening with dinner or on the weekend with friends, so these new guidelines may be hard to accept for some people. That being said, it may take more than these guidelines to make a significant impact on people’s drinking habits, such as the addition of warning labels on alcoholic beverages which will be implemented in Ireland in 2026.  

I’m hopeful that Canadians will limit their alcohol consumption after the release of the new CCSA guidelines. We’re already seeing a rising number of people especially the younger generation adopting “teetotalism”, which is full alcohol abstinence. As for other generations, the trending non-alcoholic drinking scene is growing. We’re seeing fancier mocktail offerings and non-alcoholic beers and spirits with added herbs that can be enjoyed around friends and family without the risks. 

All in all, these new guidelines are a good first step in informing the public about the dangers of alcohol to our health and may be the beginning of a decline in consumption in the years to come. 

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