Some Health Benefits of Drinking Rum

Rum is considered to be the oldest branded spirit. From its origins in the Caribbean in the 17th century, it can now be found all over the globe. Extremely popular in Britain and India in particular, rum is a versatile drink. Found in so many classic cocktails, or paired with soft drinks, it features heavily in restaurants to nightclubs.

In the past, there were thought to be health benefits of rum. However, with the rise of a global health-conscious society, that has come into question. We can use our advanced medical technology to answer the question, is rum good for you?

Here are 10 health benefits of drinking rum.

1. To prevent heart disease

In excessive amounts, alcohol can be very damaging to the heart. However, rum can act as a blood thinner. This lessens the possibility of a blockage in your arteries, which is the main cause of heart attacks.

One of the other benefits of rum is that it can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. This makes it a great measure against peripheral heart diseases, such as Pulmonary Embolism.

2. Readily available antiseptic

When we cut ourselves, if not cleaned properly and quickly, there can be health risks. One of the benefits of rum is that it can clean wounds. When poured over a cut, the alcohol kills any harmful bacteria. 

Sometimes when people are in remote locations they might not have access to first aid. Rum actually can clean a wound, and reduce the feeling of pain if consumed as well.

3. To offset muscle soreness

Rum has been found to offset, and even cure muscle soreness. Intermittent claudication is a pain that particularly affects the lower leg. One of the benefits of rum is that it offsets this. Furthermore, it is also relieved by rest, so a glass of rum while relaxing is a sure-fire cure.

Some rums, such as Old Monk, can increase your bone mineral density. Having strong bones prevents frequent muscle soreness.

4. Relieving the common cold

When run down with a cold, you might question is rum good for health? Alcohol is thought to put a strain on the immune system. However, when consumed in moderate quantities, rum has been found to help cure a common cold. 

The sweet and strong drink is good for relieving throat pain, helping muscle soreness (as mentioned above), and improving our immune response to the cold. 

5. Prevention of gallstones

It is true that alcohol negatively affects some organ functions. However, alcohol has been found to reduce the chance of gallstones. 

Gallstones come from small cholesterol deposits in the Gall Bladder. A recent study found links between alcohol consumption and reduced incidence of gallstone disease. Due to our knowledge of rums’ cholesterol-reducing qualities, it makes it a primary candidate to lower the chances of gallstones.

6. A less fattening alternative

If a person consumes more calories than they burn in a day, they will gain fat. Alcohol is often considered ‘empty calories’ as it doesn’t possess any nutritional content. However, it is absolutely fine to drink when calculated within the other things a person consumes in a day. 

Rum is only 54 calories per unit of alcohol. Compared with red wine which is 66 calories per unit, or beer which is around 90. This makes rum the least caloric option among these choices.

7. Effective in boosting immunity

Rum is rich in antimicrobials, which are directly responsible for stopping the growth of microorganisms in the body. Microorganisms can cause any number of diseases in the body. Rum was often used to cure the Scurvy of British soldiers when stuck on boats for weeks at a time.

8. Longevity of life

There are links between the consumption of rum and a reduced incidence of degenerative diseases. Fatal conditions, like Alzheimer's and Dementia, seem to reduce in frequency for people who drink a moderate amount of rum per day.

9. Reduction in anxiety

Rum suppresses the Central Nervous System. This essentially acts as a quick way to calm down the body's stress response and allows it to calm down.

10. Eases the body into sleep

A nightcap is a common practice for many people. It is ritualistic, but it does also coax the body into sleep. Alcohol has sedative properties, meaning it can help people fall asleep.

Due to rum’s capabilities to relieve muscle tension and soreness, combined with this sedative capability, it makes it an ideal drink to induce sleep.

When asking the question, ‘Is rum good for health?’, it is important to acknowledge all the benefits mentioned above. Of course, in excess, alcohol is very damaging for the body. However, if a moderate consumption rate is maintained, there are many health benefits to rum.

FAQ’s

Is it good to drink rum with hot water?

Rum pairs excellently with hot water. The heat brings out the spice and sweetness from the barrel aging process. One of the benefits of rum is that it is good to drink straight, on ice, or hot with water.

Is rum good for you and your cold?

Yes, one of the health benefits of rum is that it improves immune response (as outlined above). It has also been found to soothe the throat in between coughing.

What are the benefits of rum in winter?

Rum tends to warm the body. This helps people to warm up internally when it’s cold outside. This is why you’ll often see people drinking rum out of a flask during events in the wintertime.

Which rum is good for health?

It seems that some of the older processes that produce rum are associated with the most health benefits. It is reported that Old Monk has well-established health benefits. It seems that darker rums’ production method produces the best rum for health.

Is rum healthier than beer?

Yes. Rum possesses far fewer calories than beer. It also doesn’t possess any of the carbohydrates that beer does. This makes it far less damaging and impactful on the body.