[mothers]

You're missing the point by bringing up irrelevant things like "fun." The legality is also irrelevant as that is a government thing that's outside the scope of the conversation.

The point is, water is healthier than alcohol. This is just common sense. The silly fun argument you're making has nothing to do with alcohol unless you're making the stupid assumption that you can't have fun and drink water.

The reality is this: alcohol is worse than water and alcohol is bad for you. That being said, it's not necessary to do only things that are good for you, but let's just rationalize things.

Juice is also worse than water, by the way. You can absolutely live a little, but don't try to overrationalize bad behavior. I eat candy, which is bad, and I won't argue candy is healthier than say, fruit, but it is what it is. people need facts and the fact is: candy is bad, and alcohol is bad in terms of your health. if it makes you happy, go for it, but it's not inherent in the substance.

yeesh. the fact that you're posting silly poems instead of constructing a solid argument is proof enough.

p.s. the fact that alcohol has water in it is irrelevant. if that is your argument, then i counter: why not just drink the water alone.

Diclaimer: I drink alcohol and drink various fruit juices and eat meat. Most of the evidence shows these have healthier alternatives, but I like variety for irrational reasons.

[coldtea]

>You're missing the point by bringing up irrelevant things like "fun."

They are only "irrelevant" if one only makes decisions based on single one-track brain criterion: "healthy or not".

Which you tried to impose upon this conversation, but as it has been repeatedly pointed out, it's not the be all end all.

>The reality is this: alcohol is worse than water and alcohol is bad for you.

The reality is I could not care less.

>yeesh. the fact that you're posting silly poems instead of constructing a solid argument is proof enough.

An argument for what? That alcohol is healthier than water? That was never the point.

In fact, if we take it strictly, TFA is about alcohol. Why even bring up water in this thread?

[mothers]

There's no point in considering criteria that cannot be quantified.

The point is that alcohol is unhealthy. Unhealthiness is a relative term. Relative to the default, that is, water.

Anyway, you don't seem to have any evidence that alcohol is healthy compared to its downsides other than a silly notion of fun, something that's not exclusive to alcohol.

What does alcohol give you that water cannot? Nothing.

Social activities? Doesn't require alcohol.

A buzz? Doesn't require alcohol.

Going to a bar? Doesn't require alcohol.

Etc.

[exclusiv]

> There's no point in considering criteria that cannot be quantified.

Sure there is. You claimed that alcohol has no benefits over water. We don't need to quantify absolutely everything to dispute that absurd claim, but point out that the benefits exist.

> The point is that alcohol is unhealthy. Unhealthiness is a relative term. Relative to the default, that is, water.

Again - not true. Water cannot save you from cardiovascular disease. And water doesn't provide any sort of stress relief, taste, or enjoyment unless you're dehydrated.

> evidence that alcohol is healthy compared to its downsides

From the Harvard article I posted: "More than 100 prospective studies show an inverse association between moderate drinking and risk of heart attack, ischemic (clot-caused) stroke, peripheral vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, and death from all cardiovascular causes. (4) The effect is fairly consistent, corresponding to a 25 percent to 40 percent reduction in risk."

"For a 60-year-old man, a drink a day may offer protection against heart disease that is likely to outweigh potential harm (assuming he isn’t prone to alcoholism)."

> What does alcohol give you that water cannot? Nothing.

Not true and already covered.

[exclusiv]

> The reality is this: alcohol is worse than water and alcohol is bad for you.

Except if you're at risk of cardiovascular disease as I mentioned. Water cannot save you there. Why can't you agree? You're ignoring every opposing argument in this thread and making false statements like "alcohol has no benefits over water period".

[mothers]

wrong.

https://academic.oup.com/aje/article/155/9/827/58224/Water-O...

[exclusiv]

That doesn't prove I'm wrong. From your study:

> In summary, we report intriguing associations between the intake of fluids and the risk of coronary heart disease that are not obviously explained by confounding. Further research in other populations, possibly including experimental study designs, is necessary to decide whether the associations are causal.

Please also note another study which refutes the 15 year old one you posted and suggests you are wrong:

"In conclusion, this study revealed no statistically significant differences in the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, myocardial infarction, and angina pectoris between people drinking or not drinking more water than the daily recommended amount. Even though interest in the effects of water has only recently increased, related studies are still insufficient." [1]

[1] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210909916...