Men's Health Magazine recently featured our founder Rhys Staley discussing the health benefits of craft gin

Everyone knows that drinking alcohol has its downsides, but it also has its benefits. So you're probably wondering what type of adult's poison might be better for you? The jury is still out (depending on who you ask), but gin is up there on the list of alcohol that has a surprising number of benefits. We spoke to Natural Distilling Co's (who have just released a Hemp Gin) founder Rhys Staley to find out why gin might trump the other spirits.

1. Gin Makes You Feel Sexier

You could argue that drinking any alcohol might make you feel sexier, but a recent survey from Public Health Wales and Kings College London quizzed 29,836 people in 21 countries to find that almost half of people surveyed said they felt sexier and more in the mood when sipping on spirits like gin.

2. Gin Is Low In Calories

Now while we won’t be able to stop you from drunk dialling a pizza at midnight, we can tell you that gin is relatively low in calories (around 97 per shot). Just be mindful of what you drink with it as your mixer can be the thing causing the extra KGs (and the pizzas of course).

3. Gin Is Basically Good For Your Health

Gin is made from the Juniper berry which is packed with infection-fighting flavonoids, along with Vitamin C. The other beneficial ingredients include alpha-terpineol, alpha-pinene, betulin caryophyllene, catechins, limonene, menthol, rutin and delta-3-carene. These can actually help you live longer by aiding blood circulation while regulating the passing of fluids and toxins through your liver and kidneys. It can also aid your digestion by making your body produce more enzymes and is good for joint pain because it reduces inflammation.

4. Gin Won't Trigger Hay Fever

Gin is one of the best choices of drinks if you suffer from hay fever because clear spirits, like gin and vodka, don't contain any histamines (the chemicals that cause a runny nose and itchy eyes during hay fever season). Gin also contains no sulphites, which can be known to trigger hay fever, so it’s particularly good choice for those susceptible to bouts!

5. Gin Rarely Causes Hangover

If gin is your drink of choice, there’s a good chance you drink it because it doesn’t affect you as much the next day. Surprisingly there is some science behind this, but again we can’t stop you from overindulging in pizza and whatever else that could contribute to a worse hangover. In your typical gin, there are usually between six and ten botanicals and not much else is added. Combine this with the straightforward nature of the distillation process and gin doesn’t contain bi-products (called congeners) like methanol (which later turns to formaldehyde in your system). Compare this to other spirits that do contain congeners, like whiskey, tequila and Bourbon, which will leave you more likely to have a hangover.