One of the oldest alcoholic beverages on the market is rum, with a history that goes back to the British Navy and Caribbean. Rum saved the sailors at sea and armies at war, as it was used to keep them warm, especially during the colder months. It was often the preferred drink for individuals at sea.

However, rum is far more beneficial to the body than just keeping it warm and toasty. What kinds of benefits does this alcoholic beverage have and why should you include it in your diet?

13 Positive Benefits Rum Has On the Human Body

1. Healthier Cardiovascular System (Heart Included)

Various studies have shown that drinking rum moderately has a positive effect on the heart and cardiovascular health. It can improve the heart’s strength and reduce cholesterol levels. Rum can thin the blood and prevent peripheral artery disease that can lead to heart diseases, strokes and heart attacks due to artery blockage.

2. Sore Throat, Common Cold

When you have a sore throat, a minute amount of rum can help ease the pain. Rum is loaded with antibacterial properties that can help with various throat infections and relieve the symptoms of a common cold. No more than two tablespoons of rum a day is necessary to get the total relief of the drink.

3. Lower Blood Sugar Levels

According to the CDC, more than 30 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, with another 80 million suffering from pre-diabetes. People who have diabetes or are considered pre-diabetics are urged not to consume alcohol such as beer and wine. However, rum is one alcohol that has been shown to effectively lower insulin resistance, cutting up to 37 percent of a spike in blood sugar levels.

Excessive rum drinking can lead to type 2 diabetes, so make sure you’re drinking in moderation.

4. Decreases Muscle Pain

If you exercise or do strenuous work, you may suffer from muscle pain. Rather than taking Tylenol or Aleve or something else for your pain, have some rum. This alcoholic beverage can help protect the body from muscle pain by increasing bone mineral. A healthy amount of bone mineral can lower the chances for osteoporosis or arthritic pain. When your bones are strong, you have stronger muscles too.

5. Boosts Immunity, Lowers Scurvy Risk

The British Navy was often only given rum to protect them from a vitamin C deficiency known as scurvy. It was also given to people who had a low immune system to improve it. Today, rum is still often a preferred alcoholic choice in boosting immunity because of its antimicrobial properties.

6. Wound Antiseptic

When you get hurt at home – minor cut or scrape – rum can be a suitable substitute for antiseptic. It works by hindering bacteria from getting into the wound and proliferating. Topically, it’s effective at killing pain. It’s also great at numbing pain when consumed.

7. Decreases Chance of Mental Health Disease

There is a strong link between moderate consumption of rum and decreased mental health diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc. Moderate, in this case, means no more than 1.5 ounces a day.

8. Helps To Prevent Cancer Cell Development

According to several studies, people who drank moderate amounts of rum have a 38 percent lower chance of developing kidney cancer. However, research shows rum also helps to prevent lymphoma and thyroid cancer.

9. Lowers Stress and Anxiety Levels

One of the reasons people turn to alcohol is to help to de-stress and relax. Studies show that alcohol, when in moderation, can help a person relax after being under a lot of mental stress. Due to its warming properties, rum can act as a sedative and help you fall asleep faster. This is great for people who have had difficulty getting to sleep and want a non-prescription way to finally catch their ZZZs.

10. Helps With Weight Loss

Rum has just 97 calories in a shot, contains no fats or carbohydrates. When you’re trying to lose weight, you cut out empty calorie foods such as cookies, cakes, sodas, etc. Compared to beer or wine, rum has far fewer calories and sugar, which will give your alcoholic fix without derailing your weight loss goals.

Bear in mind, you should only drink rum in moderation to get the weight loss benefit. Doing so every night can actually have the opposite effect, and you’ll gain weight.

11. Increases Life Span

When you drink rum in moderation, it can improve your longevity (life span) by up to five years. This increased lifespan is the culmination of all the other benefits such as weight loss aid, cardiovascular health improvement, lessens anxiety and stress, and helps to prevent the formation of cancer cells, among many others.

12. Improves Sex Drive

Some research shows that men who suffer from erectile dysfunction or women with a low libido may find that a moderate amount of rum can actually improve their sex drive. It’s not completely clear if moderate amounts of rum do help with sex drive, but with all the other benefits, it wouldn’t be surprising!

13. Healthier Skin

Besides the numerous health benefits associated with rum consumption, rum can also be used as a skin enhancer. People who suffer from dry skin and skin conditions, such as pimples and acne, can use rum mixed with water in a 1:2 ratio and apply it to their skin. The antibacterial property of the rum will help eliminate bacteria living on the skin and improve its health. If you think that’s cool, also check out 6 ways to use beer for skin health!

Make sure to rinse the concoction off after 10 minutes.

What is the central aspect of every benefit? It’s moderation. You should always drink alcohol, including rum, in moderation. Rum has a powerful punch to it, and it can do you more harm than good if you were to drink it excessively. In moderation, you can experience all the above health benefits and more. So, go ahead and have a rum with your next meal.

Enjoy vodka? Be sure to check out our 6 health benefits to drinking vodka!