Focus
Raise your glasses and toast the archaeologists in China who discovered that people were brewing and imbibing alcoholic drinks as far back as 7,000BC. As hunter-gathering gave way to the frustrations of farming, I am sure 5 o'clock could not come round fast enough. So because our neolithic ancestors clearly enjoyed a tipple, does this mean alcohol is good for us?
In short, no. Alcohol contains no nutrients and is processed by our bodies as a poison - i.e. the priority is to break it down and get it out of our systems asap. Despite this, alcoholic beverages have endured through the ages, primarily because of how they make us feel. Alcohol triggers the release of dopamine in our brains, that neurotransmitter that is all to do with pleasure and satisfaction. Stress relief is another side effect of drinking with the increase of GABA, a neurotransmitter regulating anxiety. Long recognised for lowering our inhibitions, alcohol simply makes us care less about the consequences.
The extent to which each individual reacts to alcohol depends on both genetic factors - specifically the production of the enzymes that break down alcohol - and environmental factors, such as the amount consumed, body mass and composition. For example, muscles absorb alcohol faster than fat. As a result, people who have more muscles and less body fat have higher alcohol tolerance.
Well said
"First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you."F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fact
Alcohol (ethanol) contains 7 calories per gram, second in calorie density to Fat which contains 9 calories per gram.
Spotlight
Kombucha is a somewhat sparkly, every-so-slightly-alcoholic fermented tea. The fermentation is achieved with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY), otherwise affectionately called the "mother". There are many health benefits associated with drinking tea, but it is the fermentation and associated probiotics that distinguishes kombucha and is the basis for its health hype. Sugar levels in kombucha brands vary and it is best to check the nutrition label and pick a brand with low sugar.
Practice this
The World Health Organisation's World Cancer Report concluded that the link between alcohol and cancer is so overwhelming that no amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe. And even moderate drinking (14- 21 units per week ) triples your chances of brain atrophy. Given that the harm from alcohol outweighs the benefits, the best practice recommendation is to abstain.
However, in the event that the occasion calls for a drink, choose cleaner forms of alcohol, free from chemical preservatives, and practice drinking 2 glasses of water between each alcoholic drink. Making your alcoholic drink and your water sparkling can also naturally limit your consumption.
Recipe
This week's alcohol-free dinner winner is Potato and Artichoke Heart Pasta salad -https://www.forksoverknives.com/print/print.php?id=124850 Even the pickiest eaters approved.
Comments