Alcoholic beverages that have a lower alcohol content (beer and wine) are produced by fermentation of sugar- or starch-containing plant material; beverages of higher alcohol content (spirits) are produced by fermentation followed by distillation.
Beer
Beer is the world's oldest[2] and most widely consumed[3] alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea.[4] It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches which are mainly derived from cereal grains — most commonly malted barley although wheat, maize (corn), and rice are also used. Alcoholic beverages which are distilled after fermentation, fermented from non-cereal sources such as grapes or honey, or fermented from un-malted cereal grain, are not classified as beer.
Most beer is flavored with hops, which add bitterness and act as a natural preservative. Other flavorings, such as fruits or herbs, may also be used. The alcoholic strength of beer is usually 4% to 6% alcohol by volume (abv), but it may be less than 1% or more than 20%.
Beer is part of the culture of various nations and has acquired social traditions such as beer festivals and pub culture, which involves activities such as pub crawling and pub games.
The basics of brewing beer are shared across national and cultural boundaries. The two main types of beer are lager and ale, which is further classified into varieties such as pale ale, stout, and brown ale. The beer-brewing industry is a global business, consisting of several dominant multinational companies and thousands of smaller producers, which range from brewpubs to regional breweries.
Wine
Wine involves a longer (complete) fermentation process and a long aging process (months or years) that results in an alcohol content of 9%–16% ABV. Sparkling wine can be made by adding a small amount of sugar before bottling, which causes a secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle.
Spirits
Unsweetened, distilled, alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABV are called spirits.[5] Spirits are produced by distillation of a fermented product; this process concentrates the alcohol and eliminates some of the congeners.
Spirits can be added to wines to create fortified wines, such as port and sherry.
Alcohol content of beverages
The concentration of alcohol in a beverage is usually stated as the percentage of alcohol by volume (ABV) or—in the United States—as proof. In the U.S.A., proof is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (e.g., 80 proof = 40% ABV). Degrees proof were formerly used in the United Kingdom, where 100 degrees proof was equivalent to 57.1% ABV. Historically, this was the most dilute spirit that would sustain the combustion of gunpowder.
Ordinary distillation cannot produce alcohol of more than 95.6% ABV (191.2 proof) because at that point alcohol is an azeotrope with water. Alcohol of this high level of purity is commonly called neutral grain spirit.
Most yeasts cannot reproduce when the concentration of alcohol is higher than about 18%, so that is the practical limit for the strength of fermented beverages such as wine, beer, and sake. Strains of yeast have been developed that can reproduce in solutions of up to 25% ABV.
Serving sizes
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, serving size in licensed premises is regulated under the Weights and Measures Act (1985). Spirits (gin, whisky, rum, and vodka) must be sold in quantities of 25 milliliters or multiples thereof, or 35 milliliters or multiples thereof. A sign must be displayed stating whether the 25 ml or the 35 ml measure is being used.[6] See alcoholic spirits measures.
Beer is typically sold in pints (568 ml) or half-pints. Traditionally, a crown stamp on a glass was used to indicate that the glass was a full-sized measure. In 2008 however, this was replaced by a Europe-wide mark “CE” (Conformite Europeenne), leading to public outcry at the removal of a stamp that had been in use for over 300 years.[7]
In addition to this, a system of units of alcohol exists as a guideline for alcohol consumption. A unit of alcohol is defined as 10 millilitres of pure ethanol. The number of units present in a typical drink is printed on bottles. The system is intended as an aid to people regulating the amount of alcohol they drink; it is not used to determine serving sizes.
United States
In the United States, the standardized serving of an alcoholic beverage contains 0.6 US fluid ounces (18 ml) of pure ethanol. That is approximately the amount of ethanol in a 12-US-fluid-ounce (350 ml) serving of beer, a 5-US-fluid-ounce (150 ml) glass of wine, or a 1.5-US-fluid-ounce (44 ml) glass of a 40% ABV spirit.
Flavoring
Alcohol is a moderately good solvent for many fatty substances and essential oils. This attribute facilitates the use of flavoring and coloring compounds in alcoholic beverages, especially distilled beverages. Flavors may be naturally present in the beverage’s base material. Beer and wine may be flavored before fermentation. Spirits may be flavored before, during, or after distillation.
Sometimes flavor is obtained by allowing the beverage to stand for months or years in oak barrels, usually American or French oak.
A few brands of spirits have fruit or herbs inserted into the bottle at the time of bottling.
Uses
In many countries, people drink alcoholic beverages at lunch and dinner.
 | Look up faux in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
At times and places of poor public sanitation (such as Medieval Europe), the consumption of alcoholic drinks was a way of avoiding water-borne diseases such as cholera. Small beer and faux wine, in particular, were used for this purpose. Although alcohol kills bacteria, its low concentration in these beverages would have had only a limited effect. More important was that the boiling of water (required for the brewing of beer) and the growth of yeast (required for fermentation of beer and wine) would tend to kill dangerous microorganisms. The alcohol content of these beverages allowed them to be stored for months or years in simple wood or clay containers without spoiling. For this reason, they were commonly kept aboard sailing vessels as an important (or even the sole) source of hydration for the crew, especially during the long voyages of the early modern period.
In cold climates, strong alcoholic beverages such as vodka are popularly seen as a way to “warm up” the body, possibly because alcohol is a quickly absorbed source of food energy and because it dilates peripheral blood vessels (peripherovascular dilation). This is a misconception because the perception of warmth is actually caused by the transfer of heat from the body’s core to its extremities, where it is quickly lost to the environment.
Drunk driving
Most countries have laws against drunk driving, i.e., driving with a certain concentration of alcohol in the blood. Punishments for violation include fines, temporary loss of driving license, and imprisonment.
The legal threshold of blood alcohol content ranges from 0.0% to 0.08%, according to local law. Similar prohibitions exist for drunk sailing, drunk bicycling, and even drunk rollerblading.
In many places in the United States, it is illegal to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
Effects
| Alcohol and Health |
|---|
| Short-term effects of alcohol |
| Long-term effects of alcohol |
| Alcohol and cardiovascular disease |
| Alcoholic liver disease |
| Alcoholic hepatitis |
| Alcohol and cancer |
| Alcohol and weight |
| Fetal alcohol syndrome |
| Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder |
| Alcoholism |
| Blackout (alcohol-related amnesia) |
| Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome |
| Recommended maximum intake |
| Wine and health |
Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include intoxication, dehydration, and ultimately alcohol poisoning. Long-term effects of alcohol include changes to metabolism in the liver, the brain, and possibly addiction (alcoholism). Studies have found that alcohol absorption is reduced when food is consumed prior to alcohol consumption,[9] and the rate which alcohol is eliminated from the blood is increased. The mechanism for the increased alcohol elimination appears to be unrelated to food type. The likely mechanism is food-induced increases in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and liver blood flow.[9]
Short term effects
Alcohol intoxication affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. Alcohol stimulates insulin production, which speeds up the glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar, causing irritability, and possibly death for diabetics; in normal subjects severe alcohol poisoning can also be lethal. A blood-alcohol content of 0.45% represents the LD50, or the amount which would prove fatal in 50% of test subjects. This is about six times the level of intoxication (0.08%), but vomiting and/or unconsciousness are triggered much sooner in people with a low tolerance, among whom such high levels are rarely reached unless a large amount of alcohol is consumed very quickly.[10] However, chronic heavy drinkers' high tolerance may allow some of them to remain conscious at levels above .4%, despite the serious health dangers.
Mortality rate
A 2001 report estimates that medium and high consumption of alcohol led to 75,754 deaths in the USA. Low consumption has some beneficial effects, so a net 59,180 deaths were attributed to alcohol.[11]
In the U.K., heavy drinking is blamed for up to 33,000 deaths a year.[12]
A study in Sweden found that 29% to 44% of "unnatural" deaths (those not caused by illness) were related to alcohol; the causes of death included suicide, falls, traffic injuries, asphyxia, intoxication and murder.[13]
A global study found that 3.6% of all cancer cases worldwide are caused by alcohol drinking, resulting in 3.5% of all global cancer deaths.[14] A U.K. study found that alcohol causes about 6% of cancer deaths in the U.K., killing over 9,000 people a year.[15]
Heart disease
One study found that men who drank moderate amounts of alcohol three or more times a week were up to 35% less likely to have a heart attack than non-drinkers, and men who increased their alcohol consumption by one drink a day over the 12 years of the study had a 22% lower risk of heart attack.[16]
Daily intake of 1 or 2 units of alcohol (a half or full regular size glass of wine) is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease in men over 40 and women who have been through the menopause.[17] However, getting drunk at least once a month puts women at a significantly increased risk of heart attack, negating any of alcohol's potential protective effect.[18]
Increased longevity is almost entirely the result of lowered coronary heart disease.[19]
Dementia
Long-term moderate or short-term excessive (binge) drinking has been linked to dementia; it is estimated that between 10% to 24% of dementia cases are caused by alcohol consumption, with women being at greater risk than men.[20][21]
The consumption of alcohol does not kill brain cells but rather damages dendrites, the branched ends of nerve cells that bring messages into the cell. Alcohol dilates the channels in the cellular structure that regulate the flow of calcium, causing excess calcium to flow into the cells and stimulating increased activity. This does not kill the whole cell, but causes a loss of the end segments, leading to the loss of incoming signals and therefore a change in brain function. Most of this damage is temporary, but the recovery process changes nerve-cell structure permanently.[22]
In people aged 55 and over, daily light to moderate drinking (one to three drinks) was associated with a 42% drop in the probability of developing dementia, and a 70% reduction in risk of vascular dementia.[23] The researchers suggest alcohol may stimulate the release of acetylcholine in the hippocampus area of the brain.[23]
Cancer
Alcohol consumption has been linked with seven different types of cancer: mouth cancer, pharyngeal cancer, oesophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer, breast cancer, bowel cancer and liver cancer.[15] The risk of developing cancer increases even with a moderate consumption of as little as 3 units of alcohol (one pint of lager or a large glass of wine) a day.[15] Heavy drinkers are more likely to develop liver cancer due to cirrhosis of the liver.[15]
A global study found that 3.6% of all cancer cases worldwide are caused by alcohol drinking, resulting in 3.5% of all global cancer deaths.[14] A U.K. study found that alcohol causes about 6% of cancer deaths in the U.K., killing over 9,000 people a year.[15]
Women who regularly consume low to moderate amounts of alcohol have an increased risk of cancers of the upper digestive tract, rectum, liver, and breast.[24][25] For both men and women, consuming two or more drinks daily increases the risk of pancreatic cancer by 22%.
Red wine contains resveratrol, which has some anti-cancer effects in laboratory cells, however, based on studies done so far, there is no strong evidence that red wine could protect against cancer in humans.[27]
Alcoholism
Proclivity to alcoholism is believed to be partially genetic; individuals with such propensity may have a different biochemical response to alcohol, though this is disputed. Alcohol addiction can also lead to malnutrition because it can alter digestion and metabolism of most nutrients. Severe thiamine deficiency is common due to deficiency of folate, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and selenium and can lead to Korsakoff's syndrome. Muscle cramps, nausea, appetite loss, nerve disorders and depression are some common symptoms. It can also lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures due to vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D helps in calcium absorption).
Diabetes
Daily consumption of a small amount of pure ethanol by older women may slow or prevent the onset of diabetes by lowering the level of blood glucose.[28] However, the researchers caution that the study used pure ethanol, and that everyday alcoholic drinks contain additives, including sugar, which would negate the effect.[28]
People with diabetes should avoid sugary drinks, sweet wines, and liquers.[29]
Stroke
A study found that lifelong abstainers were 2.36 times more likely to suffer a stroke than those who drank a moderate amount regularly. Heavy drinkers were 2.88 times more likely to suffer a stroke than moderate drinkers.[30]
Longevity
Alcohol consumption by the elderly results in increased longevity, almost entirely as a result of lowered coronary heart disease.[19]
One study found that consumption of 2 units of alcohol (one regular glass of wine) daily by doctors aged 48+ years increased longevity by reducing the risk of death by ischaemic heart disease and respiratory disease.[31] Deaths where alcohol consumption is known to increase risk accounted for only 5% of the total deaths, but this figure was increased for those who drank more than 2 units of alcohol per day.
No comments:
Post a Comment