Types of Alcoholic Drinks That Have Safe Limits – You may be familiar with the notion that drinking alcohol is harmful to health, especially when consumed in excess. However, did you know that this drink consists of various types with different alcohol levels?
Basically, alcoholic drinks are all types of drinks that contain alcohol or ethanol compounds. especially the part that regulates memory and emotional reactions. However, the ethanol content contained in each alcoholic drink is not the same. Therefore, it is important for you to know the alcohol content in these drinks and the safe levels in consuming them so as not to damage your health.
Types of alcoholic drinks
The level of ethanol or alcohol contained in an alcoholic drink depends on the process of making the drink itself. Types of alcoholic drinks produced by fermented plants using yeast, for example, usually contain an alcohol content that is not too high. Some types of fermented alcoholic drinks are wine or wine (red wine, white wine, and champagne) with an average alcohol content of 14%, beer (2 -8%), and sake (16%). There is also a type of mead drink (10-14%) made from fermented honey and hard ciders (5%) made from fermentation.
Well, when the fermented drink is refined again at high temperature. As a result, water also evaporates, making the alcohol content in the drink higher. This drink is what became known as liqueur or spirit. There are many types of alcoholic drinks that are sold in the market, some of which are:
1. Gin
Made from a mixture of citrus fruits and has an alcohol content of 35-55%, gin is usually the main ingredient in martini mixes.
2. Tequilla
Derived from the central distillation of the blue agave plant, tequilla is naturally sweet due to its high sugar content. The average tequilla contains 40% alcohol.
3. Brand
This fermented and distilled wine usually has 40% alcohol. One of the well-known types of brandy is Cognac.
4. Whiske
Made by distilling a dough made from pre-fermented grains at high temperature, the whiskey is then stored as long as possible in oak barrels. The ethanol content in this alcoholic drink usually reaches 40-50%.
5. Vodka
This alcoholic drink is also made by distilling fermented dough, but the main ingredient is potatoes, sometimes also mixed with fruit and milk. The average vodka contains 40% alcohol.
6. Rum
It is made by distillation of pure sugarcane, sugarcane juice, or molasses and is usually stored in wooden barrels and has an alcohol content of about 40-75.5%.
7. Absinthe
It is distilled by fermented herbs and leaves, and usually contains 90% alcohol.
Also Read: Some of The Most Expensive Alcoholic Drinks
How much alcohol is safe to drink?
Ideally, you shouldn’t drink alcohol for health reasons. However, if you still want to consume this alcoholic drink, you should not overdo it and know the safe levels according to the type, for example:
- Beer containing 5% alcohol, maximum 355 ml
- Wine containing 12% alcohol, about 148 ml
- Liquor aka liquor (gin, rum, whiskey, tequila, or vodka), a maximum of 45 ml
Broadly speaking, the safe amount of alcohol consumption will vary widely, depending on individual conditions. Some things that affect it include age, genetic factors, and personal health problems. Women are encouraged to consume alcohol drinks with amounts less than the recommendations above, compared to men.
However, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should not drink alcohol at all because they are feared to harm themselves and the fetus in the womb.
Bad effects of drinking alcohol for health
Excessive alcohol consumption is at risk of developing depression
The bad effects of drinking alcohol for pregnant women range from causing miscarriage to babies born with congenital defects. Meanwhile, for people in general, excessive alcohol consumption can have an impact on physical and mental health, for example:
- Depression
- Dementia
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Anemia
- Heart disease, such as arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and cardiomyopathy(heart muscle problems)
- Fatty liver to cirrhosis
- Uric acid
- Nerve damage
- Stroke
- Several types of cancer, such as breast, colon, liver, esophageal, mouth, and pancreatic cancer