What is Alcohol.

Alcohol is a bye product of the fermentation process of grains, vegetables or fruits. In the fermentation process, the sugar in the food is converted into alcohol by the yeasts and bacteria. The alcohol being referred to here is the ethanol, which is used in alcoholic beverages.

The other known alcohol is methyl alcohol or methanol. Methanol is very toxic and one sip can produce blindness due to optic nerve damage. Drinking 30 ml of it can be fatal. It is never used in alcohol beverages and its use is restricted to laboratories and industry.

Alcohol Facts.

• Drinking alcohol causes intoxication by its action on the central nervous system. In lesser doses it stimulates the central nervous system while in larger doses, it causes depression of the nervous system. It is a myth that drinking alcohol causes death of brain cells. In moderation, alcohol improves the cognitive function.
• People are attracted towards drinking alcohol due to a feeling of mood elevation it causes. Though the legal age of drinking alcohol is 21 years in most countries, 80% of high school students have drunk alcohol (U.S.  stats).
• The fact remains and alcohol statistics do tell us that trying alcohol can get you addicted. It acts a great reliever of mental tension which in today’s life is a constant companion for most of us. Being able to control your alcohol drinking is important and it should not be indulged into by the weak minded or people with a weak will power.
• Drinking alcohol in moderation can be beneficial to health. It lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke and gall stones. Alcohol drinking in moderation is defined as 2 pegs of 60 ml in men and one peg in women and men above the age of 65 years. And do avoid those fried and trans fat snacks when drinking.
• Intoxication results from drinking too much alcohol and this limit varies from person to person. Intoxication is due to depression of the central nervous system. In intoxication your inhibitions of life are removed and you tend to become reckless. A person’s normal capacity to act or reason is inhibited.
• Alcohol drinking in excess can be dangerous and has short term and long term effects which are serious.
• Binge drinking is excessive drinking at one sitting.  It is defined as drinking five or more pegs during a drinking bout.
• Alcohol and Pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can harm the fetus and can cause certain congenital defects in the fetus. This condition is called foetal alcohol syndrome.
• It is a myth that black coffee or a cold shower will sober up an intoxicated person. Only time does allow the intoxication to pass out.
• Alcohol and weight gain. Drinking alcohol does not cause weight gain. As a matter of fact it is found that it causes a little weight loss in women.
• Drinking high quantities of alcohol is detrimental to health and can spiral off a series of health disorders.

Picture of alcohols.                                                          Uncle Sam’s message.

Calories in Alcohol.

The total calories in an alcohol beverage are derived from its alcohol content and from its other components such as sugars, grains, etc. Alcohol is high in calories and is known to cause pot belly.

This is because alcohol hampers the metabolism and the fats are not properly metabolized. This unmetabolized fat gets typically deposited around the midriff. This abdominal fat is dangerous and not the subcutaneous fat which is deposited under the skin. Know the harmful effects of fats.

Table of calories in common alcohol beverages.

1 pint = 568 ml.

Alcohol type.	Calories.
1 pint lager beer	233
1 pint low alcohol lager beer	57
1 pint bitter beer	182
Spirits(40% vol)25 ml	56
Red wine 1glass(125ml)	85
White wine          1glass(125ml)	88
Sweet sherry 1glass(50ml)	68
Dry sherry. 1glass(50ml)	58.

Our other related posts on Alcohol.

1) What is Alcohol.2) Alcohol Statistics.3) Alcohol units.4) Alcoholic and Alcoholism.5) Effects of alcohol.6) Alcohol Poisoning.7) Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal.9) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.10) Treatment for Alcohol.11)Alcoholism Rehab.

Related posts:

1. Alcohol Units|Drinking Alcohol Limits.
2. Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal|Alcohol Detox.
3. Treatment for Alcohol|Detoxing Alcohol.
4. Effects of Alcohol.
5. Alcoholic|Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Causes and Symptoms.
6. Alcohol Poisoning Causes, Symptoms, Effects and Treatment.
7. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
8. Alcoholism Rehab|Alcohol Rehab|Rehab Centers.