Question

Discussion Board Discussion 4 Alcohol is classified as poison and toxin, but it is used as a common drink Discuss its pros and cons with focus on nutrition, health, and social implication. 5 YOUR POST MUST BE BASED ON SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND WITH SANE REASONING IMPORTANT Requirements: Initial Posts: Click on the title of the discussion topic and start a new thread. The message will need a subject and a body. Peer Responses: Click on the thread you

Answer 1

Alcohol Beverage:-An alcohol beverage is simply any drink that contains ethanol/ ethyl alcohol.

Beer, wine, and spirits all start with a process called fermentation, which is the natural result of yeast digestion of the sugars found in ingredients like fruit, cereal grains, or other starches. Fermentation results in two substances: ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Ethanol is the alcohol people drink, but there are other types of alcohol that may be harmful or even fatal to drink. Throughout this website, we use “alcohol” to refer only to ethanol.

Almost any yeast and source of sugar can produce alcohol. Trace amounts of ethanol may occur in non-alcohol beverages, including juices. Some beer, wine, and spirits drinks are designed to look and taste like alcohol beverages but contain very low levels of alcohol. These beverages are often classed under legislation as “non-alcohol” beverages.

Alcohol beverages are generally divided into three broad categories:

(1.)Beers, typically made with barley that is sprouted and roasted into malt (sometimes other grains are used or added), then cooked with water, fermented with yeast, and flavored with the flowers of the hops plant.

(2.)Wines, made from grapes and sometimes other fruits that are juiced and fermented.

(3.)Distilled spirits, made from grain, fruit, or other sugar sources that are fermented and then distilled in a heating and cooling process that concentrates the alcohol.

(4.)Other alcohol beverages are made from rice, apples, cassava, and many other sugar sources, even including the milk of horses.

Types of Alcohol-

(1.)Denatured alcohol is ethanol that has other ingredients added to make it unfit for drinking.

(2.)Fuel grade ethanol may contain dangerous impurities and should never be consumed.

(3.)Ethanol (C2H6O), the alcohol in alcohol beverages, sometimes just called “alcohol.”

(4.)Isopropyl alcohol (C3H8O) is used as a solvent or fuel. It can be safely used in small quantities as a surface disinfectant. However, it is toxic to drink.

(5.)Methanol (CH3OH), sometimes called “wood alcohol,” is highly toxic. It is used as a solvent, a fuel and to prevent water-based liquids from freezing.

(6.)Ethanol produced for other non-beverage purposes may contain additives and should not be consumed.

The short-term effects of Alcohol consumption:-

Since alcohol reaches every part of your body, including your brain, its effects are both mental and physical. These effects include changes to how you feel and how you interact with others. The mental and physical effects of alcohol increase the more you drink.

For most people, moderate drinking produces a feeling of relaxation, reduced inhibitions, increased sociability and in-group identity; On the other hand, even moderate drinking will produce a slowing of reaction time. These changes come primarily from the effects of the alcohol on the brain.

As people drink more, their BAC level increases, and the mental and physical effects of drinking intensify. The individual who drinks to excess becomes increasingly intoxicated or “drunk.” As one’s BAC rises, the “intoxicated” person becomes less aware of surroundings, speech becomes slurred, vision may be blurred, balance is unstable, reaction time is slowed, and, above all, the ability to make good judgments may be impaired. The person may vomit as the body tries to rid itself of dangerous amounts of alcohol. Intoxicated people are at higher risk of getting hurt in accidents and through injuries or hurting someone else.

At very high BAC levels, people can be at risk of choking on their own vomit, become poisoned by the alcohol they drank, their breathing and heartbeat are slowed, they may fall into a coma, and they may die if they are not treated promptly by a competent healthcare provider.

Long term effect of Alcohol consumption:-

Drinking not only affects you at the time when you are drinking, but it can have longer-term effects that may be positive or negative. Your drinking pattern is a major factor in influencing your quality of life.

Heavy drinking (more than 4 drinks on any day or 14 per week) is associated with increased risk of a range of health and social harms, including damage to your internal organs, accidents and injuries, and difficulties in functioning positively in family, work and community life. Liver damage is strongly associated with long-term heavy drinking and may culminate in cirrhosis.

Scientific studies have shown that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of certain cancers, some cardiovascular conditions, alcohol use disorders, and liver disease. In general, risk increases with how much you drink, with heavy drinkers, including occasional binge drinkers, having the greatest risk. However, studies have shown that risk may begin to increase at light or moderate drinking levels for breast cancer and colorectal cancer and for certain cardiovascular conditions.

An individual’s risk for a given disease is also influenced by their family history of disease, current health status, nutrition, and lifestyle and environmental factors.

Benefitsof moderate drinking:-Moderate drinking can also be associated with positive health outcomes for some people, particularly middle-aged and older men and women. Benefits may be related to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, adult onset diabetes, and slower cognitive decline as one ages. Moderate drinkers may also enjoy the pleasures of drinking at meals and other social occasions where they make meaningful connections with family, friends and their community. Social interaction and sense of belonging can be important contributions to health and well-being. By no means is alcohol necessary for such well-being, but the social aspects of moderate drinking are enjoyed by many.

Middle-aged drinking patterns and health:-The body’s ability to process alcohol slows with age. Periodically, it is important to reconsider how much or how often you drink alcohol. You may find that, as you age, a smaller amount of alcohol has a bigger effect than before and that health risks of excessive drinking may increase.

There can also be benefits to moderate consumption for older people. For some middle-age and older men and women moderate drinking has been linked to certain health benefits. These include cardiovascular benefits and reduction in adult onset (type II) diabetes. Speak with your healthcare professional about your drinking to identify what is right for you.

Nutritions in Alcohol:-While beer, wine, and spirits contain additional, naturally occurring nutrients they vary widely in alcohol content, calories, and other nutrients depending on the serving size and how they are made.

(1.)Beers are brewed from four primary ingredients: water, barley, hops, and yeast. Some products add additional grains and other ingredients for color, flavor, or clarity. The final product includes small amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as niacin, potassium, and phosphorus.

(2.)Wines are made by fermenting the juice from grapes or other fruits or grains (e.g. rice). Wines contain antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium, although, as with beer, the amounts are small.

(3.)Distilled spirits are produced from raw agricultural materials such as grapes, other fruit, cane sugar, molasses, grains, potatoes, etc. After fermentation, the liquid is heated to purify the alcohol, and then the evaporated alcohol vapor is cooled to a liquid. This product, called a “distillate,” is often aged and flavorings may be added, some of which contain additional calories and nutrients. As a result, distilled spirits vary in flavor, color, type, and strength.