If there’s one common theme to this blog, it’s probably Gin, often accompanied by its old sparring partner , tonic water. That seems to be the case judging by a recent trawl through the archives, in desperate hope of reheating some old ideas for new posts. (LSS 4 9 20;13 2 24 et al ) Which is why we were pleasantly surprised to come across this article by Luke Chafer of the Mail, hymning the praises of the old tincture according to a new tune. If you’ve got to drink alcohol, declares Luke, this tipple is a lot less bad for you than many others.[1] That is, if you do it responsibly, as we always have, and not getting drunk. So here’s a few G and T questions and answers, based on Luke’s amiable article. Just think-it might be you gentle reader, and a pal or two, in a cocktail bar in one of the better hotels off of Park Lane as dausk falls over the London skyline
So-who invented the G and T anyway?
Back in the 19th Century, Britain’s Royal Navy was looking to get the drug quinine into its sailors, as the stuff was meant to have anti-malarial properties. It was too bitter to drink on its own (“tonic water”) so Her Majesty’s Admiralty had the brainwave of mixing it up with sugar .lime and gin-and hey presto, a new jewel sparkled in the crown of human achievement
So is it safe to drink?
No. No alcohol is safe. But, quoting his experts like a good journalist Luke adduces
It is about making sensible choices. If you are swapping five pints of beer for G&T’s then that is a good decision, because it has fewer calories and will not cause bloating,’ says Ms Lohia, [a leading nutritionist whom Luke consulted
Where can I find out more about variations and recipes?
We would strongly recommend searching the back catalogue of this blog, Learning Science and Society, and go from there
Does quinine really cure Malaria?
Weeeeelllll……………according to Luke you need rather a lot of it :
……theoretically, to protect against malaria, someone would need to drink 14 standard gin and tonics every eight hours, which is the equivalent of a week’s consumption of alcohol according to the NHS.
I see. Not a good idea. But surely those juniper berries they make the stuff from are pretty good for anti oxidants or something like that?
See above, Once again Luke has done his homework He finds:
However experts say that there is not enough juniper in a modern bottle—or shot—of gin to give any health benefits.
Our advice? Drink it moderately Drink it for fun, with your mates.. Stop quickly. In which case it will be one of the best moderate alcohol drinks you can get.
#gin #tonic #cocktails #pub #bar #quinine
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