10 Surprising Benefits of Tequila You Never Knew

[donnay]

10 Surprising Benefits of Tequila You Never Knew

Nagina Abdullah

Did you ever know that tequila can help you lose weight? While tequila is definitely not a “health food”, it actually has several surprising health benefits. Look for “100% agave” tequila, to get the best health benefits.

And, be mindful that this advice only works if enjoying Tequila in moderation. By no means do we endorse binge drinking and recommend 1 to 2 shots when imbibing.

Here are 10 surprising benefits of tequila.

1. It can help you lose weight

Crazy, right? Generally the rule is, if you want to lose weight, don’t drink alcohol. Remember, liquid calories go down so much easier than we realize, so it’s still true. But if you can manage to drink a controlled amount of tequila you can benefit from the weight-loss properties of agavins, which are a particular kind of sugar in tequila. [1] Not be confused with agave nectar, agavins have a less refined molecular structure which doesn’t raise the blood sugar levels. As a result, many of the calories pass through the system unused as opposed to other alcohol sugars, which are not so glycemic index friendly. It also stimulates the metabolism and helps to dissolve fats.

2. It aids digestion

Taking a shot of tequila after a meal has been linked to aiding digestion as well. Some suggest a shot before a meal to rev up your metabolism and appetite, and then a shot after to soothe and assist digestion.

3. It’s probiotic

You’ve probably heard about probiotics by now, but if not, probiotics are the healthy bacteria that naturally populate our intestines. They are responsible for most of our immune system and help our bodies keep a healthy balance. Some of the fructans which tequila is derived from actually supply these good guys! [2]

Again, we’re talking about small amounts of tequila. Getting drunk will most likely do the exact opposite and wipe out your natural reserves of healthy bacteria as your immune system is forced to work overtime on the toxins inherent in any alcohol.

4. It’s prebiotic

Setting the stage for the good bacteria, prebiotics help tend the ground, so to speak. They create a living space for them. According to this study, the prebiotic attributes of tequila help make the intestines a more friendly environment for healthy bacteria to thrive. [3]

Again, not too much.

5. It may help fight osteoporosis

Again with those agavins! They have been linked in several studies to aiding the body in calcium absorption, and therefore, might be a viable option for preventing the development of fragile or brittle bones. [4]

6. It may help prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

It also presents the opportunity for diabetics to enjoy tequila now and again, as the fructans being non-digestible, acts as fiber. By passing through the body undigested, it avoids the dangerous blood sugar spike as well as stimulates insulin production. [5]

Obviously, if you have diabetes, talk to your doctor before you start taking shots of tequila, as every individual is different and reactions can vary.

7. It may lower chances of developing dementia

The BBC reported studies show a link between people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol (including tequila) to having a lower incidence of dementia later in life. But be careful! It also showed a correlation between people who drank too much alcohol and having far higher rates of dementia onsets.

8. It helps necessary drugs make it to the colon

People with diseases affecting their digestive systems, such as Crohn’s Disease, IBS and colitis, might be getting a boost from the fructans in tequila as it contains natural chemical carriers which protect the necessary drugs so they can get past the stomach acid, and to the colon where it is needed. Scientists are looking into using these fructans in prescription drugs for these diseases.

9. It helps curb insomnia

Thanks to it’s relaxing benefits, tequila can help calm the nerves and may even aid in inducing sleep for the deprived. It’s best not to depend on any substance, particularly alcohol, on a regular basis. But now and then it may just be that extra something you can enjoy to unwind. And snooze!

10. It doesn’t give you a hangover

That is if you drink the high shelf stuff. Again, you have to drink “100% agave” tequila to get this benefit. Cheaper brands will be filled out with other sugar alcohols, which will knock you out.

No alcohol is healthy, but if you’re inclined to have a drink once in a while, tequila might not be such a bad choice. Cheers!

Reference
[1] ^ BJN: Physiological Effects of Agave
[2] ^ NCBI: Fructans effect on Body Weight
[3] ^ Research Signpost: Agave Fructans as Prebiotic
[4] ^ ACS: Tequila may fight osteoporosis
[5] ^ ACS: Tequila Possible Sweetener for Diabetes

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/li...ever-knew.html

[TheTexan]

Are there any good American-made tequilas you would recommend?

[Jamesiv1]

Craft-brewed tequila? Could be a thing...

http://izkalitequila.com/blog/the-7-...equila-making/

[shakey1]

Are there any good American-made tequilas you would recommend?

Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and limited municipalities in the states of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.^[4] Tequila is recognized as a Mexican designation of origin product in more than 40 countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila

[TheTexan]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tequila

Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco

This is America, we can do as we please. It's a free country.

Anyone want to give me some seed money to start a Texan Tequila company?

[shakey1]

This is America, we can do as we please. It's a free country.

Anyone want to give me some seed money to start a Texan Tequila company?

[sam1952]

Take another shot of courage,
You wonder why the right words never come...
You just get numb... (love that line)
Eagles

[dannno]

Are there any good American-made tequilas you would recommend?

Craft-brewed tequila? Could be a thing...

http://izkalitequila.com/blog/the-7-...equila-making/

This is America, we can do as we please. It's a free country.

Anyone want to give me some seed money to start a Texan Tequila company?

Agave Spirits.

[Zippyjuan]

The sugars from agave are broken down to form the alcohol in the tequila. Tequila has practically none of them in the final product.

https://phys.org/news/2014-03-tequil...ood-sugar.html

Of course, the agave's claim to fame is as the plant from which tequila is made. López explained that agavins are the only carbohydrates used to produce the drink. All ethanol in tequila comes from the fermentation of glucose and fructose generated after agave pines are cooked. But because the agavins are converted to ethanol, agavins are not found in the finished product.

Agavins contain fructoses, which begs the question: Are agavins like high-fructose corn syrup, a processed sweetener that has gotten a lot of bad press recently? López pointed out that, indeed, high-fructose corn syrup is loaded with fructose sugars and, therefore, can raise blood sugar levels. But agavins are fructans, which are fructoses linked together in long, branched chains. The human body can't use them in that configuration, so they don't affect blood sugar, she explained. Agavins also sometimes get confused with agave nectar or agave syrup, which appears on many health-food store shelves. These products contain fructans that have been broken down into individual fructoses, so they are much more similar to high-fructose corn syrup.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/melanie.../#15c24d204af7

But the news isn't all good; a 2011 literature review of human studies of the relationship between fructans (not agavins specifically) and blood sugar found that of 13 randomized studies of fructans, only three documented positive results. It remains to be seen whether - as López argues - agavins are distinct from other fructans in their action.

The downside: Agavins are don't taste as sweet as other forms of sugar such as sucrose, fructose and glucose. And not everyone can tolerate them; like other types of fiber they have the potential to cause digestive problems.

Just add more fiber to your diet. Tequila won't help.

[TheTexan]

I wonder if bud lite can be brewed with agave for the health benefits?

Though I wouldn't want to mess with the formula too much, might ruin the taste

[Danke]

I wonder if bud lite can be brewed with agave for the health benefits?

Though I wouldn't want to mess with the formula too much, might ruin the taste

Bud Light it is too valuable to waste, so you might want to experiment with something cheaper like Lone Star beer first.

[Jamesiv1]

Bud Light it is too valuable to waste, so you might want to experiment with something cheaper like Lone Star beer first.

You might also experiment with the "Country Club" beer - Goetz

https://www.google.com/search?q=goet...w=1436&bih=918

[Suzanimal]

11. Boosts fertility.
12. Makes you a better dancer.

[tod evans]

#13

[Swordsmyth]

This is America, we can do as we please. It's a free country.

Anyone want to give me some seed money to start a Texan Tequila company?

You can call it Texuila.

[Suzanimal]

“Now tequila may be the favored beverage of outlaws but that doesn't mean it gives them preferential treatment. In fact, tequila probably has betrayed as many outlaws as has the central nervous system and dissatisfied wives. Tequila, scorpion honey, harsh dew of the doglands, essence of Aztec, crema de cacti; tequila, oily and thermal like the sun in solution; tequila, liquid geometry of passion; Tequila, the buzzard god who copulates in midair with the ascending souls of dying virgins; tequila, firebug in the house of good taste; O tequila, savage water of sorcery, what confusion and mischief your sly, rebellious drops do generate!”

― Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker

[opal]

sadly, tequila also makes gravity stronger
*thud*