A few facts about alcohol

Alcohol is enjoyed as a social drink and even in cooking to enhance the flavour of dishes. But for some people overconsumption of alcohol can become a serious problem, putting lives at risk. Read on to learn more about safe alcohol consumption.

Overconsumption of alcohol invariably results in a hangover; just how much alcohol is necessary to produce one depends on the biochemical individuality of the consumer, and the type of drink consumed. Distilled liquors, such as whiskey and gin, have a more immediate impact than wines or beers, and all alcohol is absorbed more quickly when mixed with a carbonated beverage.

• Once in the bloodstream, alcohol reaches the brain in minutes. At first it acts as a stimulant, producing euphoria. This soon gives way to central nervous system depression and feelings of numbness, and finally to sleep or unconsciousness.
• Rapid ingestion of a large amount of alcohol can be fatal.
• The severity of a hangover is partially influenced by congeners, by-products of the fermentation process that contribute to the taste and aroma of an alcoholic beverage. The more congeners in a drink, the more severe a hangover may be.
• Brandy has the greatest number of congeners, followed by red wine, rum, whiskey, white wine, gin, and vodka.

The term proof indicates the alcohol concentration; in the United States and Canada, proof is twice the alcohol content. Thus, a 90-proof liquor is 45 percent alcohol.

• Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, compared with four calories per gram of protein or carbohydrate and nine calories per gram of fat.
• Some wines provide small amounts of iron and potassium, and beer contains niacin, vitamin B6, chromium, and phosphorus.
• To benefit from the nutrients in these beverages, you would have to consume much more than the recommended limit of two drinks per day for a man or one for a woman.
• The average alcoholic beverage — a glass of wine, a mug of beer, a one-shot neat or mixed drink — provides about 15 millilitres (1/2 ounce) of ethanol, the usual definition of a drink.