Adults over the age of 21 are legally allowed to consume alcoholic beverages in most states. For various personal, health or legal reasons, other individuals restrict their consumption. With a wide variety of beverage products to choose from in grocery stores, restaurants and bars, it is important to know when a beverage is considered alcoholic.

Ingredients

Ethyl alcohol is the intoxicating agent that results in a beverage being classified as alcoholic. Alcoholic beverages are fermented. When they are ingested, the Ethyl alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and intestines.

Effects

Alcohol is a depressant. When the alcohol is distributed to the brain and other organs through the bloodstream, it slows down the entire bodily system. A person under the influence of alcohol is typically less alert and less able to distinguish nearby objects. Alcohol can produce drowsiness and decreased reaction time.

Types

Liquors, beers and wines are all types of alcoholic beverages. Cider and perry are also a type of alcoholic beverage that's made from fruit juices, sugars, fermentable carbohydrates and yeast. Perry is made from fermented pears, and cider is a beverage that can be from apples;both contain 4 to 6 percent alcohol by volume. Brandy, gin, rum, vodka and whiskey are alcoholic beverages made of distilled fermented liquor and contain 38 to 45 percent alcohol.

Time Frame

Time is the only way to clear alcohol from your system. Taking a shower, drinking coffee or eating various foods will not speed up the detoxification process, which takes about three hours for every two drinks you have consumed. Your body weight can factor into your recovery time.

Misconceptions

Some claim that mixing beer and liquor can make you more intoxicated or sick. When people become sick from drinking alcohol, it is normally caused by an excessively high blood alcohol level; the kind of beverage you consume or the order in which you ingest it does not affect whether you get sick or not.

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Alcoholic Beverage

Alcohol: Myths + Truths

Low Calorie Cocktails | Low Calorie Mixed Drinks | Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

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Perry Making