Cheers! Prost! Zum Wohl ! Salud! Salute !
A toast with a glass of alcohol has been used internationally and for centuries to mark a celebration. It might be a wedding, a birthday, a successful business project or just simply… because! In languages like Spanish and Italian we even say ‘salud’ or ‘salute’, meaning ‘health’, when toasting. So, we wish ourselves and others health and wellbeing – even though excessive drinking is somewhat contradictory. Let’s just call it tradition.
For me, I prefer to drink only wine or beer. That got me thinking about what it is exactly that attracts me to these tipples. It’s not the desire to feel drunk or of any social compulsion. And mostly I drink wine or beer when paired with a meal. So, it’s much more than just enjoying the alcohol. It’s rather the taste of a good wine and beer, but even more important than that: stopping to enjoy a time of pleasure, winding down after e.g., a stressful day and sharing a social occasion together with others.
Would I enjoy these experiences if paired with a non-alcoholic wine and beer, providing that it was an elegant taste experience comparable to its alcoholic counterpart? My answer is: YES!
I realized that over the last years I’ve often begun to switch to alcohol-free beer since many breweries have significantly improved the taste of their 0% alcohol beer. So, why not the same with wine?
Something that speaks for opting for non-alcoholic drinks (if not sweetened by added sugar): Processing alcohol in our body produces a chemical substance named Acetaldehyde. This substance is highly critical since it has been related to nerve damage. Consequently, regular, and excessive consumption of alcohol is not recommended. And for the calorie conscious, bear in mind that alcohol has the most calories/gram, compared to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
About the author: 'Back to the roots' and 'keep it simple'. This is how one could describe Andrea's approach to bringing people closer to healthy eating. Our lives are stressful enough, and many have lost touch with nature and food. Andrea Braun is a nutrition trainer and makes it her mission to raise awareness about the basics of healthy and balanced nutrition with a focus on sustainability in eating. She is convinced that nowadays healthy eating does not have to conflict with our everyday lives. To reflect on the essentials, to take responsibility for one's own health: these are components of her training for individuals, companies, and more.