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Absinthe is a tincture of wormwood and other odorous plants (lemon balm, mint, chamomile, anise, angelica, hyssop, coriander). Although this is not quite tincture, it is distilled, because the drink is obtained by distillation. Absinthe has a substantial proportion of alcohol (70-86%). Wormwood, the main component of absinthe, has a bitter taste and rich aroma. The composition of the leaves of wormwood contains neurotoxic monoterpine thujone, similar in structure to marijuana. In tandem with alcohol, it has similar drug properties. That is why the use of absinthe leads to undesirable consequences: hallucinations, depression, unmotivated aggression. And at the same time, the tincture of wormwood is healing.
What is absinthe
Most often, absinthe has a bright green tint. This is due to the fact that the liquid contains a large amount of chlorophyll. But under the influence of light, the shade may become cloudy, become more yellow and faded. Because of this, the drink is bottled in dark or green glass. Absinthe is also found in red, black and white.
The “correct” absinthe must contain at least 70% alcohol, because it is such an alcohol content that is an excellent preservative component that allows you to maintain the healing effect of essential oils. Depending on the brand of absinthe and the country of origin, the thujone may be contained in the drink in an amount of 30-45 mg per kilogram of drink (German brands Tabu Absinth, Versinthe Absinthe, Spanish brand XENTA, Deva absenta). Czech Dreams brand absinthe contains 10 mg of thujone with 70% alcohol, and the King of Spirits brand, which is considered the best in the world, produces two types of absinthe: King of Spirit Original contains 10 mg of a psychotropic substance, and King of Spirits Gold, in which thujone is already 100 mg per liter of drink. Naturally, it is dangerous to drink such a “powerful” drink in concentrated form, so it is diluted with ice water, lowering the strength from 80% to 20%. A piece of refined tea thrown into a glass will remove excess bitterness and emphasize an exquisite herbal taste.
The French brand Domaines de Provence is characterized by an average psychotropic substance content of 35 mg at 55% alcohol, and the Czech brand Rudolf Jelinek at 35 mg thujone has an alcohol strength of 70%. Swiss absinthe Hypno La Fee contains 15 mg of thujone with 70% alcohol, just like the Czech wormwood drink brand Tunel (producing absinthe in red, black and green colors), as well as the brand Metelka De Moravie.
What are the positive and negative effects of absinthe
I would like to recall the dictum of Paracelsus: “Everything is poison and everything is medicine. Only a dose makes a medicine a poison and a poison a medicine. ” Ethyl alcohol is poison in itself. Under the influence of tranquilizers and antipsychotics (and thujone is just a neuroleptic), the feeling of intoxication intensifies. In the process of oxidation of ethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde is produced in the body, which causes unsteady gait and a decrease in the ability to coordinate movements. Accumulating in the liver, acetaldehyde provokes the replacement of liver cells by connective tissue. So cirrhosis of the liver progresses, one of the most common diseases of alcoholics.
Tincture of wormwood stimulates the production of gastric juice, accelerates metabolism. Galenic substances contribute to the work of the pancreas and the elimination of bile from the body. However, absinthe should not be consumed by people who have a stomach ulcer or have increased secretion of the stomach, pregnant women, people suffering from hypertension. Also, tincture of wormwood is not recommended for people with stones in the pancreas and suffering from problems with bile.
Why the healing and negative properties of absinthe depend
The manifestation of the healing or toxic properties of absinthe depends on the concentration of thujones in the drink.Alcohol is crucial for retaining such a large amount of essential substances in bound form. Specialists in the field of medicine are skeptical that essential oils of plants, in particular wormwood, calamus, fennel, hyssop, which have a psychotropic effect, negatively affect the psyche. However, it was experimentally proven that the concentration of thujone is negligible, but the high alcohol content in the drink is really able to affect the receptors of the brain. Thujon is not harmless, but only with the help of alcohol does he begin to "rage", cause hallucinations and euphoria, make him cry and laugh, show aggression and perform actions uncharacteristic of man. The world famous artist Vincent Van Gogh was a big fan of absinthe, which is noticeable in his brilliant works.
Doctors at drug treatment clinics noticed that people who consumed pure absinthe suffered from bouts of epilepsy. They had hallucinations, kidney failure, urine flowed out with blood. So, it was the abuse of absinthe that caused the death of the French writer Guy de Maupassant, post-impressionist artist Toulouse-Lautrec and symbolist poet Paul Verlaine. Moreover, young ladies, drinking periodically pure absinthe in small doses, died at a blooming age from cirrhosis of the liver.
Seeing the devastating effect of the wormwood-based drink, many European countries banned its release in 1909. For many years, absinthe was not sold, although it was not possible to completely stop its production. So there were "non-classical" variations containing a reduced content of thujone and alcohol. In 2004, the 1909 law was repealed, but decided not to exceed a quantity of thujone of more than 10 mg per liter of drink. The maximum rate is 45 mg / kg.
What are the ways for competent drinking absinthe
If you use absinthe not in its pure form, but "according to science", you can stimulate the elimination of bile from the body, speed up the metabolism, kill infections and pathogenic bacteria, and also get aesthetic pleasure. There are many ways to consume a wormwood drink. Among them are the following:
- Classic or Louche effect. He will need a special scapula for absinthe. It is similar to a regular spoon, only has patterned holes. They are needed so that sweet water flows through them. The essence of the Louche method is this: a piece of sugar is placed on a spatula. This is necessary in order to extinguish the bitter taste of wormwood distillate. Also, sweet cold water is a catalyst for thujone, the main antipsychotic, because of which the drink has got so many fans. Chilled water is poured onto a piece of sugar. The amount of water and pure absinthe should be 5: 1. If desired, you can throw a slice of lemon into the glass.
- French way. It will also require a leaky spatula, a piece of sugar and a serving of cold water. It is advisable to purchase a special glass for absinthe. A spatula is placed on it, on which a piece of sugar is placed. Absinthe is poured on top, soaking a sugar cube well. Soaked in alcohol, the sugar is set on fire. In the process of burning, caramel is formed, which drips into the glass. At the end of the process, cold water is added to the glass in a ratio of 1: 3.
- Russian way. Sugar syrup is prepared separately without using a spatula. A piece of sugar is stirred in cold water and then poured into a glass with absinthe. The resulting mixture is refrigerated.
- Extreme way. It is dangerous because during the preparation of the drink you can get burns. You will need an absinthe glass, a spoon and an almost ice wormwood ice drink. We conditionally divide the glass into five parts, four of which we fill with chilled absinthe. Put a spatula with a piece of sugar on a glass. We set fire to absinthe in a glass (we do this very carefully).Sugar will turn into caramel and begin to drip into a glass. As soon as the glass is filled one more piece, the flame is extinguished. The resulting drink is consumed through a tube.
- The way "tarragon". A piece of sugar is dropped into a glass with 50 ml of absinthe, the contents are ignited and mixed. At some point, the combustion process will stop. The resulting mixture is poured into another glass. The drink takes on the taste of tarragon.
Absinthe is an original alcoholic drink that has some healing properties. But in order to benefit, you need to take absinthe correctly. No matter how exciting the process may be, do not forget that an overdose of absinthe leads to a heart attack, pancreatitis, exacerbation of a stomach ulcer, hallucinations, and other negative consequences.
Video: how to drink absinthe
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