Brandy Benefits for Health, Uses & And Its Side Effects
Last Updated: Sep 17, 2020
Brandy, if consumed daily in moderation, has a variety of health benefits. Brandy contains antioxidants which have the ability to lower bad cholesterol levels in the blood, thus keeping the heart healthy. The polyphenol compounds in brandy also reduce inflammation in the cardiovascular system, resulting in lower blood pressure.
Unlike other alcoholic drinks, brandy does not contain any carbohydrates, so it doesn’t cause any bloating. It can be safely enjoyed without worrying about it being converted to fat. Brandy has also often been used to relieve respiratory issues such as coughs, colds and sore throats, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
What is Brandy?
Brandy is an alcoholic beverage whose name comes from a Dutch word “brandewijn”, meaning ‘burnt wine’. The name is apt as most brandies are made by applying heat, originally from open flames, to wine. The heat drives out and concentrates the alcohol naturally present in the wine. Brandy is made by further distilling wine to increase the alcoholic content.
Brandy contains around 30-60% alcohol by volume. Brandy is derived from wine, but it is aged in oak barrels, which increases the alcohol content and also gives it the unique color. While brandies are usually made from wine or other fermented fruit juices, it can be distilled from any liquid that contains sugar.
Nutritional Value of Brandy
Alcohol-containing beverages such are brandy have a particularly high calorie content. One single shot of brandy contains 100 calories. Drinks that mix brandy with other beverages contain an even greater number of calories, because of the added sugar. Similarly, fruit flavored brandy also has an additional calorie count because of the addition of sugar.
Nutritional facts Per jigger (1.5 fl.oz)
Health Benefits of Brandy
Mentioned below are the best health benefits of drinking brandy. This alcoholic drink helps in fighting against cough and cold, you can mix brandy with honey which keeps your chest warm. Not only if offers benefits to your helath but too much consumption to brandy can lead to adverse effects of health. Even you can use this alcoholic drink to care for your hair. You can do massage of brandy to the scalp which improves blood circulation and prevent hair loss.
Even brandy may offer adverse effects on health if consumption is too high but it is used in the right way then even used to treat the sleeping problem, respiratory issues in children.Its throat warming nature and antibacterial properties help in treating sore throat and child obesity.
Brandy for Respiratory(Chest & Lung) Infection
Brandy has excellent anti-inflammatory properties. This makes brandy very effective in relieving respiratory issues such as sore throats and coughs. The strong alcoholic content in brandy can help eliminate bacteria and loosen up phlegm and mucus, thereby acting as an expectorant.
Brandy Good for Immune System
For over thousands of years, brandy has been used as a traditional solution for the treatment of issues such as colds, coughs and the flu. Brandy has natural warming properties, which helps induce healthy sleep.
Additionally, the antibacterial nature of brandy makes it very useful in helping strengthen the functioning of the immune system. It can eliminate pathogens that may be in your system and can boost your immune system with the help of its antioxidants.
Brandy May Benefit Heart Patients
Similar to other types of alcohol, brandy has a lot of positive effects on the heart. When drunk in moderation, research has shown that it contains a wide range of beneficial antioxidants, much like the wine from which it is derived.
Brandy’s antioxidant properties can help bring down the levels of accumulated bad cholesterol in the body, thus balancing out cholesterol levels and preventing plaque build up. Furthermore, the polyphenolic compounds in it significantly reduce inflammation in the cardiovascular system, which eases tension in the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.
Is Brandy Good for Cancer Patients
There are certain cancers that are exacerbated by excess consumption of alcohol, but studies over the years have shown that brandy can help in the prevention or treatment of certain cancers.
One of the essential components of brandy is ellagic acid, which is a powerful organic compound that can prevent the development and metastasis of cancerous cells. The most obvious effects of brandy in treating cancer can be seen in case of ovarian or bladder cancer.
Anti-aging Properties of Brandy
Brandy has excellent antioxidant properties some of which are attributed to the presence of copper in some of the aging barrels. These antioxidants, which are organic compounds can help eliminate free radicals in the body as well as neutralize their effects.
Free radicals are the dangerous byproducts of cellular metabolism that can cause our body’s healthy cells to mutate or undergo cell death.
Antioxidants present in brandy can help prevent this type of cellular death in the skin, hair, internal organs, as well as the brain. Therefore, brandy has been proven to eliminate aging and aging related symptoms such as poor vision, wrinkles on the skin, cognitive issues, and other chronic conditions.
Low Calorie Content In Brandy Help in Weight loss
Unlike alcoholic drinks like beer which have a high carbohydrate content, brandy has no carbs. As a result, there is no conversion of carbohydrate into fat in the body, thus making sure that brandy does not lead to storage of fat.
However, just because brandy does not contain any carbohydrates does not mean you should drink it in excess. As with any kind of liquor, moderation should always be exercised.
Cardiovascular Benefits of Brandy
Due to its high polyphenol content, brandy offers a plethora of cardiovascular benefits. Alcoholic drinks that contain polyphenols suppress the activity of a gene, called NF-kappaB, that plays a role in inflammation.
Because excessive inflammation and overactivation of NF-kappaB contribute to heart disease, brandy's negative effect on NF-kappaB might benefit your cardiovascular health.
Brandy Helps in Inducing Sleep
Similar to any other alcoholic drink, brandy has calming and tranquilizing properties, which can help induce sleep. As a result, brandy is often recommended, and is very popular as an after-dinner drink.
Uses of Brandy
Brandy is a type of alcohol that can be used for a variety of purposes, including medicinal purposes. Brandy is widely renowned for its ability to slow the signs of aging and control weight issues, as well as treat respiratory issues.
Drinking brandy in moderation has been proven to help with sleep issues and improve sleep patterns. Brandy can also boost heart health and keep the heart functioning well. Brandy has certain compounds and acids which can prevent the development and spread of cancerous cells.
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Side-Effects & Allergies of Brandy
When consumed in moderation, the only side effects of brandy include those equal to that of a general alcohol-induced hangover. But when consumed in greater quantities, brandy has side effects which include changes in the central nervous system, as well as a rapid drop in blood sugar, known as hypoglycemia. Brandy can also adversely affect normal functioning of the liver and kidneys, as well as smooth functioning of the heart.
Cultivation of Brandy
Long before the 16th century, wine was a popular product for trading in European region. In the early 16th century, a Dutchman trader invented the way to ship more wine in the limited cargo space by removing water from the wine.
Then he could add the water back to the concentrated wine at the destination port in Holland. They called it 'bradwijn', which later became 'brandy'. Today, brandy is brewed all over the world, in areas such as the US, France, Germany, Greece, Australia, Spain and Italy.
References
- Valaer P. Brandy. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry. 1939 Mar;31(3):339-53. [Cited 23 June 2019]. Available from:
- Brandy- Encyclopaedia Britannica [Internet]. britannica.com. 2019 [Cited 19 June 2019]. Available from:
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