Water is a necessary component contained in almost any food product. However, the amount that enters the body from food is not enough. That is why a person needs to use fluid additionally. Of course, the best option in this case is simple drinking water. But not all inhabitants of the Earth give preference to it. We find out what kind of drinks are and which of them benefit a person.
Classification
All kinds of liquids intended for oral use are divided into:
- Strong alcoholic drinks, among which vodka, absinthe, whiskey, calvados, brandy, tequila, gin, rum, cognac, and liquor are especially popular.
- Carbonated drinks such as champagne, cola, tonic, mineral water, lemonade.
- The group of soft drinks includes kvass, kombucha, compote, fruit and vegetable juices, fruit drinks.
- Dairy products with a liquid consistency. These are milk, ayran, kefir, katyk, acidophilus, fermented baked milk.
- Hot drinks include tea, coffee, cocoa, hibiscus, mate and various herbal infusions.
This classification reveals the full range of liquids suitable for drinking, but does not determine which of them are healthy drinks, and what is not recommended. Consider each group of liquids separately.
Spirits
What are the drinks in this category, we have already identified. Now let's find out their features.
Vodka is an alcoholic liquid without color, having an alcohol smell. In most countries, alcoholic cocktails are prepared from it, but in Russia it is consumed separately, usually without mixing with anything. The strength of the drink can be from 32 to 56 revolutions and depends on the laws approved in a particular country.
Absinthe is perhaps the strongest among its brothers. It can reach 86 revolutions. Its feature is that it is prepared by tincture of wormwood. From the main component, he got his name absinthe, which in French means “wormwood”. The drink was first used in the XVIII century as a medicine.
Whiskey - a drink that is obtained by distillation of malt grains of barley, wheat and rye. Its strength is from 40 to 60 degrees and depends on the variety. The first monks made whiskey in the 15th century, and later they began to make it in almost every village farm engaged in the production of bread.
Calvados is a special liquid based on apple or pear cider, so-called only if made in French Calvados, Orne, Manche, Era, Sarthe and Mayenne.
Brandy is not a certain kind of alcohol, but a way of producing it. On the other hand, this refers to a drink resembling concentrated wine. Initially, it was supposed to be drunk only diluted. But he took root in the form of a concentrate and until now he is rarely bred with anything.
Tequila is obtained from the core of blue agave, subjecting it to fermentation and subsequent distillation. It happens that the strength of a drink can reach 55 revolutions, but some manufacturers dilute it with water up to 38 vol.
Gin - alcohol obtained by vertical distillation of wheat alcohol with the addition of juniper berries. The Dutch were the first to produce it, and after that it became widespread throughout English territory.
Rum - obtained by fermentation and subsequent distillation of cane syrup and molasses. The drink can be sold with a strength of 40 to 75 degrees.
Cognac is produced in the city of the same name from white grape varieties, preferably using the Uni Blanc variety.
Liquor - made by insisting on fruits, berries, spices and spices. The drink originates from the 16th century, when Bernardo Winzelli created the elixir of Benedictine. The improvement of this drink has led to a variety of flavors available today.
Carbonated drinks
In this category, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks can be distinguished. What are the types of soda, everyone knows. Let us dwell on some of the most famous representatives.
Champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced through double fermentation that takes place in a bottle and is produced in the province of Champagne. Other similar drinks cannot bear this name, since France has secured this right at the legislative level.
Cola is a sweet carbonated drink, the harm and benefits of which, perhaps, are equivalent. The presence of caffeine, on the one hand, invigorates the body, and on the other hand, can have a negative effect on it, especially with regard to children. Initially, it was a medicinal syrup, which was sold in pharmacies to treat problems of the nervous system. Later it began to be diluted and aerated for sale through special machines.
Tonic is a bittersweet soda that is commonly used to make alcoholic cocktails or dilute hard liquors.
Mineral sparkling water is a liquid that does not have small amounts of taste, smell and color, but contains mineral salts and various chemical elements. It differs from non-carbonated in that it is enriched with carbon dioxide, which serves as a kind of microbial cleaner.
Lemonade
This drink is the most popular in Russia and has a lot of varieties. Initially, it was made from lemon juice, sugar and water. From here he got his name. The whole world recognized lemonade only because the court of Louis I mistakenly scooped up for the king not wine, but lemon juice. In order to correct the situation, he decided to add sugar and water to the drink, which literally saved his life. What lemonade is made of today, you can find out if you go to the manufacturers website or carefully study the label. Its main components are: water, juices of lemon, lime, tangerines, oranges, apples or pears, as well as infusions of aromatic herbs. It is believed that natural lemonade is a source of vitamins A, C, E, P. From the point of view of micro and macro elements, magnesium, zinc, nitric acids, potassium salts and copper occupy a special place in the composition of the drink.
However, the liquid produced on an industrial scale carries a lot of hazards, ranging from dyes and sweeteners to preservatives.
The most popular types of carbonated soft drinks sold in Russia are called Extra-Citro, Duchess, Tarkhun, Sayan, Baikal, Kolokolchik, Pinocchio and Cream-Soda.
Where is lemonade made?
The most famous manufacturers of soft drinks in Russia are the following companies:
- OST Group of Companies CJSC, formed on the basis of the OST-Alco alcohol production plant, is located in the city of Chernogolovka, Moscow Region.
- "Bochkarevsky brewery", located in the village of Bochkari, Altai Territory.
- Volgograd brewery "Brewer".
- Zhiguli brewery "Zhiguli beer" is located in Samara.
- Ipatovsky brewery, operating in the Stavropol Territory.
- Kola brewing company KPK "Arktika", operating in the Murmansk region.
- "Trans-Ural drinks" with production facilities in the Kurgan region.
Composition of famous brand products
Of course, the most popular and advertised are soft drinks sold under the brand name “Drinks from Chernogolovka”.
The composition of “Tarragon”, for example, as the most exotic drink of the times of the USSR, is quite simple and includes:
- artesian water;
- tarragon infusion;
- sugar;
- lemon acid;
- sodium benzoate;
- golden yellow dye tartrazine E102;
- dye blue shiny E133;
- vanillin.
Some consumers say that “Tarragon” tastes like absinthe, and this is not surprising, since some types of this alcoholic drink contain tarragon extract.
Duchess is so named because of the pear variety and, in addition to the main ingredients, such as water, sugar and citric acid, has a natural flavor, sodium benzoate, and dye E150d.
“Baikal”, in addition to water and sugar, includes eleutherococcus extract, E150d dye, citric acid, black tea extract, natural flavors, lemon, cardamom and eucalyptus oils and sodium benzoate.
“Sayan”, as it is not surprising, includes salt, as well as the infusion of leuzea and lemon infusion, the same dye, water and sugar.
Extra-Citro contains several varieties of citrus infusions (tangerine, lemon, orange), vanillin, E150d, artesian water, sugar and citric acid.
"Bell" is an absolutely transparent natural drink, which, perhaps, can be classified as useful. Along with water and sugar, it does not contain harmful components. The only controversial ingredient can be called the sodium benzoate preservative, but without it, as you know, preserving lemonade for a long period is not possible.
"Pinocchio" consists of water, sugar, acidity regulator, natural flavoring, citrus infusion and dye.
“Cream-Soda” differs from most lemonades produced under the brand name “Drinks from Chernogolovka” by the presence of a flavor identical to natural and a special dye called “caramel color”.
Kvass
A fairly popular drink, which is sold mainly in a carbonated state. But if such a soda does not suit you, there are tons of recipes on the Web that tell you how to make kvass. We will study some of them.
The first method is suitable for those housewives who do not have yeast at home. First you need to make a starter, pour a handful of crackers with 300 ml of water and pour one teaspoon of sugar into it. The prepared liquid must be left in a warm place. After three days, place crushed crackers in 1/3 volume in a three-liter jar, pour the leaven and water to them, and fill the remaining volume with boiled water at room temperature. Two days later, kvass is ready. It should be filtered, leaving about half a liter of liquid in the jar. In the finished kvass add sugar to taste, raisins and leave in the room. After a few hours, put the drink in the refrigerator. Add the remaining sourdough with breadcrumbs, sugar and repeat the cooking process.
It is known that there are products that significantly accelerate the fermentation process. How to make kvass using yeast, few know. To begin with, pour 10 g of dry yeast into a glass of warm water, one tablespoon of sugar and mix thoroughly. In 1/3 of the volume, fill a three-liter jar with breadcrumbs, add four tablespoons of sugar, pour boiling water, leaving a place for leaven in the container. When the water has cooled, you need to add the mixture with yeast to the jar and leave it in a warm place. After 2-3 days, the kvass should be filtered and sugar added if it seems acidic to you. Half of the remaining thick mass should be left for the next preparation, using it as a starter.
Tea mushroom
The benefits to the body of this drink are priceless. Having enzymes, healthy sugars, B vitamins and tannins, the fungus has a positive effect on humans:
- enhances metabolism;
- struggles with diseases of the throat and oral cavity;
- stops the arising inflammatory processes in the intestines;
- restores microflora;
- contributes to the work of the cardiovascular system;
- treats a runny nose;
- promotes skin rejuvenation and narrowing of pores;
- used in a complex to combat excess weight.
It should be noted that the benefits of Kombucha for the body will be noticeable only if it is properly nourished. The main mistake that many make is falling asleep sugar directly on the surface of the fungus. This cannot be done. It is necessary to brew a liter of tea in a separate container, using a bag or dry leaves in bulk. In the latter case, after cooling, the infusion should be filtered, then add 50 g of sugar to this nutrient solution and cool. At the last stage, tea leaves with sugar must be poured into a container with a mushroom. After two days, the drink can be taken orally.
Compotes
These drinks are good for the body because they are a storehouse of vitamins. In the preparation of compote, all kinds of berries and fruits are used, and gourmets add citrus fruits and various spices.
The basic rule is to boil the ingredients in water with added sugar for 20 minutes, and after - infusion for at least 6 hours to improve the taste and usefulness of the drink. There are certain subtleties in the preparation of compote:
- If frozen berries are used, then before being lowered into the pan they should be left for only 5 minutes at room temperature, and not wait until they are completely thawed.
- Always fill all the ingredients in boiling water.
- Strong fire is unacceptable, berries and fruits should boil slightly, and not boil.
- To prepare a liter of drink, you need to take 800 ml of water, 200 g of berries and one tablespoon of sugar.
- If you first pour a gram of salt into a pot with boiling water, then the fruits will give their sweetness better.
- You should reduce the preparation time of the drink to 5-7 minutes if you use delicate berries or fruits that quickly lose their shape in boiling water.
Fruit drinks
They also contain a lot of useful substances, but they should be prepared differently. In order for the resulting liquid to be used not only to quench your thirst, but to become a full-fledged fortified drink for children and adults, you must adhere to the following rules:
- It is advisable to replace sugar with honey.
- Berries and fruits should definitely be thawed.
- Before falling asleep ingredients in a pan, you can sprinkle them with boiling water.
- Add seasonings such as cinnamon, cloves, mint.
- Grind berries only in a wooden bowl.
The simplest cooking recipe involves several steps:
- Boil water and cool slightly.
- Grind the berries and rub them through a sieve.
- Add the resulting mixture to hot boiled water, cover and leave for 30 minutes.
The method with boiling berries is also quite simple. The following manipulations must be performed:
- Three teaspoons of orange zest pour 800 ml of water and bring to a boil.
- Pour a bag of vanilla and three tablespoons of regular sugar into the pan.
- Boil the fruit drink for five minutes.
- Add 500 g of any berries and bring to a boil.
- Insist 10 minutes.
- Strain.
- Add two teaspoons of lemon juice to fruit drink.
In Russia, a wide variety of drinks are produced. What are the liquids for drinking, who makes them, what they consist of and how to prepare them, we told you. However, experts and nutritionists recommend drinking homemade kvass, kombucha, compote, fruit drink and not get involved in industrial drinks that can cause irreparable harm to the body.