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Different drinks have different hunger implication...
According to a recent study the type of alcohol you consume may determine how hungry you feel afterwards. In other words, the intensity of your “munchies” is different for wine, beer or spirits.
A recent study shows that while alcohol has a specific effect on the body, the additional nutritional content of white wine, red wine and beer also affects how our body responds to alcohol.
Research psychologist and lead author Dr Anna Kokavec, says to understand the effect of different alcoholic beverages her team measured the influence they have on the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis.
The HPA axis regulates fluctuations in the body, and is responsible for the synthesis of the steroid hormones cortisol and dehyrdoepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), says Kokavec.
“The HPA axis is a system that has an input into nearly everything in the body.”
Kokavec says DHEAS and cortisol, commonly known as a stress hormone, influence our appetite and are associated with learning and memory formation.
“We need a sufficient release of cortisol to make us feel hungry,” she says
According to the study both hormones are affected when we drink alcohol, and that low levels “could lead to specific cognitive impairment if alcohol is consumed on a regular basis.”
Fluctuating levels
The researchers divided participants into four groups. Each drank either red wine, white wine, light beer or regular beer.
Kokavec says the levels of cortisol decreased in all participants upon consuming alcohol. This reduced their desire for food, despite having fasted for half a day.
“One of the biggest problems we have with alcohol is that appetite is reduced, and most alcoholics present with malnutrition,” she says.
But Kokavec was surprised to find that DHEAS levels fluctuated, depending on what type of alcohol the participant consumed.
In the participants who drank beer the levels of DHEAS initially dropped, but then went up.
According to Kokavec, this is because beer contains carbohydrates, which increases the level of insulin in the blood.
She says insulin has an antagonistic relationship with DHEAS – as insulin increases so does DHEAS. The result is an eventual increase in hunger.
“Beer completely confuses the system.”
Kokavec says red wine has a slightly different effect on the body.
“Red wine fools the body into thinking it’s eating, so cortisol and DHEAS levels go down.”
But she says the body starts to recognise that red wine isn’t a food and DHEAS and cortisol levels rise, increasing appetite.
Kokavec says, unlike beer and red wine, white wine completely shuts down the HPA axis, meaning DHEAS levels don’t recover and hunger remains low.
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Cheese and wine
When pairing wine and cheese, you want a wine that’s going to complement the flavours of the cheese and not overpower it – and vice versa. You wouldn’t drink a really light wine with a strong-tasting cheese, or a mild cheese with a full-bodied, robust wine.
There’s a general rule of thumb to follow: the stronger the cheese is, move up the spectrum of the body of wine.
Mild, hard cheeses such as cheddar are best paired with Gamet Noir, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, unwooded Chardonnays or Cabernet Francs. While stronger hard cheeses such as aged Gouda or Asiago go best with a full-bodied Shiraz, Zinfandel or Bordeaux blends.
Aromatic wines such as Riesling and Gewurztraminer are great with soft cheeses like brie and Camembert; while a Sauvignon Blanc and Rose are classic pairings for goat cheese.
When it comes to blue cheeses, you want to pick an ice wine, late harvest wine or port. Going for higher sugar content will smooth out the edges of a strong blue cheese
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White Wine
Red meat; red wine, white meat and fish; white wine. That’s the rule on food and wine matching, isn’t it? Not for the more adventurous – and confident – among us.
Although the before mentioned approach does sit true in many situations, it is vital to not only consider the colour of the wine but also the balance of flavours and textures when combined with what you are about to eat.
Be brave, experiment and don’t be afraid to get it wrong. Before you invite VIP guests round, that is.
When throwing a dinner party it’s worth considering which wine to serve with each course rather than scrambling around your rack, fridge or floor for the nearest bottle to uncork/screw.
You know when you have got it right because it feels right, simple as that. Average food can be lifted considerably when paired with a perfectly matched wine. Good food, however, can also be crushed.
The crisp and tropical Douglas Green Chenin Blanc 2008 should match up well to creamy dishes or salads, while the smooth and fragrant Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2007 stands proud next to a soft cheese course.
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Wine may Slow Dementia
If you love a glass of wine with dinner, you’ll be happy to know that you may actually be helping your brain as you are treating your taste buds to a good time. Tammy from Celebrate Wine pointed out this new study that was reported in Wine Spectator:
A new study, conducted by scientists from the Department of Geriatrics at the University of Bari, in Bari, Italy, found that a drink or two per day may help slow the development of dementia. The research, published in the May 22 issue of the journal Neurology, may provide hope for those at risk of dementia and diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the transitional stage between normal brain function and full-blown, irreversible cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer’s.
However, this doesn’t mean you should run out and develop a two glass a day habit. The researcher also mentions that the study may be flawed by the fact that most people who drink a glass or two of wine a day are also usually active and involved in new things. The benefits of drinking wine in the study may actually be because the study participants were not couch potatoes. So, if you do drink those two glasses, make sure you are stretching your mind and getting exercise, too.
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Pocket Wine Guide
One thing about wine is certain: Its easy to go wrong. Before you reach for your next bottle of wine, here is a list to point you in the right direction:
Red: Hearty robust foods, such as stew, beef, pork, duck, goose, cheeses, hearty pasta dishes and foods with lots of flavor. Red wines pair up nicely with a number of intense flavors.
White: Sweet or dry, white wine is best served with fish, chicken or lighter fare. Any main course that is robustly flavorful yet light on the palette, such as fish, should be paired with this simple classic.
Blush: The rose colored wine is a favorite staple among many for its versatility. White Merlot, White Zinfandel, and Grenache’ Rose’ are but a few delicate choices that compliment everything from salads to seafood to cold cuts. Rose’ wines work well with dinner or luncheons.
Dessert: Many hosts overlook the importance of a good desert wine. Dinner wines go with dinner – desert needs its own accompaniment. For fruits, nuts, sweets, tarts and cakes, opt for the sweeter variety such as Muscat, Catawba, or Port.
With this easy-reference, now picking wine no longer has to be the difficult part of the meal. Experiement with different regions and styles of each major variety to find your favorites!
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THE BEST WINE IN THE WORLD
The Domaine Romanée-Conti is the most rarefied and expensive wine in the world, with vintages that need decades to mature. At a tasting for the 2006 DRCs, Bruce Palling hears one vintage intone “Leave me alone you fool–don’t you know I am trying to sleep?” …
Special to MORE INTELLIGENT LIFE
The acronym DRC is a potential minefield. Besides Drug Rehabilitation Centre or Dutch Reformed Church, it more commonly refers to the Democratic Republic of Congo or Domaine Romanée-Conti.
The former is perhaps the most misruled, war-torn kleptocracy in Africa, the latter is the most rarefied and expensive wine in the world. My preference is always for the Domaine Romanée-Conti: less sexual violence, more deliciousness.
The wine has a long history. The Romans cultivated this tiny slice of Burgundy a couple of millennia ago, with the Benedictines taking over from the Bishops of Langres and Autun in the tenth century. Its most illustrious five-acre vineyard was purchased by the Prince de Conti in the 18th century; upon his death it was sold to one of Napoleon’s bankers. Then as now, only a few hundred cases were produced each year.
But it’s not the pedigree that really matters. Rather, it’s the calibre of Romanée-Conti and the handful of other wines produced by the Domaine–all in mystique-fuelling miniscule amounts. The First Growths of Bordeaux–Latour, Lafite, Mouton, Haut-Brion and Margaux–produce on average 100,000 cases annually, whereas DRC releases around 6,000–and less than 500 of these are Romanée-Conti. The only other exclusive wine they produce is La Tâche, in twice the amount as the Romanee-Conti, plus portions of Richebourg, Romanee-St.Vivant, Grands Echézeaux and straight Echézeaux.
It’s tricky to describe the difference in taste between red Burgundy and Bordeaux. Burgundy is more difficult to grow; only a handful of producers succeed in regions beyond Burgundy itself. At its best, it is floral, mouth-filling and heady, appealing more to the emotions than the intellect. But when off-target it is thin, weedy and without depth, which is why many Bordeaux lovers think it is a complete con (particularly as wines from the same region vary dramatically in price and quality). Bordeaux is more linear and straightforward, whereas Burgundy is more elusive and sensuous. Bordeaux is Bach, Burgundy is Mozart.
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