Alcohol and Health: 15 Effects of Excess Alcohol Intake and 4 Benefits of Moderate Drinking
Page Contents: Traditional cultures around the world have long enjoyed the occasional alcoholic beverage. Cauim, an alcoholic beverage made from the manioc root, has been enjoyed by indigenous people of South America for millennia. The Japanese have been making sake for at least 2,000 years, while winemaking began nearly 8,000 years ago. (3, 4) The earliest known fermented beverage, which most likely contained alcohol, hailed from China and consisted of a mixture of rice, honey, and hawthorn or grapes. One anthropological theory postulates that the dawn of agriculture was initiated by humans’ discovery of beer, which persuaded them to give up their nomadic ways and settle into societies where they could cultivate grain for their newfound favorite beverage. (5) While alcohol is inarguably a long-standing part...
