There’s a reason that gin has been called “mother’s ruin” and is often found in the cocktails of the upper class. Gin was first invented as a medicine, and contains botanicals such as juniper, coriander, and angelica root that have been used in folk medicine for thousands of years.
The idea of drinking herbs as part of a healthy lifestyle isn’t exactly new. In fact, it’s probably as old as human civilization itself. While it’s true that many herbs and spices were used to cover up the taste of rotten meat, others were prized for their medicinal benefits.
Botanical spirits are spirits that have been infused with botanicals, or plant matter. This has been a common practice in the world of alcohol for hundreds of years, but it’s recently experienced a surge in popularity. There are many benefits to drinking non alcoholic spirits with Banks Botanical Beverages, and this blog post will highlight 5 of them.
- Botanical Spirits Are Better for You Than Regular Spirits
Any doctor will tell you that many alcoholic beverages aren’t good for you. In fact, some doctors actually recommend staying away from alcohol altogether. However, if you’re going to drink, you might as well drink something that is at least good for your body.
Botanical spirits are made by infusing plant matter into spirits like gin and vodka. These plants can be fruits, flowers, herbs, or anything else that is deemed healthy by the distiller. Not only do these plants make the spirit taste great, but they also increase the health benefits of the spirit itself.
- They’re healthy
Many people enjoy drinking distilled beverages because they’re sugar-free and low-carb. However, one of the main benefits of drinking botanical spirits is that they have several health benefits. Some of these spirits contain herbs and roots that have been used medicinally since ancient times. For example, juniper oil contains powerful antioxidants that help fight inflammation throughout the body.
- They’re versatile.
With so many types of botanical spirits available today, it’s easy to find one that fits your taste preferences and lifestyle. If you want something a little lighter, look for a botanical spirit with a crisp flavor like gin, vodka or tequila blanco. For something deeper and more complex, look for a darker spirit like whiskey or rum with notes of vanilla, oak and caramelized sugar.
- They’re good for your gut
There’s a reason people talk about “gut health.” We have trillions of bacteria and microorganisms living in our digestive tract, playing an important role in digestion, immune system function and more.
Ideally, we want to keep this microcosm balanced so that the “good” bacteria can thrive, without allowing any “bad” bacteria to take over. Alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine contain a lot of sugar that can help feed the bad guys, but botanicals such as chicory root have been shown to help feed the good guys instead.
- They’re good for your liver
Your liver is responsible for filtering out the toxins in your body, including those found in alcohol. While any kind of alcohol is hard on your liver, botanical spirits offer an advantage over pure grain alcohols because they contain natural antioxidants. That means that you can give your liver a break by enjoying a cocktail made with one of these flavored beverages instead of straight vodka or gin.