Mead: harm and benefit. Useful properties and composition of mead

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

The word "mead" is familiar to everyone. However, not everyone knows what it is. Today, this is often called vodka with the addition of honey. Not everyone will like such a mixture, and a large amount of alcohol can harm the body. And once in Russia, mead was highly valued. The harm and benefits of the drink for this reason worries many people. But first you need to figure out what it really is.

What is mead

This is an alcoholic drink with a strength of 5-16 degrees. It is made with honey. The amount of alcohol contained is affected by the method of preparation. Even during the existence of Kievan Rus, mead was a traditional Slavic drink. It remained so until Tsar Peter I brought wine and vodka into the country. Medovukha was drunk during holidays, at weddings, served on the table to princes and kings. It was prepared mainly in monasteries. The mead brewed there was famous all over the country. Andmonks still make it according to old recipes.

Honey and mead. Is there a difference?

There are differences, and significant ones. Honey appeared much earlier and was a soft drink. The cooking method was simple. People took honey and diluted it with water. The alcoholic drink came later, after it was discovered that the contents in one barrel had fermented. The first mention of honey dates back to the 6th-7th centuries BC. e. It was used in ritual services. This is evidenced by dishes found in ancient temples with the remains of honey and wall paintings telling how to cook it.

In Russia, the drink was prepared from berries, water, herbs. The main ingredient was, of course, honey. The drink was stored in oak barrels. For it to ferment, one had to wait 20-40 years. The resulting drink was affectionately called honey, honey, honey intoxicating. They drank it from small cups on special holidays: the birth of a child, a wedding, a funeral. Under Nicholas II, the recipe for honey has changed. They began to boil it, add yeast, hops. This drink was called mead. It is noteworthy that the preparation time has been reduced to 1 week.

Mead. Harm and benefit

The main ingredient in the drink is honey. Therefore, its useful qualities should be considered. It contains a large number of important micronutrients and has fewer calories than sugar. Medovukha helps fight colds, strengthens the immune system, replenishes energy and vitality, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and heartdiseases. In addition, what else mead is useful for is that it helps to increase potency. No wonder in Russia, newlyweds in the first month after the wedding were allowed to drink only mead. This was done so that strong and he althy offspring appeared in the family as soon as possible. This is where the expression "honeymoon" comes from.

But only a drink that is prepared without boiling has such properties. The fact is that all the beneficial substances in honey disappear under the influence of high temperatures. It is impossible to find a drink aged for several decades in the free market today.

The harm from mead can be the same as from any alcoholic drink. When using, it is important to observe the measure. Also, people who are allergic to the main ingredient should be careful with the drink. There is an opinion that non-alcoholic mead may be present in the menu of pregnant women. The benefit of this advice is doubtful, because boiled honey loses its healing properties, and the possibility of getting an allergic reaction and harming the unborn baby remains.

How to drink mead properly

Earlier, the process of drinking was subject to certain traditions. Of great importance was the purpose for which the drink was consumed, at what time and with what snacks. Today these traditions are lost. And yet you can drink so that the mead does not cause harm, and the benefits for the body at the same time were significant. It should be taken on an empty stomach. To stimulate bowel function, improve digestion and metabolismIt is enough to drink a glass of drink on an empty stomach 30 minutes before a meal. In addition, the properties of mead contribute to the acquisition of a he althy sound sleep. To do this, it must be consumed half an hour or an hour before going to bed.

How to cook mead at home

For cooking, you can take raw materials of any quality. Suitable fresh honey, old, sterilized. It should be borne in mind that the aroma of the finished drink depends on how fragrant the honey is. If there is no expressive smell, then it is better to add spices to the recipe.

It's easy to make your own drink. For the recipe you will need honey, water and yeast. Pour cold water into a saucepan. Then it is necessary to stir honey in it. Water should be 7-10 times more than the main ingredient. Next, the pan with the mixture must be put on a small fire and bring to a boil. During cooking, remove the foam. As soon as it ceases to stand out (usually the process lasts no more than two minutes), the pan must be removed from the heat, cooled to a warm state and yeast added. The resulting mixture should be kept warm for a month. Then you should put another portion of yeast (the amount in both cases is put on the eye) and again leave for the same period for fermentation. Ready mead is filtered, bottled and put in a cold place. The drink is stored for six months.

Diversity of species

Today you can meet not only the usual mead. There are several types of this drink. They differ not only in the way of preparation, but also in the setingredients.

1. Set. When preparing it, honey is not boiled.
2. Hearty or boiled. The drink is boiled.
3. Fortified. Mead contains ethyl alcohol.
4. Hmelnaya. Hops are added to it, as a result of which the fermentation process is reduced, and the drink acquires a bitter aftertaste.
5. Fake. Contains spices and spices.
6. Non-alcoholic.

Note to connoisseurs

When talking about the benefits of a drink, one cannot ignore the variety of tastes. The thing is that meads make changes to the basic recipe. By adding certain spices, you can get a new taste. Ingredients are, of course, selected according to individual preferences.

The most successful combinations are obtained by adding citrus peels (lemon, orange) or juice of these fruits to honey. From spices, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper can be distinguished. Thyme and mint will make the drink very original and unusual. If you add fresh berries or dried fruits, such as dried apricots, raisins, figs, to mead, you get a completely new taste.

Increasing the strength of the drink is also not difficult. When the fermentation process comes to an end, it is necessary to add alcohol to the drink. Two tablespoons are enough for 1 liter of mead.

This is interesting

• During the reign of kings, mead was considered a drink for the nobility. It took a lot of time and effort to make it, so it was expensive. Ordinary people used it only duringbig holidays or made do with cheaper drinks.
• To get rid of a hangover, you need to drink a glass of heavily chilled fortified mead with lemon. However, the correctness of the method of treatment can be argued. The first thing that doctors do not recommend doing in any case is getting drunk with alcoholic beverages.
• Dark raw materials produce a very he althy and most fragrant mead. The benefit lies in the presence of a large number of trace elements. But not everyone likes the harsh taste and smell of such honey, so most people prefer to use light varieties.
• The bear is the biggest honey lover among animals. For which, by the way, he got his name. After all, it’s not for nothing that they say that the bear “knows honey.”
• It is believed that the principle of making the drink was later used in winemaking.
• The expression "honeymoon" is not only among Russians. It is noteworthy that the stories of its appearance among different peoples coincide. This is due to the fact that people noticed the main thing that mead is useful for during this period of time. It is believed that thanks to her, the chances of conceiving a boy increase.
• Drinks based on honey were made not only in Russia. In some countries, traditions are still preserved to use them during the holidays.

Today mead causes a lot of controversy. Harm and benefit is the main issue related to the alcohol content in the drink. It all depends on the strength and the amount of mead drunk. If you follow the measure, then from a real drink prepared according to an old recipe,will only benefit.