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Alcohol - Double-Edged Sword

Ethyl alcohol is a simple molecule, easily absorbed from the digestive system and having various effects on the body/mind.  It is said to relax us, in small quantities.  In beverages, it can provide a pleasant accompaniment to a meal.  But this is no surprise.  Humans have been consuming beer (or forms of it) for millennia, as they've also consumed wine.  Spirits not so long.  So why the blog entry?

Well, despite its ability to relax us and to provide a pleasant beverage to go with a meal, alcohol also acts on our brain's inhibitory center.  We all have mechanisms in place, to prevent us from doing unsafe or even silly things, in our daily lives.  Our brain's mechanisms keep us from walking into the street, without looking both ways.  They keep us from donning a lampshade and doing a hula, at a party
with co-workers.  You get the idea.

Turns out, our brain's basic protective mechanisms also prevent us from significantly overeating, at times.  Which means that a cocktail or glass of wine before dinner might be okay, but consuming several cocktails while we're waiting for our table could leave the door open to over-ordering, when we finally do sit down with the menu.  Too much alcohol could leave the door open to heavy snacking after dinner, a time when we should probably be closing down our eating, for the day.

I'm not citing any studies in this blog.  The internet is a huge place, and you can probably find lots of information linking alcohol and appetite. But it's not a coincidence that restaurants offer to take drink or cocktail orders at the beginning of the meal and ask about dessert at the end of the meal.  Chances are, if you were asked to commit to dessert at the start of the meal (before cocktails), you'd probably take a pass.  At the end of the meal, with food - and several glasses of wine or a couple of cocktails later - you're a lot more receptive. Right?

For those who enjoy some wine, beer or a cocktail, keep in mind that IN MODERATION, these can be a nice part of your meal experience.  But that IN EXCESS, alcohol could increase what you perceive as your appetite and decrease your inhibition against overeating.  And that means an unnecessary intake of significantly more calories than you might have intended.

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