The results of scientific studies linking American Population With Soft Drinks And Obesity, not be extrapolated to Spain

Barcelona, May 2009 -. An increasing number of studies on soft drink consumption and obesity, and results-contradictory yet also provoke heated debate. To try to shed light on the controversy, the scientific journal "Nutrition Research Reviews" recently published an article entitled "Soft drinks and obesity: a systematic review of evidence based on studies and analysis", in which warning of the danger of extrapolating results studies in the United States to the European population.


"Most of the results of studies conducted with children and adolescents from the United States, where consumption of soft drinks is twice as high compared with that recorded in Europe," he explains. Likewise, this article adds that American society has a lifestyle more sedentary "that exists in Europe, which aggravates the problem of overweight and obesity. He concludes: "Most studies suggest that the effect of soft drink consumption on a possible weight gain is small except in people prone to gaining weight or have high levels of consumption."


Obesity among the American population has increased considerably and according to the Center for Disease Control United States in 2005 was 23.9% of obese adults, a BMI greater than 30, while in 2007 this percentage already reached 25.6%.


Meanwhile, and according to the Spanish Society for the Study of Obesity (SEED) and the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN), the percentage of obese adult population in Spain is less than 16%. That is, almost 10% lower than that operating in the U.S., an argument that reinforces the view provided by "Nutrition Research Reviews.



Evidence of Oats, in Spanish population

Study Oats, based on a sample of over 1,500 Spanish adolescents, says that "there is a direct relationship between soft drink consumption and obesity," calling for a course of action for health authorities to focus primarily on the recommendation of follow a proper diet and neglect of a sedentary lifestyle.

The results of this study contradict the reports that moderate consumption of soda causes obesity. The work included a sample of 1,523 people, located in the age group ranging from 13 to 18 years, from different Spanish provinces, and indicates that the results of studies that talk of a link between soft drink consumption and obesity are "weak and inconsistent".


According to Professor of Research, Dr. Ascension Marcos, the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), coordinator of the OAT study, "The basic conclusion is that there appears to be an association between the consumption of such beverages and obesity, although the a dietary pattern approach is more convenient to investigate the association between diet and obesity, without forgetting at any moment the level of physical activity. "


Consequently, not only dietary patterns are important, but so are the eating habits and physical activity / inactivity that must always bear in mind when evaluating the relationship with obesity in longitudinal and transverse. "It is therefore important to perform intervention studies to try to identify comprehensive solutions sensitive to the increasing obesity epidemic," says Dr. Mark.


Furthermore, experts point out that the lifestyles of the population are different from either side of the Atlantic with the U.S. being more prone to physical inactivity. Equally influenced by the diet, most destructive in American society for not spending enough time with the food and have a fast lifestyle. Today we have seen that one must devote at least 15 to 45 minutes per meal, according to food type, and make five meals a day.



Other recent studies

According to the Avon study conducted last year in Cambridge, with a total sample of 1,203 children aged between five and six years old, "the results showed no significant association between obesity and sugary drinks. Moreover, the data suggest that the group that ate low-sugar drinks tended to be fat than the group that consumed beverages "not discounted. This seems to be because children tend to gain weight using low-calorie beverages as part of a diet plan, clearly ineffective.


The researchers involved in this study argue that there is very little evidence that sugary beverages play an important role in obesity compared with other foods, but also stress the need to provide balance in the diet. "


Also in this area, scientists at the University of Otago, from different medical areas, specifically analyzed the consumption of sugar or sucrose and its relationship to body weight. The work, published in "Public Health Nutrition", was to investigate the possible relationship between body mass index (BMI) and consumption of sugar and fat in adults and children in New Zealand. To this end, cross-sectional study was conducted in homes and schools that were part of 4379 adults (15 years) and 3049 children (5-14 years). Their results show how adults are overweight or obese did not provide a higher consumption of sugars or sucrose than normal weight adults.

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Water of Life (Brandy)

In any restaurant or bar, looking at the wine map, you see that more than half of the list - this is a brand. The reason for this phenomenon is very simple - the concept of «brandy» too blurred, it means almost any of the alcoholic grape juice.

His name was on this kind of drinks from the Dutch word branwin, which translates as «burning wine». Indeed, the first sugar in alcohol were burned in order to increase its shelf life in the distant traffic. But later it was noticed that the drink is much more palatable. Then the technology to produce steel add distillation, which placed the blame more new flavors. This combination is so pleased to consumers that the recipe came to the manufacture of our times in virtually unaltered.

Each nation has its own manufacturing techniques brandy taste of the drink may vary depending on the feedstock, the method of distillation, aging conditions. But the classic method of production of the drink like a brandy. It is not saying that every brandy - brandy, but not everyone Brandy - Brandy. That is why ordering brandy in England, you can get Armagnac, Calvados, or any other beverage of this type.

Because of the fact that the so-called «water of life» includes too many drinks, it does not develop standards and regulations and determine its quality can only be to the taste. Generally, all brands can be divided into 3 basic categories: wine, fruit and brandy from vyzhimok.

Grape brandy is considered a classic and has no special markings on the label. If the drink was made from a fruit, you will see relevant text, such as «apple brandy». However, manufacturers have thought up another way to get the wine - of vyzhimok. Learning to extrude grapes, humanity has found the use of even the skin and semechkam. The French began to distill using distiller, a product called the «brand». France marks are regulated alcohol, meet certain requirements. They can be produced only in certain territories and called on behalf of the region, where they produce, or a famous vineyard.
Today, brandy is made in many countries, it produces virtually all of the creators of sherry and port, and kept in the same barrels. Even the term appeared as «heresny brandy». Despite the fact that apparently the quality of these drinks is difficult, very often they compete with cognac and armanyakom, the difference is only in the price and place of origin.
Regardless of raw materials, all brands can be: strong (with alcohol content of 80-90%), which are used to make fortified wines, grappa (70-80% alcohol) that are required to use razbavlyayutsya water and conventional brands (with the percentage of alcohol 57-75%). It was the last to be known as the type and beverage brands, which we see for sale.
Is worth mentioning the most famous brands of the drink. In Italy, the benchmark brand is the company Bouton and Stock 84 (this is a strange name of the company received from the creator - Lionello flow, which in 1984 built a distillery in the Mediterranean). In Greece, valued brand Metaxa, on the basis of mixed spirits, wine and candy. Spaniards are proud of drinks from Ribero and Ferreira, who kept in barrels from the port.
It should be noted that any brandy drunk at didzhestiv, ie after the meal. It is believed that the successful completion of a feast - this cup brandy or cognac, accompanied by a cigar. It is not so complete lunches and dinners British lords, they knew that any meal with didzhestivom leaves a pleasant feeling.

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Secrets of the use of brandy

Like every noble drink cognac requires special culture consumption. Drink brandy every day, with or without reason is not accepted, it is created with a view to particularly important or special occasions. To give this drink a little more attention, and he will reveal to you the entire bouquet of aromas. After all, it smells coming from the glass with cognac, delivering the most fun tasters.

Enjoy these spirits in a calm quiet environment, it probably will come to the company of close friends or family than to the noisy, crowded party. Brandy never drink volley, his first long hold in their hands, sniffed bouquets and then start trying. By making this drink so rich smell? It's the recipe brandy, or rather in the manner of its production.

Brandy alcohol produced from wine grape perebrodivshego by double distillation. At this stage the recycled air alcohols, which are attached to the aroma of cognac. Then the ethanol is placed in oak casks for several years, where he filled before the end of aromatics. After such a long way, turning into an elegant brandy drink forreal.

So, true connoisseurs of complying with special ritual before you try it, especially careful degustiruyut elite cognac. To begin with drinks at room temperature and poured into a glass worth about ¼ part. Take a sip, and then the second - a little more, and always hold the brandy in the mouth that rasprobovat. If you do not hurry, you will feel after the second whistle a long aftertaste, which experts described as «the peacock's tail». Brandy starts to exercise their taste and gradually «raskryvayas». For the duration of the poslevkusiya be judged on the quality and the excerpt drink.

If your table there are several kinds of brandy, then you need to start tasting with the young. His weak flavor perfectly complement brandy old, multi-extracts. Do not confuse this drink with others, and the more dilute champagne, soda water, etc. Usually used it in its pure form, the didzhestiv - ie after the meal. Many experts believe that Brandy did not even a snack, but the etiquette is allowed to combine the brandy and chocolate, a cigar or a cup of coffee. You can also bring a drink with nuts, desserts, cheeses. Lemon snack extremely desirable - it perebivaet smell and taste of cognac.

However, all this does not prevent a mixture of brandy and other alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. It fits well with fruit juices, liquor, tea, cream and even milk. For example, the recipe for a popular cocktail with cognac under the name «Alexander». Take 20 ml of brandy, 20 ml dark liquor Crem de Cacao, 20 ml cream. All the ingredients together with ice severely shake in shaker and strain into a glass for a cocktail. Sprinkle nutmeg.

There are many simple and sophisticated cocktails, but they better add a young cognac. Drink with a long history of mixing with other components considered a bad habit.

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What brandy choose?

Brandy called the drink of gods, its surprisingly mild taste warms your warmth and gives people pleasure. However, it is able to do only true high-quality brandy. How to find the true diversity of drinks cognac, created in the best traditions of winemaking? Let's try to answer this question.

One of the leading manufacturers of the drink is France. Cognac houses of the country known around the world - they are the leading wine-making. Thus, the trading house Godet produces brandy Year, sold 1 million bottles a year. Since 16 century, the company operates under the division: «We choose the spirits, how to choose friends». This phrase is defined, and the quality and taste of the drink. Brandy House Year by such famous brands: Cuvee Jean Gandet (consistent with the quality of VS, 2 years excerpts). Selection Specialc (6-8 years), Gastronome (Fin-Shamnap, in line with the quality of VSOP), Napoleon (15 years, the bottle depicts a bust of Napoleon I), Exellence (25 years), XO (Fin-Champagne, 30 years old), Renaissance ( Grande Champagne, 50 years). The grapes for this cognac is purchased from the best regions of France, so all drinks have the tart flavor and a long aftertaste that is a sign of a good drink.
As you know, make good cognac is very difficult. For this, you have certain skills, knowledge, materials and equipment. However, the recipe of this brandy is not only the French, in our country especially popular Armenian brandy.

In Armenia, there is everything you need for a delicious cognac: fertile land, the best grape varieties, the secrets of cooking wine, which are passed down from generation to generation. The first mention of the wine industry in this country goes back to ancient times, there cultivate vine has approximately 3500 years. During this time, Armenian brandy managed to create serious competition for the French.

To date, the most famous manufacturer of Armenian cognac are the Yerevan Brandy Factory (EKZ, Ararat brandy), "Great Valley" (Great Valley), Yerevan Brandy-Wine-Vodka Factory "Ararat" (EKVVK Ararat, brandy Araspel Noah, Noah Classic), Ararat Marz BB "A.K.Z. (brandy Arpi), Shahumyan-Win."

All Armenian cognacs are divided into 3 major categories: ordinary, vintage and collectible. It is necessary to know when choosing a drink. Ordinary brandies made from cognac alcohol, aged for at least 3 years, they may be three, four, five and six (respectively, by year excerpts). This period is shown by asterisks on the label. Vintage cognac brandy is made from alcohol, aged in oak barrels for at least 6 years. A collection of vintage cognacs produce further aged at least three years in oak barrels klepok. For the collection of vintage cognacs keep the name.

Among the most famous Armenian cognac brandy Noah in Russia, is a real reason to be proud of wine. The secret of its quality and the cancellation of taste - in the production process. By age-old tradition of preparing for peregonnyh cubes double distillation, and the resulting alcohol poured into the barrel and hold for several years. For the most vyderzhannogo - "The Lord of Noah" used alcohol, with an average age of which has at least 25 years. In "Noah Classic in addition to 15-and 20-year brandies include younger drinks - a 7-and 10-year old extracts. A Noah Araspel "be kept even lower - 3 and 5 years.

So now you know what you can buy the brandy, to fully enjoy all the charm of the drink. These stamps are fully compatible with the best traditions of winemaking, and appreciated the world.

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Drink for the strong spirit

If you ask shotlandtsa than remarkable, his country, in response, you will hear a long monologue about the invention of golf, bagpipes, tartan cloth, tubeless type tires, paraffin, and, of course, drink from the harsh nature of whisky.

Although the Scots are confident that they gave the world of whiskey is constantly challenged by the Irish. It is not a century, these countries can not decide who should belong garland. It is generally accepted that this drink «uisge beath» was brought to Scotland by missionaries, after which the British changed its name to easily proiznosimoe. Irish by contrast, argue that whiskey was invented by St. Patrick, who was handling the Gentiles in faith. Historically, to prove a possible, but it is not so important. The main thing is that the drink as whiskey was born, and quickly gained popularity around the world.

Scots believe that the drink of their national pride, and there is a reason. They began mass production of whiskey, the first in the monasteries on the simplest distiller, where barley and rye have been subjected to distillation, and alcohol became harder. Years later, the right to make whiskey transferred to the nobility, and then to major distiller, and the whole industry. So the quality of «water of life» is gradually improving, but its popularity in the West has reached unprecedented levels. And today, of the 40 most popular and best beverage world, the position of the 19 varieties of whiskey.

Talking about the beverage, primarily involve the Scottish whiskey, and only after that irladnsky, American, Canadian and other whiskeys. Scots make whiskey from barley and called «tape». The taste of the drink may depend on the area where the barley grown, but all kinds of tape brought millions of state treasury income.

Irish whisky is also very popular, it differs from the Scottish «brothers» cooking technology. This adds to the barley malt rye, oats or wheat, all aged 5-12 years old and have a drink with a delicate and mild taste. The most well-known brands in the Irish - «Jameson Irish Whiskey», «Tullamore Dew», «Old Bushmills», who observed a tradition for centuries.

In Canada, whiskey became popular in the era of Sukhoi law states, when the production of alcohol increased by 100 times. The largest Canadian company - «Crown Royal» and its elite whiskey. For example, recently the company has produced the most expensive and exclusive beverage «Тhe Crown Royal XR Extra Rare Heritage Blend». He gave the British queen in honor of 400 anniversary of the British boarding in a new light.

Among the market leaders and have an American whiskey, which is used instead solozheniya boiled corn and rye. Exposure to obuglennyh barrels gives this whiskey golden color and sweet taste. At the Irish style drink called «whisky». Today in the U.S. are 12 vinokurennyh enterprises, but the best are from areas of Tennessee and Kentucky. In Russia, you can buy whiskey from the states under the names «Maker's Mark», «Wild Turkey», and the most popular - «Jim Beam». Interestingly, the latest brand produced simultaneously at two different plants, but the quality and taste are obtained identical. How to do it - the world is unknown, the family Bima securely stores secrets.

It must be said that any whiskey - it is an unusual drink, for many people, the use of whiskey - it is a way of life. True connoisseurs know and respect the creators of the drink, as well as the very taste and aroma of whiskey. Fans «water of life» carefully study the history of the companies producing traditional and new technologies in the market, and only then proceed to tasting.

That is why a glass of whiskey made to drink slowly, warming in the palms and delaying in the mouth. Only in this way can be felt that this drink while bitter, sweet, sour and salty. But most of whiskey valued long aftertaste: fragrant, sweet and long. Try a tasting, and then compare their feelings with descriptions of experienced experts!

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Cognac - Health Drink

Brandy - is not just a nice strong drink, it is called a «health elixir» and «water of life». Aromatics, which are contained in the glasses of cognac, improve your rights and are able to cure many diseases.

Even in ancient times, it was observed therapeutic effects of the drink: one old retsepturnoy book was written a secret brandy drugs. According to the recipe, you'll need to fill a bottle of liquid, pour it dried salt and wait until the brandy rise to congestion. After a good shake up the mixture and apply as a remedy for bruises, strains, from headaches, rheumatism and even skin cancer.

The reason for this phenomenon is simply - in the preparation of this noble drink a lot of alcohols and ethereal oils, which saturate the brandy aroma and useful properties. In addition, an extract of brandy in oak casks for several years, reinforces the effect of biologically active substances. That is why the old brandy in the world is considered an excellent tonic and therapeutic tool.

Certainly, many are aware that with cold glass of cognac works better than any tablet. Cognac widens blood vessels and relieves headaches, and 30 ml of the drink with sugar will help with hypertension and angina pectoris. One spoon of cognac, on the advice of doctors, reassure your nerves, relieve stress and help cope with severe shock. Of course, one should not get involved in this drink, if you have a serious illness: diabetes, zhelchekamennaya disease, etc. Therefore, traveling for cognac in the shop, keep in mind that in some cases, alcohol is contraindicated, it is only harming your body.

Cognac treats not only the internal disease, but also outside: acne can bring a mixture of wine, glycerin, water and drills. Regular protiranie problematic skin that composition would improve the appearance of the skin. Due to the high content of tanning agents in the brandy, it has a therapeutic effect and in the oral cavity. Even if you rinse your mouth tsinge sailors this drink that strengthens the gums and teeth. Today, the use of brandy seems at least strange.

It should be noted that the older the age of the drink, the more nutrients it contains. They do not evaporate, and the more complementary range of flavors of brandy. Thus, aged cognac 5 stars (highest quality) are used for medicinal infusions, than, for example, brandy 3 stars. It is believed that its regular use (no more than 15 ml per day) protects against heart disease and blood vessels. According to some physicians, long live the people who sometimes drink alcoholic beverages in a very limited number than those who drink hard or even refrain from alcohol.

This image «prolongs life» root more for red wine, but almost all the drinks on ethanol have these qualities. However, brandy, no doubt, contains far more nutrients than vodka or martini. The distinctive features he gives, as already mentioned, the process of manufacture.

By the way, one time, manufacturers had a lot of deals on the sale of brandy is due to its medicinal qualities. For example, in the U.S. market even in times of «dry law» Hennessy cognac in the retail outlet has moved to a pharmacy! There, he happily waited to mitigate the law, without losing customers.

Whatever the case, therapeutic qualities of cognac proved scientifically, and he successfully helps people get rid of the disease. Index - not to overdo it and not to use too often.

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