Hot Toddies: Health benefits and possible risks

Those who have trouble holding their liquor or are taking certain medications and dealing with specific health issues should abstain from this alcoholic beverage.

Hot Toddy origin

A hot toddy is typically a mixed drink made of liquor, tea, and water with honey. Sugar, herbs, and spices, can be added depending on the taste of the person who is drinking. The drink is served hot and in Ireland is referred to as hot whiskey. Traditionally the toddy is drunk just before bedtime, to relieve the symptoms of the cold and flu and or to help you fall asleep.

The word toddy comes from the toddy drink in India, which is produced by fermenting the sap from palm trees. The earliest known use of a toddy as a beverage made from spices, hot water, sugar, and liquor dates back to the 1610s in British-controlled India. By 1786 the hot toddy was official as the drink made from an alcoholic beverage with "hot water, sugar, and spices.”

There are some sources, however, who credit Robert Bentley Todd for his prescription of a hot drink of brandy, water, canella (white cinnamon), syrup, and sugar. Some may attribute the name of the drink to the physician but he was not b0orn until April 1809 long after the drink already had it's name..

Benefits from drinking a hot toddy

Hot toddies should be used in moderation and not on a regular basis for a long period of time in order to enjoy the benefits. There are detractors who say that hot tea with honey and lemon can be enjoyed without the alcohol but others swear by the healing and relaxing power of a hot toddy. The combination of ingredients has been said to help with colds, flu, pneumonia, sore throat, and other ailments.

There is also a mental health benefit to this drink according to a study that was published in 2016 in PLoS One. The researchers found that the warmer your mouth is, the more connected you feel to people around you". Feeling relaxed and content goes a long way in helping us all feel better about ourselves.

Keep in mind that alcohol is a diuretic and too much can lead to dehydration. Make sure you drink a glass of water before or after the hot toddy to maintain hydration. My motto is that everything the Creator put in the earth has a benefit but man often abuses and misuses natural resources. These abuses are why there are those who absolutely do not agree with drinking alcohol in any shape, form, or fashion. A good rule of thumb is to do all things in moderation.

Different strokes

In Canada, maple syrup is often utilized to sweeten the toddy and additional ingredients such as a cinnamon stick, ground cinnamon, cloves, anhd or a lemon slice have often been added. Some people use the alcoholic drink Rock and Rye and add lemon juice and honey. The bottom line seems to be choosing the drink of your choice, whether whiskey, bourbon, or scotch.

The thing to keep in mind is that different people will have individual results when drinking a hot toddy. One person may fall fast asleep while another will remain awake. Someone else might get a buzz from the liquor and a different person may feel nothing at all. If you are feeling under the weather please note that medical experts say that stress can keep you feeling bad. A hot drink before bedtime might help to relax so your body can heal naturally.

The information in this article is not to diagnose, treat or cure any illness but is for information purposes only.