10 Reasons to Drink More GIN!

If you need any reasons to drink more gin, there’s been a huge rise in it’s popularity over the last few years and as my favourite tipple, I’m certainly not complaining! With at least one gin bar in everybody’s local town and a huge range of distilleries popping up all over the place, now is by the far the best time to grab yourself some decent tonic and stock up your cabinet for the summer!

1. It’s natural (well, pretty natural at least!). The main ingredients are usually distilled water, spirit alcohol and importantly, juniper berries. Other botanicals include coriander, citrus, cucumber, elderflower, sage, cassia, vanilla, nutmeg, rosemary, caraway and rhubarb. There are so many different flavour combinations that give individual gins various tasting notes.

2. It can help you stay healthier. According to this article on gin’s health benefits, it can reduce the risk of heart disease, and is a diuretic so improves liver and kidney function, helping to flush out toxins – winner!

3. There are so many to choose from. You can make over 700 different cocktails from gin. 700! With that level of variation, and all the botanical, herb and spice combinations used to make each bottle, there’s going to be a flavour out there for everyone.

4. It’ll stop you feeling so bloated. Apparently juniper berries also help your digestion and relieves a bloated stomach, who knew?!

5. Gin used to be used as an anti-malarial. If it worked historically to fight off mozzies, it’s practically medicine, right?! Not sure I’d use it solely to ward off buzzy biters, as you may still get malaria, and that’s no good for anyone, but drinking a large quantity of gin just in case can’t be bad, right?!

6. Your skin will thank you. I’m still unconvinced whether there is such a thing as the wondrous “superfood”, but it has been brought to my attention that juniper berries are very anti-oxidant rich and that, ladies and gentlemen, will reduce wrinkles and make your skin glow. Now who doesn’t want that?

7. You’ll creak less. Without further evidence, I’m hopeful that this one is true but apparently gin can be a life-saver for anyone with arthritis. Don’t ask me how, just give it a good trial perhaps, then even if it doesn’t work, at least you’ll get to drink some deliciousness and will be merry enough not to worry as much about your aching bones.

8. Your tummy will be happy. Best served with tonic, a G&T can cure nausea, sea sickness and stop you farting so much???!!! Their words, not mine! A bit of fizz when you’re feeling sicky really does help, so I do believe this one!

9. You’ll be instantly cool (and potentially also thinner). Gin is the drink at the moment, and although you should never do things just to follow the crowd or impress your friends, gaining some basic gin knowledge now and stocking up your cupboards with the good stuff may get you further than you expect. It’s also one of the least calorific alcoholic drinks you can choose, with an average of 97 calories per drink (which is about 1/2 of a glass of wine!) You know, that promotion at work, getting into your super tight skinny jeans, being labelled a cool kid, winning the lottery…it could all be down to your new-found wonderful taste in gin!

10. It tastes bloody marvelous! Seriously, this is enough in itself. Gin is great and should be drunk at all occasions (though be careful, it does make some people sad, and it was referred to as mother’s ruin after all!!) To buy a really decent bottle of gin won’t break the bank, and will possibly change your whole outlook on refreshing alcoholic beverages, so get out there and drink more gin!

P.S I’m always on the look out for other delicious brands to try, and we cycle between different ones in our cupboard. Hendricks, Sibling and Plymouth are favourites so far, but have you got any recommendations that I have to try?!