Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Your weekly dose of drug facts while dispelling fiction
0:00:00
You're listening to locally produced programming created in KUNV Studios on Public Radio. KUNV 91.5. Welcome to another episode of The Chemical Collective.
0:00:19
The Chemical Collective offers you your weekly dose of drug facts while dispelling fiction. Today, we're going to be talking about the alcoholic beverage tequila and some of its effects on the brain and society.
0:00:31
My name is Kendra McLaughlin. And I'm Alayna Quino. All right, let's get into it. So tequila, it's a staple that you might find in most bars and restaurants. But compared to other drugs that we've talked about on the show, our audience might be more familiar because of that. But let's start off with the beginning. Where does tequila come from and when did humans first start consuming it? All right, those are great questions. All right, starting off, tequila is an alcoholic beverage that's actually made from the blue agave plant that's primarily found in a small city in Mexico called Tequila. So this is a small, this is a city just north, just 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara and in the Jalisco state of Mexico. So actually, the origins of tequila can be traced all the way back to pre-Columbian times, when the indigenous people first started fermenting agave, sap to produce some sort of alcoholic beverage and back then it was known as polky. It is believed that Aztecs who inhibited the region which is now Mexico were doing this from the 14th to 16th century were actually the first ones to use agave plant for the purpose of actually drinking it. Okay. Alcohol as we know it today actually wasn't introduced until about the 16th century. This is usually done after the Spanish conquistadors arrived in Mexico. They first began distilling polky to create a much stronger alcoholic beverage that'll actually last longer, which is what we know today as tequila. It was also a lot easier to transport because of the higher alcoholic content. This new distilled beverage was actually known as Mezcal wine, excuse me, which will eventually be known as tequila. The first original or official tequila factory was not established, however, into the late 18th century in the town of Tequila which is now considered to be the birthplace of what we know as Tequila. Tequila has since become a very popular spirit around the world and is a significant part of the Mexican culture and identity. Okay whenever we talk about you know different types of beverages I can't help but wonder if this is has any similarity to what we see in whisky as far as the different styles or variations of Tequila. Can you expand on that? Of course, yeah. So actually there are different styles of tequila. So the most popular one is typically the Blanco or the Silver tequila, but there are three more that are that aren't as commonly known as the Espada, Añejo, and Extra Añejo. So for the Silver, this is the most common kind that you'll see people taking shots at in the bar. It's typically a very clear, very strong liquid, agave flavored with a hint of sweetness. It's usually not aged for very long, maybe about two months max, and that's typically considered the silver. Next up above that we have the Vespado, which this tequila is actually aged for at least two months. Okay. But no more than a year, and it's actually done in oak barrels. This actually gives it a slightly golden color and a much smoother taste than what's typically seen in the Blanco tequila. And then we also have the Añejo. So this tequila is actually aged for at least one year but no more than three in oak barrels as well which actually gives it an even darker color than the raspallo and a much smoother more complex flavor than it as well. And then on top of that we have the extra añejo which is just like the name kind of hints at this is a tequila that's aged for even longer. How long we talk in? That's a good question of at least three years but it can go much much longer than that. Typically the longer you distill it or the longer you age it, the deeper in color and the smoother and richer in flavor it gets. So in addition to the different styles when it comes to aging, you can actually change add artificial flavors or natural flavors to the tequilas as well. You can infuse it with lime, coconut, or even jalapeno among many many others. I'm sure many have seen these at bars and they can also be made with different types of agave, not just the blue agave, which can also give it a very unique and distinct flavor. So depending on the agave, depending on how long it's aged, and depending if you want to add any natural flavors can very distinctly change the type of your tequila experience. So you're mentioning, you know, we start off with this agave plant, but how do we get it all the way to the tequila that we know, what's the process that's involved in this? All right, so the process for making tequila typically involves harvesting the agave plant, and then you cook it to convert all the starches into some sort of fermentable sugar. Then once you've cooked the agave, it gets crushed and to release all the fermented juice, then you distill it and then you age it in barrels to produce what we know as tequila. Okay, so I know that there might be different variations as far as like how the preparation of tequila might change. For instance, if there's a different agave being used, can you expand on that? Yeah, of course. So the agave preparation can change depending on the agave just because every plant has a different properties. So the two main types of agave that are used in the production of tequila is the blue agave and the lesser-known agave varieties such as the agave Angus da Folia, the agave Rhone de Cafa, and agave Maximiliana. So the blue agave is the most commonly used variety for the tequila production and it has very specific characteristics that are taken into account during the production process. So the blue agaves typically harvested for around 8 to 12 years, and then the leaves are stripped away to reveal the core or the pina, which is then roasted, crushed, and fermented. While these other agave varieties may require different preparation methods due to their unique characteristics, such as the thickness of the pina or the composition of their sugars. For example, so if we take the agave Augustifolia, which is known to have a thicker pina, this can require a much longer roasting time while the agave Rhone-Necasa has a higher sugar content, which will actually make it, which can actually greatly affect the fermentation process. Earlier you mentioned that the origins of tequila can be traced back to pre-Columbian times, and I'm curious how you think the use of tequila has changed over time. Oh yeah, so the use of tequila has changed dramatically over time. So typically when tequila was first created, it typically used as a more of a slower drinking liquor. So like a different experience. It was a different experience altogether. Back then historically it was primarily used in Mexico and it was seen kind of, it was often drunk neat, sipped very slowly, and the eutypia accompanied with what we know as lime and salt to help enhance all these flavors and kind of balance out the really strong agave taste that some tequilas can have. However, through the years tequila has become much more popular and has expanded use to more traditional occasions, to the parties, etc. And now tequila is also used in a lot of different cocktails such as the very classic, very popular margaritas, palomas, and even tequila sunrises, as well as new innovative creations that are showcased every day to showcase kind of the spirits versatility and complexity and flavor. Tequila has even made its way into the world of fine dining where it's sometimes paired with high-end cuisine to create a very unique and even memorable dining experience. So you pair food really well with the different types of tequila. In addition to that some of these newer distilleries popping up have begun to producing more premium style tequilas that are meant to be savored like fine wine in age spirits. The use of tequila has evolved over time to reflect changes in tainted culture preferences as well as the increasing globalization of food and drink culture. But despite many of these changes, tequila still remains an important symbol of the Mexican culture and heritage. And its production and consumption continue to be closely tied to the country's history and tradition, which is why we still pair it with salt and lime primarily. Okay, now I'm a little bit more intrigued as well. So you said that this is expanding beyond traditional drinking occasions. What are these traditional customs or ceremonies that are associated with tequila? Yeah, so one of the most popular customs associated with tequila would be this agave harvesting ceremony or Hema, which involves the cutting and the harvesting of the mature agave plant. It's usually some sort of party. It's a communal meal and you have festivities at the end to kind of celebrate the harvesting of this very important plant for many many people. It usually takes place between the months of June and November, so right around the summertime heading into the fall. And it's an important culture event that's happening in many of the tequila producing regions found in Mexico. Are there any other ones? Yeah, so along with that there's actually tasting ceremony as well associated with tequila also known as the degustación. So this is briefly mentioned earlier when we evolved sipping tequila with salt and lime, but there's actually a little bit more to that. They even have these very special ceramic cups known as caballitos and they are typically accompanied like I said with a wedge of lime and some salt. The ritual itself involves licking the salt from the back of your hand, taking a sip of tequila, and then sucking on the wedge of lime to enhance the flavor. Among that there's also more, there's several festivals and celebrations associated with tequila itself, such as the National Tequila Fair and the International Tequila Festival, which all take place in Mexico and showcase the culture and historical significance of tequila. Well, I am finally getting to the segment that all of us nerds enjoy. How does tequila work in the brain? Can you tell us what receptors are involved in the process? Yeah, so tequila is an alcohol, which means it contains ethanol, which is a psychoactive substance that affects several neurotransmitters, primarily the GABA, I mean, amino butyric acid known as GABA system, the glutamate system, and even the dopamine system. So the GABA system is particularly and primarily affected by ethanol. It's believed to be the main mechanism behind which tequila and other ethanol-based drinks take effect. And ethanol actually enhances the activity of the estaphyl receptor, which is responsible for inhibiting a lot of our neural activity, which actually leads our brain to be less excitable and can actually produce feelings of relaxation and sedation, which is what people typically affect once they've ingested some sort of alcohol. They get more relaxed, they're a little bit more at ease. So this is the system that's responsible for that. And on top of that, we also affect, ethanol also affects the glutamate system, which is responsible for stimulating the neural activity in the brain. So while ethanol can, so ethanol inhibits the activity of these receptors, which can then lead to decreases in our cognitive function, in paracordination, and even our memory. So lastly would be the dopamine system. So this is actually really, so this is a system that's most associated with pleasure and reward in the brain. So ethanol can actually work to increase the release of dopamine in the brain, which makes us feel euphoric and really, really happy. That's where typically people who have had access to drink are really, really loud, they're having a really good time, they seem to be really really happy as well. Okay, so you've mentioned GABA, glutamine, we have dopamine, but does tequila have effect on any other neurotransmitters? Yes, so it can affect three other systems as well known as the serotonin system, the norepinephrine, and the acetylcholine system. So it can actually help modulate the activities of these other three. So for example, it'll actually enhance the release of serotonin in the brain, which actually helps us feel relaxed, calm, and it also affects the norepinephrine system, which is responsible for regulating our arousal and attention. In moderate doses, ethanol can be seen to increase norepinephrine levels in the brain, which can produce a sense of alertness and heightened sensory perception. So while there's like this very small window when you first start drinking, when you're like hyper alert, you can sense a lot more things and you're more sensitive. That's a very small window, that's when it's working on this neuropenephrine system. And then lastly, it can also affect the acetylcholine system which is involved in our cognitive functioning, memory, and learning. So ethanol or tequila will actually inhibit the release of acetylcholine in the brain which is what leads to us having memory impairments and even cognitive deficits we don't actually remember. If we have too much, we don't actually remember what happened the night before. Okay, okay, so we have a perspective of what's happening in the brain. Yes. What's happening in the body? Can you expand on the effects that an alcoholic beverage like tequila has on the body? Yeah, so tequila has both negative and positive effects on the body. So tequila is actually known to positively affect digestion. So in small doses, so tequila actually has this compound known as agavins, which is a type of sugar that is not fully metabolized in the body, which can help act as a prebiotic and promote the growth of many of the beneficial bacteria found in our gut, which can aid in digestion and improve our overall gut health. In small. In very small doses. Obviously you don't wanna do in excess because then you can have the opposite effect. Now you've done too much, exactly.
0:13:14
So in addition to that,
0:13:15
it is important to note that it is an alcoholic beverage and obviously excess consumption will have negative effects on the body. Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means it's essentially gonna dehydrate the body by increasing our urine production, which can lead to headaches, fatigue, and even dry mouth. Additionally, alcohol can even impair cognitive function and motor skills, which can then lead to increase the risk of getting into an accident and other injuries. Like every other alcoholic beverage, tequila is also going to affect the liver. So the liver is the main, is the organ responsible for metabolizing alcohol and drinking in excess can actually lead to inflammation, scarring, and even liver disease. Moreover, alcohol can also weaken your immune system. So if you drink too much, you can actually be more susceptible to infections because um and lastly the effects of tequila on the body can vary depend uh can vary greatly depending on factors such as the amount consumed, an individual person's tolerance to alcohol, as well as the presence of any underlying health issues. Um that being said just with any drug like just with any drug tequila can be potentially dangerous. It is essential to consume tequila and other alcoholic beverages in moderation to avoid any adverse effects on the body, of course. Okay, you briefly mentioned that there are some serious effects that can happen to the liver, but I'm also curious about how tequila might affect things like the cardiovascular system. Yeah, so in moderation, tequila can't actually have some cardiovascular benefit, but of course in excess anything can be adversive. So the agavans that I mentioned earlier, which are found in tequila, have been shown to help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. This can have a positive effect on our cardiovascular health since high blood pressure and insulin resistance are risk factors for developing heart disease. Furthermore, some studies have suggested that moderate alcohol consumption, including tequila, may actually help raise our HDL cholesterol levels. So this is typically known as the good cholesterol. This is the one that we want in our body, which can actually help reduce the risk of heart disease as well. However, like I mentioned before, it is worth noting that this effect may be modest, but not, may be modest, since excessive alcohol consumption can actually lead to hypertension or high blood pressure, which is a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Additionally excessive alcohol consumption can lead to irregular heartbeats known as arrhythmia which can then increase the risk of sudden cardiac death. So it's important to note that while drinking tequila or any alcoholic beverage can also interfere with some medications used to treat many cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure so it's essential to speak to a health care provider about any potential interaction before you start drinking. That's a really important thing to note. How long do some of these effects take for a tequila after one ingests it? So the initial onset for tequila to take effect is typically about five to ten minutes, but it will vary depending on an individual's weight, their metabolism, and even the amount of alcohol consumed,
0:16:27
amongst many, many others.
0:16:28
So on average, the peak time will be about 30 minutes to an hour after the initial intake of tequila. And then once you've consumed the tequila, it'll then enter your stomach, which will then be absorbed partially in your stomach, will be partially absorbed in your stomach,
0:16:45
into your bloodstream,
0:16:46
but most of the absorption for alcohol actually happens in your small intestine. Once it reaches your bloodstream, it'll then be distributed throughout your entire body. The liver itself also, like I mentioned before, metabolizes all the alcohol at a relatively constant rate, which is about one standard eight ounce drink per hour. And therefore, the effects of tequila will also depend on how quickly the liver can metabolize the alcohol. So if you're drinking a lot, your liver can't keep up, the effects are going to be a lot stronger. And super dangerous. Correct. That kind of leads me into the next thing that I'm sure a lot of people might wonder is whether tequila is considered an addictive substance. Oh yeah, of course. So like any other alcoholic beverage, tequila is addictive. The addictive properties of tequilas are due to its alcoholic content and can actually lead to permanent changes to the brain's chemistry and create a sense of pleasure and reward. So some of the typical signs of alcohol addiction or alcoholism would be this craving of alcohol, continued use of alcohol despite all the negative consequences in your life, difficulty controlling the amount or even the frequency of how often you're drinking. You can also see an increase in your tolerance to alcohol, which means you're requiring more alcohol every time you drink to get the same effect. But also, more importantly, is this idea of giving up other activities in order to compensate for your drinking and to recover from your drinking. Right. Can you expand on some of those withdrawal symptoms that you just alluded to when it comes to consuming tequila? Yeah, so some of the very common withdrawal symptoms associated with tequila and other alcohol beverages include anxiety, depression, irritability, nausea, vomiting, sweating and tremors in excess, headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and other forms of difficulty sleeping. And in very, very severe cases, you can get things like seizures and even hallucinations.
0:18:50
Oh wow.
0:18:51
Typically the onset and duration of the withdrawal symptoms can vary and it will depend on the severity of the alcoholism, but they usually start within a few hours to a few days and they can last a drink or even several days or weeks depending on the severity of the case. Withdrawal symptoms can be particularly severe for people who have a history of heavy or long-term alcoholic use. Okay, so you're mentioning some very like adverse reactions to drinking tequila, and I'm wondering if it's possible to overdose while drinking tequila. Yes, tequila, like many other types, can actually cause a range of effects on the body and brain depending on the amount and frequency of the consumption. So it is possible to get a lethal dose of tequila or any alcohol truthfully, but it varies depending on several factors, including a person's individual weight, their tolerance, their age, and any other health conditions that they might have. So this level of toxicity and association to alcohol is known as alcohol poisoning or acute alcohol poisoning. And it's also known as an alcohol overdose, which can occur when a person drinks a large amount of tequila or other alcoholic beverage in a very short amount of time. Some of the symptoms associated with alcohol overdose include confusion, disorientation, loss of coordination, very slurred speech, nausea, vomiting, and even an irregularity or slowing of your breathing, loss of consciousness, and seizures, and even coma and a very severe death. So alcohol overdose can be very life-threatening and is essential to seek emergency medical attention. If you or someone you know show symptoms of alcohol poisoning. In very severe cases, alcohol overdose can lead to respiratory failure, coma, or even death. Wow, we hear a lot of instances of people like quote unquote blacking out or whatever when drinking large amounts of alcohol. But I wonder how many people know how serious it is essentially. Yeah, fortunately not many people do. Understand that acute alcohol poisoning is very much so a thing. Very, very much dangerous. Okay, I'm very curious to know about some of the scheduling around tequila. So is, to first start off, is tequila a scheduled substance? So in the U.S., tequila is not considered a scheduled substance under the Controlled Substance Act. However, the production and distribution and sales of tequila are regulated by various federal and state laws, and tequila is subject to taxation by the federal government and therefore there is some regulation in place that governs the labeling and advertising of tequila. How is tequila specifically regulated in the US? So in the United States tequila is regulated by several federal agencies including the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as well as the Food and Drug Administration. So the TTB or the Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau is responsible for issuing permits and regulating the production, the labeling, and the advertising of tequila, while the FDA is responsible for regulating the use of certain additives and coloring in tequila. In addition to that, each state has their own laws and regulations governing the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverage within that state themselves. So how would you say the regulation of tequila compares to other types of alcohol? I think the regulation of tequila is very similar to vaccine and other distilled spirits, such as vodka and rum, particularly here in the U.S. All of these beverages are subject to regulation by the TTP and FDA, as I mentioned earlier, as well as being subject to their own state laws and regulations. However, the regulation of alcoholic beverages can vary greatly by the country, with some countries having more strict controls of production and distribution while others having relatively lax regulations in comparison to the US.
0:22:30
Go on.
0:22:31
I'm curious now, how is tequila regulated in other countries? So in Mexico specifically, so all tequila is regulated by the Mexican government, which has established very strict rules and regulations for its production, labeling, and distribution. So for a drink or liquor to be considered tequila, the beverage must be made with blue agave plants grown in a very specific region of Mexico and then it has to meet very specific production standards and criteria such as the type of distillation process used. However in other countries tequila is regulated by their respective government and can be subject to different laws and regulations related to its production labeling and distribution. For example the European Union has established regulation governing the production and labeling of tequila sold in its member countries. Tequila sold in the EU must meet certain criteria, must be produced in accordance with Mexican law. Other countries may have their own regulations related to the sale and consumption of tequila and other alcoholic beverages. For example, some countries may have even different legal drinking ages or restrictions on the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages. Well, it looks like we have reached a segment where we do have a little bit of time to go through some student questions, some students here from UNLV. It looks like we have one or two. You up for it? Yeah, of course. Okay, okay. So the first one is, why is tequila only produced in certain regions of Mexico? Alright, so the specific geographic regions where tequila can produce are known as the Dominion of Origin of Tequila. So the DO is the legal designation that ensures that tequila is made in accordance with very specific quality standards and production method. It's used to protect the reputation of tequila as a very unique and high quality product of Mexico. So once again this blue agave plant thrives in the highlands in central Mexico where the climate and soil are ideal for its growth. This is why the designated tequila production regions are located in these areas. That's typically where you find all of these plants. And this plant is used to make tequila, must be grown in these very specific regions, and meet certain quality standards. Okay. The last one that I have for you here is, are there any environmental concerns related to the production of tequila? So there's actually several environmental concerns related to tequila production. One of the main issues is the impact on water resources. So tequila production requires a significant amount of water for irrigation, as well as for the distillation process. This can put a strain on local water sources, and especially in arid conditions, where water can be particularly sparse, as well as that there is a concern on the impact of agave farming on local ecosystems. So agave plants are monocultures, which means they're typically grown in very large single species fields, which can lead to soil degradation, erosion, and a loss of biodiversity in the surrounding area. OK. It looks like we've reached our time for today. I want to thank you so much for a great discussion. And for those listening, thank you for coming to The Chemical Collective for coming to The Chemical Collective to get your weekly dose of drug facts while dispelling fiction.