Gin is a classic fixture of any bar. It has a long, storied history, its origins dating back to the Middle Ages, when it was used as a herbal medicine. It's believed to have been produced since the 17th century in Holland. King William III, a Dutchman who became king of England in 1689, encouraged the drinking of gin. The word gin was taken from the French word genievre and the Dutch jenever, both of which mean juniper, the plant used by distillers of the era to make medicines for apothecaries. Today, juniper berries are still required to be the main flavour for gin under European Commission regulations. Gin is gluten-free as the distillation process destroys the gluten and yeast in the cereals/grains used in the spirit. Interestingly, gin also uses almonds, and their allergenic substances are also consumed during the distillation process. The most common botanicals used in the production of gin are: Spices: juniper, cardamom, liquorice, caraway seed, grains of paradise, cinnamon, nutmeg, anise seed, cassia bark, orris root, ginger and saffron

Fruit and nuts: lemon, orange, grapefruit and almonds Each producer of gin has its own secret mixture of these ingredients, which is a trademark of its brand. London gin denotes a style of gin, not gin that is made in London - it must have no more than 0.1 grams of sugar per litre and the word "dry" may also be added to the label. The term "limeys" came about from the Royal Navy, which issued crews with a ration of citrus fruits in order to combat scurvy (a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C) during the age of exploration.best wine tour champagne And during the reign of William III, it seems the sailors were issued a ration of gin rather than rum, and this is when lime first met gin.beer and wine wedding reception The most popular way to drink gin is with tonic - another medicinal recommendation from the era when the British ruled India, and used as a prophylactic for malaria. best wine when you are on a diet

Tonic contains quinine, and the British who were stationed in India were given rations of this in powder form. To make quinine more palatable, it was mixed with soda and sugar and thus a basic tonic water was created. The first commercial version of tonic water was produced in 1858. Under ultraviolet light, the quinine that is in tonic glows. In the modern era, the US Food and Drug Administration limits the quinine content to 83ppm per litre of tonic; wine by the case deals ukthe daily therapeutic dosage is in the range of 500ppm-1,000ppm. best wine for under 200To effectively prevent malaria, the dosage is 10mg/kg every eight hours, which works out to 2,100mg a day for a 70kg adult. best wines to give as a christmas giftThat's a lot of gin and tonics for one person, but, of course, no doctor these days would recommend taking so much gin and tonic for malaria.

Nellie Ming Lee is a member of the Court of Master SommeliersWant more from Sunday TODAY? Catch up on our interviews and features here Science says drink up! A glass of wine can totally help chill you out Tom Kelley Archive/retrofile/getty images / Today “Drinking wine—and alcohol in general—is one of the most time-honored ways for disconnecting our brains at the end of the day,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., board certified internist and author of numerous health and wellness books, his latest being The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution. ”This has been documented for over 5,000 years, and there’s a good reason for its persistent popularity.””Alcohol, including wine, calms transiently because it is a central nervous system depressant,” explains David L. Katz, M.D., the founding director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center, and the author of Disease-Proof. In other words, alcohol is sedating. But before you hop into your pajamas and pop your favorite Moscato, there are a few things to keep in mind, including how much you drink and when.

“One glass of wine at dinner is apt to have a calming effect without impairing sleep,” adds Dr. Katz. Yet drinking greater quantities of wine can have a direct effect on your metabolism, which can interrupt your slumber. “So the net effect of relying on alcohol for relaxation is adverse if too much is consumed, too close to bed time.” Dr. Teitelbaum also warns: “Those who suffer from severe gastritis and nighttime acid reflux should avoid wine since it can aggravate these conditions.” If you’re looking for an extra health boost, sip a glass of red wine, as opposed to white. “Red wine contains resveratrol, which may decrease Alzheimer's risk and increase your life span,” states Teitelbaum. In fact, a recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School discovered that this compound directly activates a protein that promotes health and longevity. “What a great way to live long and love living!” says Teitelbaum. A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.

Did you know an extremely useful medicine and food already grows in your yard -- and you probably consider it a lawn pest? In fact, if you've spent countless hours battling your dandelions, you might find a certain satisfaction in abandoning your hoes and sprays and simply eating the enemy. The entire plant is used in herbal remedies: roots, leaves, and flowers. The flowers are not usually eaten, but they are used to make wine. The wonderful weed has a strong herbal remedy purpose, and can help with digestion and other bodily functions. Gathered early, after the spring's first warm spell, the leaves and roots are used as a spring tonic and to stimulate digestion and vitality after a long winter. Dandelion greens also have been used as a diuretic, an agent that promotes the loss of water from the body through urination. Their diuretic effect can make dandelion greens helpful in lowering blood pressure and relieving premenstrual fluid retention. Dandelion roots contain inulin and levulin, starchlike substances that may help balance blood sugar, as well as a bitter substance (taraxacin) that stimulates digestion.

The very presence of a bitter taste in the mouth promotes the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder, as well as hydrochloric acid from the stomach. Bitters have been used for centuries in many countries before meals as a digestive stimulant. Do you avoid bitter-tasting foods? Many people do, but this may not reflect a balanced appetite. According to Asian philosophies, the diet should contain foods that are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. The few bitter tastes Westerners embrace are coffee, wine, and beer, which may have something to do with the higher incidence of digestive diseases in Western cultures, compared with Asian cultures. Dandelion leaves are also rich in minerals and vitamins, particularly calcium and vitamins A, C, K, and B2 (riboflavin). Besides the stimulating bitter substances, dandelion roots also contain choline, another liver stimulant. Dandelion roots make wonderful colon cleansing and detoxifying medications because any time digestion is improved, the absorption of nutrients and the removal of wastes from the body improve as well.

Many people could use a little extra support for the liver: We are inundated daily with chemicals and substances that the liver must process. The liver must filter impurities from the bloodstream -- all the car exhaust, paints, cleaners, solvents, preservatives, pesticide residues, drugs, alcohol, and other toxins we encounter can begin to tax the liver. Add a diet high in fat, which the liver must emulsify with bile, and a person could experience physical symptoms from this burden on the liver. Rough dry skin and acne, constipation, gas and bloating, frequent headaches, and premenstrual syndrome are all potential symptoms of an overburdened liver. Dandelions also are recommended for wart removal. The roots, stems, and leaves of the dandelion exude a white sticky resin when injured. Applied directly to warts daily or, preferably, several times a day, this resin slowly dissolves them. In the next section, you will learn how to prepare dandelion for herbal remedies and some of the potentially dangerous side effects.

For an overview of all of our herbal remedies, go to the main Herbal Remedies page.To learn more about treating medical conditions at home, visit our main Home Remedies page.One of the best things you can do for your health and well being is to make sure you are getting enough of the vital nutrients your body needs. Visit our Vitamins page to learn more. This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.