Pros And Cons of Toddy Drink

Advantages of Toddy

What Is Toddy Drink

Toddy and palm wine comprise alcoholic beverages which are prepared by fermenting the sugary sap from different palm plants. Practically any sugary sap of plant may be processed to an alcoholic beverage – only the proper yeasts, temperature plus processing conditions are needed. Across the world, alcoholic drinks are prepared from locally reared plant juices like toddy palm, oil palm, coconut palm, wild date palm, raphia palm, nipa palm and kithul palm.

The names toddy and palm wine are utilized to describe identical alcoholic beverages, with the terminology differing across countries. Toddy constitutes an alcoholic beverage and sweet with a typical flavour that includes nearly 4 to 6% alcohol. The shelf life of toddy is short at almost 24 hours, that may be prolonged when it is refrigerated.

The palm sap sourced from piercing the coconut clusters may be served in 2 forms. Toddy signifies the alcoholic version which in slightly intoxicating, and admirers of sweet alcoholic drinks will develop a liking for it. The non-alcoholic type named neera comprises coconut’s unfermented sap frequently named sweet toddy, which is sourced from the unripe inflorescence of coconut.

The difference between kallu and neera can be explained by taking the instance of milk and curd. The liquid sap toddy is often gathered bunches in pots, and a distinct pot is utilized for kallu while a cleaner pot is used for neera. On account of the existence of sediments within the pot and a handful of additives, the liquid ferments in one pot to turn to toddy.

Toddy is generally drunk following fermentation which takes a day or so and when its sourness and acidity grows, it is regarded tastier. Neera, on the contrary, carries a brief shelf life and must be taken in a time frame prior to its becoming tasteless and inconsumable. To prolong the fermentation of Neera, fresh toddy is mixed with lime, which aids it to stay fresh.

When toddy is allowed to mature following extraction, it gets strong like wine. Though it needs distillation prior to consumption, it previously used to be taken in arrack form which was prohibited by the Kerala government in 1996.

Toddy drink comprises an alcoholic beverage gathered from the sap of different species of palm trees such as date palms, Palmyra and coconut palms. It is also called palm wine, Kallu in South India, toddy/tadi or palm toddy or neera in North India. This drink is popular in Asia, Ghana, Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mexico, Indonesia and Philippines.

In India Toddy drink is popular in South India areas like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Two main kinds of kallu exist in Andhra Pradesh, Thadi Kallu gathered from Toddy Palmyra trees and Eetha Kallu derived for palms of silver date. Eetha Kallu has extremely sweet taste and has less intoxication, while Thati Kallu is harder, sweet during the morning, and gets sour to bitter-sour during the evening besides being deeply intoxicating. Nevertheless, people enjoy kallu straight after the sap is stored from trees and is transferred down.

Palm toddy carries sugar, carbohydrate, protein, amino acid, yeast, vitamin C, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc besides vitamin B1, B2, B3, and B6. Many hold that palm wine is healthy for the body due to its immense nutritional values, but that should not make us overlook its imminent dangers for the body.

Advantages of Palm Wine or Toddy

1. Improves Eyesight

Palm wine aids in retaining sound eye health due to the presence of Vitamin C or ascorbic acid, an antioxidant that is also present in various vegetables and fruits. Vitamin B1 or thiamine also aids to improve our vision.

2. Lessened Risk For Cardiovascular Diseases

Study has revealed that drinking mild quantities of palm wine is linked with a decreased risk of acquiring cardiovascular diseases like heart failure. The research was performed by Ezra and Lingberg in 2008. The potassium contained in palm wine has been shown to better heart health besides reducing hypertension.

However, excessive drinking can cause adverse effects such as damaging the liver.

3. Help Combat Cancer

Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is contained in palm wine. Riboflavin comprises an antioxidant  that aids in combating some cancer forming agents known as free radicals.

4. Assists In Keeping Hair, Nails And Skin Healthy

The Vitamin B complex and Iron present within palm wine is essential for a hygienic hair, skin and nail. The progress, growth and operation of some of our body cells requires iron. This feature in palm wine assists it to promote wound healing through mending our tissues and fostering healthy cell development.

5. Improves Lactation

Numerous natural healers within Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and different regions of Africa are using palm wine to assist a lactating mother whose production of breast milk is limited. Research is necessary to analyze the feature in palm wine which enables it to stimulate breast milk production.

Fresh toddy maintains us fresh besides being healthy. Toddy or palm tree’s wine is extremely nourishing and healthy and plays a vital part in Ayurvedic therapy. Fresh toddy has a sweet taste and must be drunk in maximum of 12 hours from tapping, else the taste might become acidic or sharp sour.

Fresh toddy has few calories. While fermented the ascorbic acid, alcohol, protein and titratable acidity attributes rise in it to make the crisp toddy alter into higher alcoholic toddy. Fresh toddy contains lauric acid which is far better compared to processed milk for baby.

Toddy is completely natural isotonic drink which is ideal for human health within all ways. It can provide you comfort from flu and cold, avoiding sneezing and cough.

Disadvantages of Palm Wine

  1. The ethanol concentration within palm wine might impact lipid metabolism and liver function in a pregnant female’s utero.
  2. Palm wine might cause neurological symptoms such as influencing muscle contraction and body rigidity.
  3. It results in liver damage storing fat within the liver.
  4. It reduces blood clotting factor, causing uncontrolled bleeding.
  5. Palm wine may impair heart muscle plus capacity to pump blood.
  6. It adversely impacts blood pressure and elevates risk for heart attacks.
  7. Lastly, palm wine which is fermented carries a high content of alcohol, that is probable more compared to few alcoholic beverages consumed by us. As palm wine’s lifespan is just 12 hours, it means we mainly have fermented palm wine which damages the liver, kidney and different body systems. This also leads to hypertension.

Though Toddy has its advantages fermented palm should not be drunk in excess as it is detrimental for our health.