Homemade Finnish Christmas drink, Glögi

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In Finland, we have a traditional Christmas drink called Glögi.

I wanted to make if from scratch, so that I could avoid the refined sugar+ additives.

 

 

If you wish, you can add some red wine or vodka to the recipe.

If you use alcohol, red wine is definitely one of the healthiest options.

 

 

 

Red wine contains a lot of resveratrol (an antioxidant compound, found in the skins and seeds of grapes), and it’s highly soluble in alcohol, which means your body may absorb more of it from red wine than from other sources.

If you use wine,organic red wine is worth purchasing. Organically grown grapes mean there are no artificial fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides used.

Also, if the wine isn’t made with organic grapes, it may contain no resveratrol at all.

 

 

A study (John Hopkins University), concludes that resveratrol levels may be a key player in protecting the brain during a stroke by elevating specific enzyme levels.

Still, it looks like resveratrol’s effects only last a short time after drinking red wine, so its effects may not last in the long-term.

 

 

 

Personally, I haven’t drunk for a year. Alcohol itself is a neurotoxin, which can disrupt your hormone balance. Wine and other alcoholic beverages will also increase insulin levels, which will eventually have a negative impact on your health.

 

I have discovered that after steering away from alcohol for the entire year, my skin looks radiant and the fine lines on my face have definitely faded a lot. I look much younger now than I did a year ago. 🙂

Also, I can pretty much eat whatever I want, without gaining weight. (No wonder that many A-list celebrities, like Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian, don’t drink at all.. 😉 )

But enough about alcohol, here’s the recipe for Glögi: