Martini a day keeps the doctor away!

You've heard it many times before, stories and articles about the dangers of alcohol and drinking. But did you know that in moderation, the Martini could actually be good for you?To see how this is possible, let us examine the recipe for a class martini.

The Class Martini Recipe:

Ingredients:
- 4 parts Gin or Vodka
- 1 part Sweet or Dry Vermouth
- 1 Olive to garnish

Directions:

1. Mix Gin/Vodka and Vermouth together with ice in a martini shaker.
2. Shake, pour into Martini glass, and garnish with an Olive.To discover the health benefits, we must have to look at the ingredients!

Olives

The Olive is a species of small tree native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean region. The fruit of the Olive tree is a great source of monounsaturated fats and a good source of Vitamin E. Monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E protect our cells from not oxidizing and generating free radicals that damage healthy cells preventing heart disease, cancer and more! The anti-inflammatory actions of monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E and polyphenols in olives may also help reduce the severity of asthma,osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This Vitamin E may even help to reduce the frequency and/or the intensity of hot flashes in women going through menopause.

Vodka, Gin & Vermouth

Vodka is a distilled beverage. It is a clear liquid which consists of mostly water and ethanol purified by distillation -- often multiple distillation -- from a fermented substance, such as grain (usually rye or wheat),potatoes or sugar beet molasses, and an insignificant amount of other substances such as flavorings or unintended impurities.

Gin is a spirit flavoured with juniper berries. Distilled gin is made by re distilling white grain spirit and raw cane sugar which has been flavoured with juniper berries. Compound gin is made by flavouring neutral grainspirit with juniper berries without re distilling and can be considered a flavoured vodka.

Vermouth is a fortified wine flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices ("aromatized" in the trade) using closely-guarded recipes (trade secrets). Some of the herbs used may include cardamom, cinnamon, marjoram andchamomile.

There has been several studies about the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption.An experimental research study conducted by the University of Moscow- Russia found that 2 oz. (or the equivalent of a shots-worth) of vodka a day can actually help prevent colon cancer! It is believed that vodka also helps in treating heart problems.

The U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has reported that the greatest health and longevity benefits result from one to two drinks per day. In other words, moderate drinkers live longer thanboth abstainers and over consumers, a finding backed by research in various other countries as well. The benefits are found in both middle-aged and older men and women, but are rapidly lost when too much alcohol is drunk on a daily basis.Interesting, as you can see, everything in a Martini is good for you as long as the alcohol is consumed in moderation. With this, we can design our Healthy Martini recipe!

Healthy Martini Recipe

Ingredients

- 1.5 oz Gin or Vodka
- 0.5 oz Vermouth- 3 Olive

Directions:

1. Mix Gin/Vodka and Vermouth together with ice in a martini shaker.
2. Shake, pour into Martini glass, and garnish with an Olives

The above recipe for our healthy Martini is created to be consumed daily. We hope you enjoy it!For more great Martini Recipes and articles, visit the Martini Guide at http://www.martiniguide.net/

About the Author
Nathan Dickerson is the founder of Pattern Media and a writer for Martini Guide.

Discover The Specific Benefits Of Wine

We have all heard that red wine is part of a healthy life, but it is important to understand the specifics of the benefits of red wine, so you can make the best of them. For instance, not many people are aware that it is only red wine that offers many benefits, because it contains certain flavonoids which white wine does not.

What Are Flavonoids?

Flavonoids are natural chemicals found in plants, fruits and vegetables. In terms of wine the flavonoids are found in the skin of the grapes. That is why they are only found in red wine. To make white wine you need to skin the grape.

Flavonoids keep your heart healthy in three important ways: * They prevent blood clots * They protect against oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol * Lower high blood pressure

Through these hearth healthy benefits red wine helps prevent heart disease. In fact, studies have actually shown that one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men lower the risk of heart attack for people in middle age by 30-50 percent.

The Benefits Of Resveratrol

Resveratrol is one of the other benefits of red wine. This substance increases HDL, or good cholesterol, and also exhibits various antioxidant properties that help to prevent blood clots and plaque formation in the arteries.

Resveratrol can also be taken on its own as a dietary supplement. This is especially helpful for people who either don't drink alcohol, can't drink for medical reasons, or recovering alcoholics.

But Don't Drink Too Much

Remember that wine can be a double edged sword, so moderate your drinking. Too much red wine, because of the alcohol content can put you at higher risk for conditions like: * Alcoholism * High blood pressure * High cholesterol * Stroke * Obesity * Cardiac arrhythmia * Sudden cardiac death

Also be sure to check with your doctor to make sure that drinking alcohol is okay if you are on any prescription medication. Combining alcohol, even small amounts in come cases, with prescription drugs can cause harmful side effects.

Health always encompasses many things. Never think that one type of drink, such as wine, or one type of supplement, or one kind of food is going to make you healthy on its own. It takes a combination of things and a consistent commitment to your health and well-being.

So if you want to reap the benefits of red wine then you should also be eating a healthy, well-balanced diet of raw organic fruits and vegetables, drinking plenty of pure water, and getting a lot of regular exercise. Good luck on your journey towards health and wellness!

About the Author

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health resources on the web. VisitDietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.

Stocking Home Bars for Top 10 Cocktails

Defining an accurate slate of the top ten mixed drinks or the top ten most popular cocktails is not an easy thing to do. It keeps changing and depends who you ask. The list varies based on the age group, sex, parts of the country, occasion, etc.

The following float to the top of most top 10 cocktail lists:

- Bloody Mary Cosmopolitan Screwdriver - tomato, cranberry and orange juice respectively with vodka as the main ingredients.
- Daiquiri - rum based drink with regular and strawberry topping the favorites.
- Long Island Iced Tea - gin, rum, tequila and vodka (the four white liquors) plus.
- Manhattan Martini - vodka / gin with dry vermouth for martinis. Manhattan is the whiskey version with sweet vermouth.
- Margarita - tequila with orange liqueur and lots of lime. Many like the rim salted.
- Mint Julep Mojito - mint flavored with bourbon or rum respectively.
- Pina Colada - rum with coconut liqueur and pineapple juice. Can use coconut rum or schnapps as well.- Tom Collins Sidecar - primarily club soda or orange liqueur mixed with gin
.- Whiskey & Cola or Sour - usually bourbon or dark rum.
- White / Black Russian - coffee liqueur and vodka. Add milk or cream for white.Really ten groupings along similarities. This all comes down to the following basic supplies which you should be able to get at your local liquor and grocery stores.

Many of these items will normally be in your kitchen anyway:

- Flavoring - bitters, hot sauce, mint leaves, salt, sugar, vermouth (sweet & dry) and worchestershire.- Garnish - maraschino cherries, lemons, limes, olives, cocktail onions and oranges.- Juice - cranberry, lemon, lime, orange, pineapple and tomato.- Liquor - gin, rum, tequila, vodka and whiskey (bourbon and irish).- Liqueur - coconut, coffee and orange.- Soda - club, cola and sweet n sour mix.

About the Author
Artisan home bars by Barina Craft are created with solid steam bent mahogany and other hardwoods. Handcrafted in the USA and available at http://www.barinacraft.com/. Suggested recipes for these cocktails may be found there as well.