Early history of beverage

Beverages can be defined as “any fluid which is consumed by drinking”. It consists of diverse group of food products, usually liquids that include the most essential drink “water” to wide range of commercially available fluids like fruit beverage, synthetic drinks, alcoholic beverage, milk, dairy beverages, tea, coffee, chocolate drinks.

The earliest humans had no cups or ways to store water, so, by necessity, they frequented water holes or other source of standing or running water. It is presumed that the earliest humans channeled run off, drank melted snow and consumed rainfall collected from tree crotches or natural depressions.

The last 11 000 years of the evolutionary history, the predominant beverages consumed were water and breast milk. Breastfeeding terminates in childhood, so, for the vast majority of human history, adults consumed predominantly water which provided no calories from beverages.

Simple observations on the timing and quality of rainfall and the probability of water at any specific geographical location would have served ancient humans well. Eventually through observation and trial and error, early humans learned to predict sources of water even on subsurface deposits beneath the sands of dry stream beds and also learned which fruits and succulents in arid lands offered refreshing lifesaving fluids to drink.

8,000-10,000 years ago, someone discovered that when fruit (or grain, milk or rice) was fermented, the results tasted good, made one happy – or both. The Bible mentions wine consumption in both the Old and the New Testaments. Archaeologists say the Chinese were making wine from mixed fermented beverage made from rice, beeswax-honey, and either wild grapes or hawthorn berries.

The Sumerians (a generic name for the ancient inhabitants of Mesopotamia) are said to have discovered the beer fermentation process quite by chance. They must have liked it.

During Han dynasty times in ancient China, already had a wide range in beverage choices that had rapidly become available and how they closely associated with medicine and the healing process.

The ancient Chinese medical system defined five organs (heart, liver, lung, kidney and spleen) and integrated factors of hot-cold, wet dry, male-female, set within complex integration of Yang, Neutrality and Yin.

Alcoholic beverage (except beer) and coffee are classified as Yang or hot/heating, whereas fruit juice, milk tea, and un-boiled water are classified as Yin or cold/cooling. Furthermore, Chinese Buddhist monks followed strict dietary codes that limited their eating time to the morning hours, and the foods/beverage forbidden to them included: fermented items, milk, cream, fish and meat.

The development of pasteurization and other technologies greatly increased the safety of milk also other types of drinks and allowed it to be marketed over a wider area. Before pasteurization milk consumption could transmit diseases, including cholera, polio, anthrax, scarlet fever, bovine tuberculosis and botulism.

Technological innovation helped to reduce the danger of transmission of infection by beverages especially milk. Condensed and heat-treated milk, both marketed by the 1880s, reduced the dangers of milk (20,21) and prolonged its storage time on the shelf.
Early history of beverage

What is flavored water?

It is well known that flavor is the integrated perceptual response to the combined taste and odor of foods. 

Flavored water may have just a hint of flavor, derived from a natural fruit essence. The technology of flavored water is simple and involves little more than mixing and blending.

Flavored water is a lightly flavored beverage with few or no calories, but often containing vitamins, minerals, herbs or other unneeded substances. Not superior to plain water for athletic competition or training.

Several flavored drinks simply offer a tastier way to stay hydrated. Other contains additives such as vitamins, antioxidants, herbs, and caffeine and makes claims about helping people to relax, boosting the energy level and supporting the immune system.

A number of flavors combinations have been devised, which are aimed at sophisticated adults and which are seen, at least partially as substitutes for alcoholic beverages. The addition of flavorings to whiskey, to stimulate aging was one of the first uses of a flavored product. Coca cola was first sold in 1886.

Flavored water can be alternative for people making the switch from soft drinks. Add fruit slices like lemons, oranges or even lime on the water for a refreshing drink.

Need to read labels on flavored water because some of these waters contain a lot of sugar and artificial ingredients which defeat the purpose of drinking water.

These drinks typically contain juices such as peach, which have a relatively subtle flavor, as well as herb extracts to provide a flavor contrast.

Flavored water s are a great way to meet hydration needs, but some have a s much sugar as a can of soda. The sweetness of a drink is a major factor in its palatability, but people differ in their preferred flavor. Flavor preference depends on various factors, including ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

The best thing for quenching the thirst is good old plain water. Water is the best drink for the body. If preferred to drink flavored water, avoid the ones with sugar or sugar substitutes to sweeten them.
What is flavored water?