In the third millennium, some superstitions and beliefs from the past seem to have come back into fashion. Certainly is given a magical touch to a molecule of ethanol with the crude formula C2H6O.
The use of foods containing alcohol is lost in the mists of time: it is said that 20,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic period, mead was consumed. In the following millennia, it was found in China, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece; in short, everywhere. The Arabs called it al-kuhul (spirit, the best of everything), perhaps referring to its ethereal and volatile essence. It is no coincidence that they were the ones who created the culture of distillation.
Today, however, alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death, after cardiovascular disease and cancer. For this reason, its production is controlled worldwide, and a health culture aimed at limiting its use and abuse is promoted.
But let’s get to know it better !
Chemically, it is a small molecule, but not by much. It dissolves very well in water and even in fatty substances. It can make very heavy molecules float through the air; without alcohol, perfumes wouldn’t float, and odorous substances would stick to the skin, becoming useless. It’s a molecule rich in energy, capable of oxidizing easily, catching fire and developing an almost invisible, smokeless flame.
If left in an open container, it flies away and is no longer found: from a liquid, it becomes part of the ether and vanishes. It’s a food with great energy value and capable of altering the psychophysical state, reducing the level of consciousness and responsiveness of any animal species. It causes dependence and “stupor” (it is considered a psychotropic or narcotic substance in its own right). Without ethyl alcohol, many beverages would be devoid of character: whiskey is good when strong, while in wine, even the slightest percentage variation makes enormous differences in flavor.
Ethanol: a spirit, the soul needed to clean and disinfect, dehydrate and preserve. But also to warm oneself and dream a little.
Perhaps this is why it was called the best of everything ?