Beer and wine have been part of human life for thousands of years, but scientists are still discovering how these drinks affect our bodies, taste buds and even gut bacteria. A new group of studies published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reveal four fascinating new findings.
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Sulfites are common preservatives added to wine to keep it fresh and stop bacteria from growing. But could they also affect the bacteria inside your gut? A Spanish team led by Edgard Relaño de la Guia explored this question using a lab model of human digestion.
The researchers found that when sulfites are added on their own, they can reduce the number of helpful gut bacteria. However, when those sulfites are part of real wine, which also contains healthy plant compounds called polyphenols, the effect is much smaller.
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This suggests that wine's natural ingredients may help protect the gut from any negative impact.
That dry, puckering feeling you get when sipping red wine comes from compounds called tannins. Damian Espinase Nandorfy and his team found that tannins can temporarily block small water channels in your tongue and mouth.
When that happens, your mouth produces less saliva and loses moisture, creating the "dry" or astringent sensation that wine drinkers know so well.
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For people who need to avoid gluten, knowing whether a drink is safe can be tricky. Scientists in Taiwan developed a fast, portable test that can detect gluten in beer or food in under three minutes. Their study showed that the test correctly identified gluten levels about 98% of the time.
This new tool could help people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance check their drinks anywhere, quickly and easily.
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Hazy beers are trendy, but most people don't realize what makes them cloudy. In this study, researchers discovered that RNA from yeast can bind with proteins in beer, creating microscopic particles that scatter light. That's what gives beer its hazy look.
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This finding could help brewers naturally control how clear or cloudy their beer appears.
Together, these discoveries show that even our oldest drinks still hold new mysteries. In everything from gut health to the appearance of our drinks, the chemistry behind beer and wine keeps revealing how deeply these beverages connect to both our bodies and our senses.
