Last year, Britain polished off 73 million bottles of gin, with sales smashing the £2 billion sales figure.
And now we've learnt that the tipple may have surprising health benefits, RSVPLive reports.
It's been reported that gin can help tackle hayfever, but now experts have discovered that it may also boost your metabolism.
A study carried out by the University of Sigulda in Latvia found that gin may have a positive effect on our metabolism by helping to burn calories more efficiently.
The study was carried out using groups of mice, who were given either gin or water.
Their calorie burning potential was then observed, with researchers finding that the mice who drank the gin showed an increase in their metabolic rate and not by a small measure.
Not only that, but some mice showed an increase of a whopping 17% in metabolic rate.
The mice who were given the water showed no change at all. The reason given for the change in metabolism is that it creates what has been dubbed an ‘afterburn effect,’ boosting metabolism as the liver continues to break down the alcohol in the liver.
Study author Thisa Lye confirmed that ‘the spirit may have a slimming effect on the body’, though she added that further tests would need to be carried out on humans before the theory could be completely verified.
As always, visit Drink Aware for more information.
