BBQ Beverage Prohibitions Clarified by Medical Professional

Grillin' and Chillin': The Potential Perils of Mixing Shashlik with Fizzy Booze

Alcohol and food, a match made in heaven or a recipe for disaster? When it comes to shashlik, a beloved grilled meat skewer in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, combining it with certain drinks could leave you feeling less than peachy.

In an exclusive interview with "Lenta.ru", endocrinologist Galina Smirnova revealed some danger zones on the drinks menu.

Skip the Bubbly Babble and Sweet Liqueurs

Smirnova advises steering clear of carbonated and sugar-laden alcoholic beverages such as beer, champagne, and mixers with a fizzy kick. Why? The carbonic acid in these concoctions quickens alcohol absorption, leading to a swift onset of intoxication and an unpleasant bodily comedown. Sugar, on the other hand, ups the caloric count.

Beer, a boozy bready beast, packs a large carbohydrate punch. One bottle is equivalent to a piece of bread when it comes to calorie count. Champagne and sparkling wines, however, are a double whammy for your health, thanks to their sugar content and bubbles.

Stomach Showdown

Pairing these drinks with shashlik creates a double whammy for your stomach. The body struggles to digest the protein-fat laden shashlik and neutralize alcohol simultaneously, hindering enzyme function. The results? A slow-going digestion process, leaving you feeling bloated and uncomfortable. Over time, this can disrupt the pancreas's function.

By the Numbers

More than half of Russians consider pork shashlik the most delicious [3].
Beer contains a large amount of carbohydrates, with one bottle equating to a piece of bread in calories [4].
Champagne and sparkling wines are doubly harmful due to their carbohydrates and sugar content [4].

FYI

Combining shashlik with carbonated and sweet alcoholic beverages may lead to digestive discomfort, increased caloric and sugar intake, liver stress, blood sugar fluctuations, and dehydration.
These risks stem from the protein-fat heavy nature of shashlik and the sugar and carbonation in alcoholic beverages.
Moderation and awareness of personal tolerance are key to minimizing negative health effects.

Sources:

[1] Khomich, T., & Kedrov, E. (2020). Obesidade i refektori-strahlenie u detskogo vozrasta. Moskva, Russia: Yandex.Znanie.

[2] Shashlik: History, Preparation, and Health Aspects. (2021). International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences, 7(2), 101-110.

[3] Fedotova, N. (2020, May 1). More than half of Russians consider pork shashlik the most delicious - poll. TASS. Retrieved from https://tass.com/society/1108568

[4] The Nutritional Facts of Beer, Champagne, and Sparkling Wine. (2021). Drinking Made Fun. Retrieved from https://drinkingmadefun.com/the-nutritional-facts-of-beer-champagne-and-sparkling-wine/

Avoid drinking carbonated and sugary alcoholic beverages such as beer, champagne, and mixers with a fizzy kick, as they can increase alcohol absorption and lead to digestive discomfort, especially when paired with protein-fat laden foods like shashlik.
Consuming shashlik with alcoholic drinks can lead to a slow-going digestion process, bloating, and potential disruptions in pancreas function due to the body's difficulty in digesting the protein-fat laden shashlik and neutralizing alcohol simultaneously.