Most of us familiar with sake, but not too many people hear about shochu. It is a Japanese traditional hard liquor, distilled spirits made from grains or vegetables. The most common base ingredients are sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat and sugar cane.
Island of Longevity
Why this is related to longevity? It is because there is a small island in Japan, Tokunoshima. It has another famous name called the “Island of Longevity”. Legend has it the reason people are living longer, and having the world’s highest percentage of living people that beyond 100 years. The all the islanders there love to drink kokuto shochu!
Izumi Shigechiyo - Oldest Man in Takunoshima
And the oldest person in Takunoshima was Mr. Izumi Shigechiyo, was credited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest man. He aged 120 years old.
He enjoyed drinking strong shochu a lot, he called it “firewater”. Believe it or not, it is said that his longevity secret is drinking kokuto shochu every night together with his dinner!
Kokuto Shochu
Kokuto shochu, is a special kind of shochu made from Okinawa black sugar. It is only allow to brew by local distillers in Amami Oshima.
Unlike sake and wine contain quite a lot of sugar, this brown sugar liquor is not sweet, as it distilled so there is actually no sugar in it. It is much more healthier and it has less effect on your body the next day you have it drunk. It is said to be an alcohol that is good for your health
Kokuto shochu also have many well-known health effects. It general helps dissolve blood clots, and contains lots of polyphenol which help treating digestion issues, diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and cardiovascular diseases. And its ingredient, Okinawa brown sugar, which is rich in iron, calcium, minerals, and vitamin B group, also provide lots of good nutrients for your body.
Beside the legend, it is worth to have a try on kokuto shochu because of its great flavor and all the above benefits. And from the stories of island Takunoshima, having little to none stress and live happy is definitely a key to a long life.
Please share this information to your alcohol lover friends!
