What are rum benefits and side effects? Is rum vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are rum pros and cons: all the info on rum that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on rum.
You are going to learn all about rum benefits and side effects. This will include rum benefits for your health and potential risks, rum carbon footprint, rum sustainability, if rum is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if rum is good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be prepared to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about rum benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Rum Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Rum side effects may include:
- risk of addiction
- alcohol dependency
- dehydration
- depression
- disrupted sleep patterns
- impaired brain function
- risk of cancers
- deadly accidents
- dementia
- early death
- high blood pressure
- liver damage and liver disease
- dry skin
- weight gain
Rum health benefits may include:
- reduced anxiety, temporarily
Also, rum is…
- Acidic 4.5 pH level once digested
- Is Gluten Free when distilled and not gluten free when non-distilled
- Not a common Food Allergen
- High Fodmap
- Note: Some alcoholic beverages, including wine, hard ciders and beers made from gluten-free grains, such as buckwheat or sorghum are gluten-free
Formula with L-Theanine, GABA, Vitamin B6, and Glycine, Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Vegan
Environment
Destruction: low, rum production is relatively sustainable, there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, be sure to buy non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Rum is…
- Moderately Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, rum production does not directly kill any animals
Harms: none, rum production does not require the usage of any animals
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from X production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Rum are…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Rum…
- May have laborer issues and human rights concerns (depends on brand)
Is rum alkaline or acidic?
Rum is acidic.
What is the pH level of rum?
Rum has a 4.5 pH level, once digested. Hard liquor is an acidic food group.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
Is rum gluten free?
It depends. Rum and other liquor is gluten free when distilled and not gluten free when non-distilled.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Is run a common food allergen?
No, rum is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to rum but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Is rum low fodmap?
No, rum is high fodmap, a beverage you should eliminate if on a low fodmap diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
See this High FODMAP and Low FODMAP List of Foods
Carbon footprint of rum?
Rum has a relatively high carbon footprint compared to other foods.
It takes around 3.5 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of alcoholic beverages, a car driving equivalent of 8.75 miles or 14 kilometers.
Carbon footprints greatly depend on how far the food has traveled to get to you!
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
t’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
Is rum sustainable?
Rum production is relatively unsustainable. Alcohol production negatively impacts the planet with the process of growing the ingredients necessary to produce alcohol: grains, potatoes, rice, botanicals, sugar cane, and agave -all significant ingredients in the alcohol industry.
Such ingredients require a significant amount of fertilizers, land and use of machinery to produce beverages that aren’t necessary for human survival. Resources in alcohol production could be diverted to providing food and beverage aid for those in need.
Is rum vegan?
Yes, rum is vegan. Unflavored rum and other hard liquors are vegan and do not include any animal products or byproducts, therefore making it a vegan beverage.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List
Does rum have human rights issues?
At this time there are no major concerns with rum production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may be associated with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Check out this list of food to buy fair trade.
This post was all about rum benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation – MyHealthfinder | health.gov
Rethinking Drinking Homepage – NIAAA
