Most of beers contain alcohol and give negative effects for health. On the other hand, there is one beer from Jakarta, Indonesia, that contains many essential nutrients as well as its health benefits. It is Beer Pletok, an authentic Betawinese beer made from ginger and other spices.
Beer pletok exist as the result of Dutch colonialism habit to drink beer in their leisure time. The local people of Betawi made their home-made beer and surely it is not an alcohol since most of Betawi is loyal Moslem.
The beer is served by shaking the liquid until the foam appears, just like the form of other beers before it served in a glass. The packaging of beer Pletok used to be bamboo. The liquid and ice cubes stored in bamboo shaken for 1-2 minutes, while the repetitive sound “pletak-pletok” is coming out then people called it as beer Pletok. In addition, the brownish red colors of the beer will attractive the people to drink it besides of the unique taste; sweet combines with spicy taste.
The health benefits of beer Pletok are such as to improve blood flow, treat stomach pain, treat flu and cough symptoms, and heal arthritis. It also has been used to treat nausea due to an ingredient named ginger. Furthermore, the ingredient plays a big role to warm the body that makes some people used to drink it at night.
Today, beer Pletok is difficult to find. However, it can be at made at home without being afraid of losing the health benefits. Here are the details of health benefits of beer Pletok:
- Improves blood flow
The organs function like brain, digestive system and other will increase as well as the increasing of blood flow. The oxygen through the blood helps to make the organ works well. The healthy nutrients carried by blood also make them absorbed well in the body. Or you can also read health benefits of blood donation regularly.
- Relieves stomach pain
Related to health benefits of beer Pletok to improve blood flow, it also tends to relieve all the pain you are suffering from like in stomach. Furthermore some ingredients contained in the beer also support for the health of digestive system. Or you can also read health benefits of cactus leaves.
- Treats flu and cough symptoms
There are several ways you can take to treat flu and cough symptoms, or you can also read in symptoms of flu, where beer Pletok also has the ability to treat the conditions successfully. It is because the ginger in the beer that can warm the body. Especially, it is safe for daily consume to prevent the conditions since both flu and cough are commonly affect most of people
- Stress relief
When the body is stress, it can interrupt you to do activities while you can treat it by drinking beer Pletok. Since the body flow to the brain increases, stress will be reduced. The oxygen in the blood that helps in relieving stress also can treat other brain conditions like headache. Or you can read benefits massage tension headaches.
- Feel relax
Just like the health benefit of warm beverage to make the body feel relax, or you can read in health benefits of lipton tea, drink beer Pletok also help in relaxing. However, the relax feeling after drink the beer is both for the mind and physical health. Furthermore, it is better to consume it instead of some of the medicines that even probably endanger health.
The health benefits of beer Pletok are including:
- Heals arthritis
- Reduce the risk of asthma
How to make beer Pletok?
To make beer Pletok, here are ingredients and the steps you can follow:
- 500 ml water
- 150 gram ginger, roasted and bruised
- 150 gram granulated sugar
- 50 gram palm sugar
- 4 cm cinnamon
- 2 lemongrass stalks, bruised
- 5 whole cloves
- 5 gram sappanwood
- 5 kaffir lime leaves, leave out the midrib
- 3 pandan leaves
- 1/4 whole nutmeg, bruised
- 2 star anise
Directions:
- The ingredients should be put in a saucepan and make them to boil or simmer them in a minimum heat of temperature until the aroma of spices appears.
- Turn off the heat and leave out the spices.
- Serve the beer in warm or cold with ice.