Is vodka with a snake and a spider dangerous? America wanted Ukraine to fight Russia, and Ukraine wanted the United States

Eastern countries have many unusual gastronomic features. Some local traditions surprise the inexperienced tourist, others scare them. It was here that such a drink as vodka with a snake was invented. This oriental drink is especially popular in countries such as Vietnam and China.

In the article:

The history of vodka with snake

It is impossible to say exactly when and under what conditions snake vodka appeared. Different countries have their own assumptions, theories and stories on this topic.

According to one Chinese legend, many centuries ago a girl suffered from leprosy. In those days, it was believed that in order to completely get rid of the symptoms of the disease, it was necessary to infect your husband. They began to prepare the girl for the wedding. However, she did not want to be cured of the disease in this way. She ran into the room where alcoholic drinks were being brewed, hid there, began drinking and fell asleep.

The next morning the girl woke up completely healthy. Only in the morning did she notice that there was a snake in the bottle from which she drank. It is believed that it was after this incident that in ancient China vodka with snakes began to be regarded as a medicinal remedy. Since then, the popularity of this liquid has only grown.

According to another version, the snake first appeared in Vietnam. There are records indicating that this recipe was used during the Zhou Dynasty. It is believed that at that time such preparation of vodka began to spread throughout the southeastern countries.

Features of the “poisonous” drink

Vodka with a snake is a special tincture using poisonous reptiles. Most often, such drinks are produced at home.

There are many recipes for preparing this tincture. Each province, region, country adheres to its own standards and traditions. The basic technique is as follows: a live snake is kept for 1-2 months in one container, then transferred to another, filled with strong alcoholic drink and sealed for one year.

Initially, the recipe was based on the use of rice vodka. It is this component that gives the product its characteristic taste and delicate aroma. However, today most snake recipes include alcohol or.

In some countries, it is customary to add some aromatic herbs to the recipe, adding zest to the drink.

The peculiarity of this product is that, in addition to its unusual taste, it has a lot of useful properties. This is due to the technology of production of the drink. Since the snake is sealed alive in the tincture, its body continues to produce various beneficial substances. Elements such as bile and poison are released, but they are neutralized with alcohol. Thus, only healing substances remain in the drink, making it an excellent medicine.

It is noteworthy that the snake in the tincture can be used repeatedly. As soon as the vodka is drunk, the container is filled with alcohol again and left to infuse for several months. It is believed that this cooking procedure can be repeated about 5 times.

Vodka with snakes is in demand for various reasons. Some consumers buy it to drink. Others are for medicinal purposes. Many people buy a snake as a souvenir.

The import of this drink is prohibited in many countries.

Beneficial properties of snake vodka

Snake tincture has a number of healing properties. Chinese vodka with snake has the following effects on the human body:

• maintains body tone;
• gives energy and strength;
• helps improve potency;
• strengthens the body's protective functions;
• has a beneficial effect on the central nervous system;
• promotes cell regeneration;
• performs a rejuvenating function;
• raises testosterone levels.

Also, with regular use of the tincture, you can get rid of the symptoms of arthritis. In some countries, it is customary to use this tincture to relieve cough.

In addition to the listed properties, the tincture helps normalize blood pressure, frees the vascular system from plaques and blood clots, and prevents their development. You can use this healing product for diseases of the spine, joints, rheumatism, and headaches.

Many girls use the tincture to improve the condition of their skin and hair. Using vodka with snake, you can get rid of acne, facial wrinkles, and make your skin elastic and smooth.

However, when using tincture with reptiles as a remedy, you must first consult a doctor. For therapeutic purposes, this drink is drunk in an amount of no more than 50 ml per day.

Any infectious diseases prohibit the consumption of Chinese vodka. If you have hypertension, you should use this drink with caution.

Chinese vodka with snake

In China, vodka with snake has a specific smell. This fortified liquid has a yellowish tint and a rich consistency. A variety of reptiles are used for the tincture. Moreover, either one reptile or several small snakes can be placed in the bottle.

In addition to the main ingredient, it is customary to add ginseng, herbs and various berries to the local tincture.

In China, tinctures are made not only from snakes. In the central region, it is customary to prepare vodka with wasps. In Harbin, autumn flies are used for this purpose.

Here, alcoholic tinctures based on snakes can be purchased not only in bars, but also in pharmacies.

Vietnamese vodka with snake and scorpion

Vietnam is also famous for its exotic drinks. Here, in addition to infusions with snakes, they make rum with cobra. Cane rum, unlike other strong products, has an incomparable taste and a pleasant soft aroma. This remedy is used for various ailments associated with internal organs.

In Vietnam, it is recommended to purchase drinks with snakes directly from pharmacies. In this case, you can see how the remedy will be prepared.

Various ingredients are added to the Vietnamese vodka recipe to achieve a richer aftertaste and unusual aroma. Components such as snake venom, barberry, ginseng, spices, lizards, and insects can be used. In some provinces, the recipe includes baby mice, geckos, and seahorses. Rum can be made using salamander.

Vodka with snake has a delicate aroma, in which flowers, roots and leaves of various plants are placed. This component can be used both dried and natural. Herbs make vodka even more useful, giving it tonic and antibacterial properties.

Vietnamese vodka with snake and scorpion is very popular. This recipe has an unusual production technology. To prepare this drink you will need the following ingredients: cobra, scorpion, ginseng, barberry, vodka.

First you need to take the reptile and keep it closed for 10-15 days. The snake is then moved into a container with a narrow neck. Fill with strong drink. It is preferable to use rice vodka. The container is tightly closed to prevent air from entering it. The tincture is kept in this state for 5 days.

The main stage in the production of this drink is considered to be the following: the container is opened, and at the moment when the cobra opens its mouth to take a breath of air, a scorpion is placed in its throat with a quick movement of the hand. The tincture is tightly closed again and put away in a dry, warm room. The duration of infusion is six months.

This drink is famous for its wide range of healing properties. Here it is used for a variety of health problems. In addition, vodka with such unusual ingredients has a soft, deep taste and tart aroma.

Vodka with a snake is a wonderful drink that can not only decorate a feast, but also cure a huge list of diseases. And if you don’t want to drink this exotic vodka, you can use an unusual container with a reptile as a souvenir.

Snake tinctures are one of the most popular souvenirs among tourists who have visited the countries of Southeast Asia. However, this product should be taken seriously - the tradition of treating them goes back more than 2000 years. Local doctors claim that taking a certain tincture internally or externally in accordance with their recommendations cures any disease.

There is no classic recipe - depending on the region and manufacturer, the number and specific types of snakes, the proportion of medicinal herbs, ginseng and other additives change.

The history of snake tinctures

According to legend, the first case of healing after using the tincture on a snake was recorded in China. This happened a very long time ago - even before our era. The treatise “The Healing Canon of Shennong” tells a beautiful story.

There lived a famous winemaker in China, and he had a beloved, beautiful daughter. But a misfortune happened - an 18-year-old girl fell ill with leprosy - a disease that they could not treat at that time. First ugliness awaited her, and then death.

However, there was a popular belief that a girl could be cured at the cost of her fiancé’s life by passing on the disease to him. The father decided to arrange his daughter's marriage as soon as possible. But she sincerely fell in love with the young man destined for her husband and did not want to save her life by ruining him.

Refusing to marry him, the girl went to her father’s distillery, deciding to drown her sadness from the loss of her lover and longing for a life that had not yet really begun in wine. Having gotten drunk, she slept there until the morning. After some time, it became obvious that the girl had recovered.

When the vat of wine from which she drank was drawn to the bottom, the reason for the miraculous healing became clear - a poisonous snake was found there. Since then, belief in the amazing healing properties of tinctures of poisonous snakes has spread. If a patient with such a terrible disease as leprosy has already been healed, then this remedy will be even more helpful for other diseases.

Types of snake tinctures

Based on their purpose, snake tinctures are divided into three types.

According to the method of preparation, all snake tinctures can be divided into two groups

1. The live snake is infused entirely in alcohol for some time. Then drink the resulting infusion.
2. The snake is killed right in front of the patient. He must drink blood, bile, poison and other liquids, which are immediately mixed in a glass of alcohol.

Healing properties and indications for use

If you believe Vietnamese and Chinese souvenir sellers, then this product is a real panacea. Whatever diagnosis you are given, by drinking the tincture, you will be miraculously healed - you just need to choose the right snake and dosage. They especially emphasize fantastic results in the field of increasing potency for men and rejuvenation for women.

It is obvious that all these stories, to put it mildly, are not true. Their goal is the same - to force gullible tourists to purchase a miraculous elixir.

But the opposite point of view is also incorrect. Local residents resort to this drug for any illness. In Vietnamese legends, viper tincture is mentioned as a means of protection against evil

spirits and snake bites, it also prolongs life and imparts wisdom.

Modern research has proven the effectiveness of snake tinctures. This product stimulates tissue renewal at the cellular level, normalizes metabolism, blood pressure, cleans blood vessels from blood clots and cholesterol plaques (and prevents their occurrence in the future).

There are also results with external use. Chinese medicine actively uses lotions and compresses from the tincture for diseases of the bronchi and lungs, migraines, neurasthenia, rheumatism, radiculitis, any diseases of the joints and spine, muscle weakness and numbness of the limbs.

What is important for women is that stories about miraculous transformation and rejuvenation also have a scientific basis. It has been proven that viper tincture stimulates the regeneration of skin cells, regulates the activity of the sebaceous glands and has an antioxidant effect, protecting against free radicals. As a result, the skin calms down, becomes smoother and softer. The complexion is evened out, pigment spots, redness, acne marks disappear, wrinkles are smoothed out.

Students and intellectual workers will appreciate the increase in overall body tone and performance, and relief from increased fatigue syndrome.

If you decide to try this treatment, you are not in danger of getting poisoned. Snake venom has a protein base that completely dissolves under the influence of ethanol - only useful substances remain.

Please note that tinctures are used only as a course, as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor. You shouldn’t get carried away with them either - you can drink up to 50 ml per day. tinctures, and not immediately, but in 2-3 doses.

Contraindications

Snake tincture is alcohol, and quite strong (45-60°C). Therefore, like all alcoholic beverages, it should not be consumed by persons under 18 years of age, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system (especially hypertension) and the gastrointestinal tract. There are also those who suffer from individual intolerance to ethanol.

Other contraindications include epilepsy (and any seizures in general), neurasthenia and neuroses, acute infectious diseases accompanied by the use of strong antibiotics.

If you follow the traditions of Chinese medicine, then only men can use the tincture to enhance the “yang” energy. It will not bring any benefit to women, weakening the “yin” energy. In addition, the same Chinese claim that women have their own poison - why do they also need snake poison?

And, of course, such treatment is not for the faint of heart.

How are tinctures prepared?

Each tincture is prepared strictly following the recipe and technology, perfected over centuries. Depending on this, one or more different snakes are used, either adults or newly hatched babies. Other ingredients are also added - ginseng, herbs, insects and arachnids. The most popular are tinctures with vipers, but you can also find cobras, adders, and snakes. It is believed that the more poisonous the snake, the better the product.

Snake tincture is prepared in two ways.

Cooking at home

There is nothing complicated in preparing snake tincture. The main difficulty is getting the main ingredient. Various shops specializing in oriental medicine offer dried snakes.

Two or three (depending on size) snakes need to be broken into small pieces or crushed into powder in a coffee grinder or blender, poured into a bottle and filled with alcohol or ordinary vodka (about 0.5 liters). The bottle is tightly closed and left in a dark place at room temperature for 12-14 days. When the alcohol has evaporated by half, add it to the previous volume.

Before use, filter the resulting infusion and drink 20 ml. once a day. When it runs out, the snakes can be filled with alcohol again.

China, Thailand or Cambodia are well acquainted with such a drink as snake tincture, or, as it is also called, snake wine. This exotic drink for us is very popular in Asia! Few people know that the preparation of medicinal snake tinctures began in Vietnam many centuries ago, and only then the recipe spread among the countries of Southeast Asia. And each manufacturer of the “snake” subsequently supplemented and changed the recipe, based on their traditions. Therefore, now there are many types of tinctures - geckos, seahorses, scorpions, salamanders, ginseng and all kinds of medicinal herbs are added to the classic cobra. Sometimes there are options that are quite creepy in our understanding - with ducklings, chicks and other animals.

Vietnamese beliefs say that the tincture protects a person from evil spirits, promotes longevity and imparts wisdom.
In the European sense, snake tinctures can be divided into three categories:
1. “drinking” snake is a completely pleasant drink that you can drink without paying attention to the additions. Usually this is a drink made from the natural fluids of a snake in a jar of alcohol, infused for about a day, then it is treated to guests.
2. “medicinal” snake is disgusting, like any medicine. Local residents use it for almost all diseases. It is known that snake venom, when dissolved in alcohol-containing liquids, is neutralized while retaining the necessary beneficial properties. These miraculous potions are prepared as follows: poisonous snakes are poured into a glass jar with rice vodka or wine, where they are subsequently infused for about six months. Either one snake or several can be placed in a jar, and the quantity increases the quality of the tincture, which, according to its users, can cure both myopia and cancer. It is believed that the use of tincture helps to normalize metabolism, blood pressure, helps thin the blood, dissolve blood clots and cholesterol plaques. Thanks to snake tincture, human immunity increases, body cells are renewed, and overall rejuvenation occurs. The tincture is especially useful for men, as local healers prescribe the drink for the treatment and prevention of prostatitis and increasing potency. It is recommended to drink this tincture no more than 50 ml per day. In addition, it can be used not only internally, but externally, making lotions for joint diseases, radiculitis, osteochondrosis, and other diseases of the spine.


3. “souvenir” snake - sold in tourist shops and at any concession stands. Maybe someone drinks it, but I wouldn’t risk it. Good, in my opinion, only as a gift for a friend :)

Of course, drinking snakes requires some courage, but it’s definitely worth a try!

A resident of Chelyabinsk almost ended up in prison because of an exotic tincture brought from abroad. A man bought local vodka in Vietnam with cobra preserved in alcohol inside the bottle. However, the man did not have time to surprise his acquaintances - Russian customs officers were the first to be “surprised”. Correspondent Anastasia Borisova will tell you more.

Two small glass bottles: in one of them, in addition to a yellowish liquid, there is a scorpion preserved in alcohol, in the other there is a snake resembling a cobra. On the label there is an instruction: “Take a tablespoon 2 times a day before meals.”

Similar tinctures can be bought in any souvenir shop in Vietnam. Shelves with lizards, turtles and snakes preserved in alcohol are as common a sight as racks with postcards and magnets. Price - from 2 to 15 dollars. At the same time, sellers assure: the healing effect is incredible. The immune system is strengthened, potency increases, and overall well-being improves. The liquid can be either rubbed over the skin or taken orally. Perhaps the most popular among tourists are tinctures based on scorpions and cobra. It is believed that their poison, dissolving in alcoholic liquids, is neutralized while retaining its beneficial properties. And such a souvenir looks very exotic. Although the taste is not very good, Russians share their impressions on forums:

“Perhaps the most exotic thing I’ve ever drunk. There’s a real snake swimming in a bottle of vodka. It looks very exotic, but tastes absolutely disgusting. In general, it’s recommended to use it for rubbing, but Russians drink it.”

However, when buying such bottles for home, most tourists do not take into account that cobra is listed in the International Red Book. This means that transporting it without special documents is prohibited. Smuggling can result in a prison sentence of 3 to 7 years. The Chelyabinsk resident was saved only by the examination. It was found that in the tincture bought by a man in Vietnam, it was not cobra that was preserved in alcohol, but an ordinary grass snake. Vietnamese craftsmen made the distinctive hood of the cobra from wire.

It must be said that similar exotic drinks are common in other Asian countries. Thus, in Thailand, snakes, spiders, scorpions and other living creatures are often stuffed into bottles of local rice whiskey. In China, wine made from snakes and lizards is very popular; the reptiles themselves are also often added to the drink. In Korea, they even prepare vodka infused with baby mice - it is “prescribed” for almost all diseases.

However, when choosing such original souvenirs, you need to take into account not only the rules for importing them to your homeland, but also the procedure for exporting them from the host country, says a lawyer for the Society for the Protection of Consumer Rights Sergey Emelyanov:

“I would look at this problem from the other side. Our people are somewhat unprepared legally, especially they do not know the legislation of the countries from which they are bringing these things, souvenirs... The legislation of different countries provides for quite serious punishment. For example, in Turkey, for example, you can get a very big deal for exporting some pebbles.”

In some countries it is prohibited to export local currency. Jewelry and gemstones almost always require a permit. In most countries, shells and stuffed animals cannot be exported. In Cuba, the export of art objects is prohibited - this includes any paintings sold directly on the street. Therefore, when buying them, you must obtain permission to export them abroad. They will also require official paper when exporting cigars. Statues and any images of the god Buddha, as well as ivory souvenirs, cannot be exported from Thailand. Although all this can be easily bought in almost any souvenir shop.

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There is a huge number of diverse alcoholic drinks, and among them a special place is given to exotic types. The most common of them is the snake tincture, and the peculiarity of this drink is the presence of a creeping reptile in the container. What are the benefits of such snake cocktails?

The history of the snake elixir

It is believed that this unusual drink appeared at least 2,000 years ago, and the very first mention of it can be found in the famous treatise “The Medicinal Canon of Shennong.”

According to legend, in one of the Chinese provinces there lived a famous winemaker, and he had a daughter. At the age of 18, the girl fell ill with an incurable disease and was doomed to death. The only way to avoid death was marriage, in which leprosy would be passed on to the groom. But the girl did not want her lover to be stricken with a fatal disease, and in desperation she went to the distillery to drink wine. She heated a vat of wine, drank the heady drink and, drunk, fell asleep. And when the girl woke up, she felt that she was completely healthy. Looking into the vat, she saw a poisonous snake lying there, which crawled into the container with wine and drowned.

An amazing legend, as well as a recipe for a miraculous drink, spread throughout the country, and based on the legend, the opera “The Woman with Leprosy” was subsequently written.

Such different tinctures

In China and Vietnam, you can find various tinctures in shops, where snakes, scorpions, and other poisonous ingredients are used as a poisonous component. There is, for example, an infusion of three or five snakes, where they use poisonous cobra, big-eyed snake, ribbon krait, poisonous snakes, etc.

Each of the drugs is prepared according to a strict recipe. In some cases, adult reptiles can be used, and in a number of recipes, only newly born ones are used. The reptile must lie head down, and it is best to place it in the alcohol composition while still alive, so that as many healing components as possible are preserved.

In China, such medicinal solutions for scorpio and snake are used only by men to enhance the strong beginning of “yang”. But this drink is not recommended for women, since it only weakens the already weak feminine principle “yin”.

Among Vietnamese alcohol, there is another drink worthy of attention - snake bile tincture, and here the bile of a skinned reptile is used as an active ingredient. The alcohol solution is an excellent tonic, gives energy, relieves inflammation and rheumatic pain.

You can buy such a drink in any store, and its price depends largely on the reptile that is in the bottle.

Using snake balm

Conducted medical studies have confirmed that snake balm can be used in the treatment of various diseases, as it has wide medicinal functions.

The use of an alcohol solution is allowed for the following diseases:

• take it, take it,
• rheumatism (internal, external),
• lumbar cold,
• migraine,
• weakness of the limbs,
• neurasthenia,
• hemiplegia, etc.

Among other things, this solution perfectly helps in regulating the immune system. By the way, licorice root tincture is also very effective for increasing the body’s overall resistance.

The effect of the tincture

Vietnamese and Chinese tinctures are characterized by enormous benefits for the body. Moreover, they can be used for different purposes:

1. Cosmetological effect - it was experimentally found that the drug regulates the secretion of sebum, promotes the slow production of melanin in the skin, and has a calming effect. When using this product, you can notice a transformation in the skin. It acquires a healthy shine, becomes more delicate, small wrinkles and freckles disappear.
2. Slowing down the aging process - the tincture has antioxidant properties, due to which the amount of peroxidized fats in the blood is significantly reduced. With constant use of the product, you can slow down the overall aging process.
3. Antiallergic properties - since the extract helps improve immunity, internal secretion, allergies can be alleviated or eliminated altogether.
4. Improved mental performance - the fatty acids contained in the product are very important for brain cells. With constant use of snake tincture, you can activate mental activity and improve memory function.
5. Getting rid of chronic fatigue - the drug increases the total amount of energy in the body, which leads to greater activity and efficiency of the whole organism.
6. Improvement of the immune system - when consuming alcohol balm, the production of antibodies is stimulated, immunity (cellular, humoral) is improved, and various diseases are prevented.

How to prepare the tincture

The process of preparing the miraculous Chinese snake elixir is as follows: an alcohol base (rice vodka, alcohol, wine) is poured into a glass jar, and then a poisonous snake is placed there. By the way, one jar may contain several poisonous counterparts, which make the tincture almost universal for many diseases, including cancer. Then the tincture is prepared in one of the following ways:

1. Direct consumption fresh - this drink is infused for no more than a day, after which it can be used for treatment.
2. Long-term infusion - in this case, the alcoholic snake balm is infused in a sealed bottle for 6 months, and it is opened on a strictly defined date.

Cooking at home

You can also make snake balm at home. To do this, you need to take a couple of dried snakes and fill them with alcohol or vodka (40%). Close the bottle and leave in a dark place at room temperature.

Taking snake balm involves turning to a specific recipe. It should be remembered that taking the drug incorrectly can have adverse consequences. Therefore, before drinking tincture on a snake, you need to get advice from a doctor.