The answer to why humans like alcohol goes back millions of years to our primate ancestors. Actually, its connection is related to evolution, which then...read more
After all, why does the human brain like alcohol? (Picture Courtesy: Freepik)
Lifestyle Desk, New Delhi. Have you ever wondered why a glass of wine adds more fun to a holiday party? The answer probably lies not in our modern lifestyle, but in our primate ancestors millions of years old. Yes, the reason why we like alcohol so much may be linked to our primate ancestors.
It may sound a bit strange, but it is true. To understand this well, you will have to go back 50 million years, when humans did not even exist on earth. Let us know about this.
Started with fermented fruits
About 50 million years ago, before humans existed, our primate ancestors searched for ripe fruits in the forests. These fruits would often fall on the ground and get fermented on their own and a small amount of ethanol i.e. alcohol would be produced in them.
Primates who had the ability to smell this alcohol would have benefited because such fruits contained more sugar and more calories. That means these fruits were an excellent source of energy.
The secret of 'alcohol metabolism' is hidden in our DNA
According to scientists, all primates can metabolize alcohol, but about 10 million years ago, a special enzyme mutation occurred in African apes (from which humans, gorillas and chimpanzees later evolved).
Because of this mutation, these apes were able to digest alcohol 40 times better than other primates. This was the evolutionary advancement that made things containing alcohol even more beneficial for us.
Humans started making alcohol themselves
About 10,000 years ago, humans began making wine with the advent of agriculture. Before this, wine was available only from naturally fermented fruits. But this changed with the introduction of farming. Some scientists even say that we first cultivated grains not for bread but for beer. That means our brain was already attracted towards alcohol and now we got complete freedom to make it.
‘Drunken Monkey Hypothesis’ – Interesting theory of scientists
Scientist Robert Dudley of the University of California, Berkeley gave the Drunken Monkey Hypothesis. This hypothesis is quite interesting. According to this, our alcohol preference is actually a kind of evolutionary inheritance, which causes diseases related to overconsumption in today's world.
Today's chimpanzees also eat 'mildly intoxicating' fruits
By observing the behavior of chimpanzees in Africa, scientists found that they also often prefer ripe, lightly fermented fruits. According to research, chimpanzees eat a large portion of their body weight in fruit every day, which naturally contains small amounts of alcohol, equivalent to about one and a half drinks.
Although they do not appear to be intoxicated like humans, this eating pattern suggests that they too like the smell and taste of alcohol.
Social connections also become stronger
Interestingly, in some places chimpanzees even share these fermented fruits among themselves, just like we share drinks at a party. This strengthens their social relationships. Additionally, there is an increase in some ‘energy’ and ‘bravery’ in the group, which can sometimes lead to fighting behavior. Same thing happens with humans too. Some people start crossing boundaries or behaving aggressively after excessive alcohol consumption.
So why do humans like alcohol?
The answer is very simple, because over millions of years our brains and bodies have evolved to recognize, like and digest alcohol. Wine may be easily available in supermarkets today, but its roots go back to our primate ancestors, who were experts at finding ripe fruit that had fallen in the forest. Understand that the choice of alcohol is not a modern trend, but a very old evolutionary story.
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