Fireball Fans, Watch Out!

One of the most popular whisky brands out there is a popular choice for many college students and people in general when choosing their drink for a night out. With the fall coming and the apple and pumpkin flavors being released once again there will be plenty of cinnamon-goers mixing this flavorful whisky. The cinnamon is what makes this liquor so tasty, even my mom uses it to make her favorite foolproof fall cocktail with hard apple cider and she can’t get enough of it! However, a lot of people do not realize that tasty cinnamon flavor we all love is just a mask for what is really harmful to your body. For all you fireball lovers, you might want to watch out. As I read an article from the Huffington Post I found that the United States is still selling Fireball when Europe has taken it off the shelves. Why would one country decide to take a product off the shelves and not another if it wasn’t harmful in any kind of way?

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I asked my mom whether it is still hard to find fireball on the shelves here in Pennsylvania and you can pretty much get it anywhere. I do not know about other states, but if it is that easy in PA, then it must not be much more difficult in other parts of the US. The reason they have decided to take this product off the shelves in Europe is because of the excessive amount of an ingredient called Propylene glycol (cbsnews.com). As learned from my high school chemistry teacher, Dr. David Lineman, this is a colorless and odorless liquid that is somewhat sweet. (Hence the sugary sweet taste in Fireball).

Now I am sure you are wondering what exactly can this ingredient do to possibly harm me? First, I am going to ask if you have ever tried this delicious liquor before, and experienced any changes during or even the next day after consumption? Has your vision ever been a bit blurry the next day or have your eyes been irritated or itchy? These are only a few side effects my mother has experienced from enjoying a cocktail at the bar containing only small amounts of this powerful liquor.

If you have experienced this, you might want to remember how that feels and realize its probably not normal. If more people were aware of this ingredient used in Fireball, there would be much more worry than there currently is. Now I am not saying this product is so dangerous it could kill you but its the same concept as smoking, why would anyone want to do it if they know in the long run there is an ingredient that could harm you. Smoking is not going to effect you right there and then, and neither will fireball, but hat about in 10, 15, or 20, years?

According to your generic Google definition, Propylene glycol is a liquid alcohol used as a solvent in antifreeze, plastics, and perfume (google.com). Antifreeze is an ingredient used in your gasoline tank to keep your fuel from freezing in the winter. Plastics are not edible. Perfume is used to make you smell pretty.  Do any of these products seem right to consume? Would you drink your gasoline or perfume?

The definition alone is proof that it is not safe to put Fireball into your body because of this specific ingredient. Yes, I will agree this is one of the best tasting flavors of whisky on the shelves, but this definition alone is enough for me to say no next time someone offers me fireball, you have to think about the long term effects.

Information Links:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/29/fireball-whiskey-recall_n_6067486.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fireball-whisky-ingredient-found-in-antifreeze-doesnt-worry-american-officials/

 

4 thoughts on “Fireball Fans, Watch Out!

  1. Summer A Carson

    This is very shocking to read about and I am very surprised I have not heard more on this topic. Fireball is a very popular drink at Penn State, which you have mentioned, probably because it is a relatively “good” tasting whiskey for a decent price. Did you know that Fireball is not the only alcohol that is being sold that contains harmful ingredients? I used to go to school in New York and drinking Four Lokos was very popular. First, Four Lokos had to start advertising on the cans, kind of like cigarettes have to on the pack, that this drink is harmful. Next, Four Lokos started to get banned form being sold in certain areas becuase there were so many related problems. I am glad that these problems with alcohol have gone viral, so that we can all be more informed before purchasing our weekend beverages! Here is an article from the Huffington Post that talks about how harmful Four Lokos can be http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/25/four-loko-effect_n_866817.html

  2. Eddy Lee

    Very informative and shocking because I am also a big fireball fan. I am from New Jersey and it is also easily accessible and a popular drink over there. I was never aware of the fact that fireball contained such a harmful ingredient. After reading this, I would definitely try to stay away from fireball. More information about anitfireeze in fireballs. http://factually.gizmodo.com/fireball-whiskey-contains-an-antifreeze-ingredient-1652379798

  3. Alexis Paige

    Interesting article. I’ve done some research on Propylene Glycol and like you said, it is in many of those items. It is also in our food. In the article I read below, it talks about the different variations of PG. What I got from the article is that it isn’t too worrisome and that its more of an allergic reaction sort of thing. Please read it and tell me if you agree or disagree
    http://www.naturalnews.com/023138_propylene_glycol_products_natural.html

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