14 Pretty Damn Cool Things About Tequila You Definitely Didn't Know

To worm or not to worm?

1. Tequila should be sipped, not shot, because it's actually fancy as fuck.

Fox

Sure, you made your name in college by throwing back shots better than the rest, but you won't find many Mexican locals consuming it that way. In Mexico, tequila is a sophisticated spirit that you sip slowly to savor the flavor.

2. Oh, and asking for lime and salt is associated with cheap tequila.

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Salt and lime were introduced in the late 19th century to mask the flavor of cheap tequila, which was being mass-produced at the time.

3. Pure agave tequila is low in sugar and calories and has no carbohydrates, due to its distillation process.

CBS

It only has 69 calories per ounce!

4. And drinking it can help your digestive system and even boost weight loss.

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Blanco tequila is noted as the "healthiest" because of the benefits of the agave plant, which include agavin (which lowers blood sugar levels) and inulin (which grows good bacteria, helping your stomach digest food).

5. Tequila may just help you kick that cold.

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In the 1930s, doctors in Mexico recommended a tequila concoction to relieve sore throats and fight off intestinal bacteria. The recipe includes 0.5 ounces of tequila, 0.5 ounces of agave nectar, and 0.5 ounces of lime juice.

6. There is a car that runs on tequila and Jay Leno owns it.

CNN

In 1964, Chrysler developed a turbine engine car which could run on anything flammable, and a curious Mexican president suggested tequila. It worked, but the cars were way too expensive (around $400,000 in today's dollars), and Chrysler wanted to avoid the import tax, so most of the cars were crushed. Leno owns one of the three remaining.

7. Tequila does not have a worm in its bottle.

MTV

The worm, or gusado, is actually associated with tequila's smokier cousin, Mezcal. But you won't find a worm in a fine bottle of either. In other words, worm = cheap.

8. Tequila can be turned into diamonds.

Fox

A team of Mexican physicists discovered that tequila's ratio of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon lies in the diamond growth region, and have actually produced diamonds with it. But sadly, they're too small to make jewelry with.

9. There is a tequila that won't give you a hangover.

Comedy Central

Blanco tequila – which is 100% pure agave – doesn't include the sugars, corn syrups and congeners (chemical toxins produced during fermentation) of other spirits, all which contribute to those nasty hangovers.

10. Mexico is pretty strict on what can be considered tequila.

Geo-Mexico / Via geo-mexico.com

Tequila has to be made in one of five territories defined by Mexican law in order to legally be considered tequila – otherwise, you're just drinking an "agave spirit."

11. The most expensive bottle of tequila ever sold cost around $225,000.

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It was a six-year-old tequila that came in a platinum and gold bottle. Supposedly, there's a 3.5 million dollar diamond-encrusted version as well but I'm guessing that one stays on the market for a while.

12. Tequila is the preferred liquor in the United States.

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According to a 2016 Nielsen survey, 44% of American adults (21 & over) who eat out prefer tequila as a liquor base, with 60% preferring to order margaritas.

13. The Aztecs discovered tequila by accident, as the story goes.

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Legend has it that the Aztecs witnessed a lightning bolt strike an agave plant, and after the plant cooled, discovered a syrupy liquid oozing from it which smelled and tasted sweet. They noticed that if left alone, it would ferment into a unique and "powerful" beverage.

14. Oh, and they believed that it was a gift from the gods, because, I mean, don't we all?

Warner Bros.

It was even believed that this fermented agave juice, "tequila", gave drinkers the ability to communicate with the gods when consumed. Same Aztecs, same.