The first time you heard of a Moscow Mule cocktail you were probably intrigued; the first time you actually saw one you were probably more than a little surprised. That's because they are served in these strange looking copper mugs that you may have never seen before. This was a marketing ploy that was designed to catch the attention of those that frequented the bars back in the 1940's (or "taverns" as they were more commonly referred to back then) and it still works to this very day. When you think about it, that makes John G. Martin an absolute genius. However, and whether this was intended or not we'll probably never know, in a strange twist it's claimed that drinking from a copper mug is actually beneficial to your health. That's right, just by drinking from one of these strange looking copper cups, you can supposedly experience a wide range of health benefits. Incredible!

Your Body Needs Copper!

The human body doesn't have a large supply of copper, and most of it is concentrated in the liver, but it is vital to our existence since it's involved in the production of hemoglobin. For those of you who don't know what that is, here's a quick science lesson. Hemoglobin is a part of your red blood cells; it's the part that is responsible for carrying molecules of oxygen. Without it, your body's tissues wouldn't be supplied with the oxygen that they need to function. Anyway, copper is required to produce this protein, in addition to being involved in the production of collagen (this is a vital part of both bone and connective tissue), myelin (these are the cells that surround your nerve fibers) and melanin (the pigment responsible for coloring both your hair and skin). So, as you can see, the human body would be in a lot of trouble without copper!

What Happens If You Don't Get Enough Copper?

Copper should be consumed through a healthy diet and is present in small amounts in many everyday foods such as meat, seafood, beans, almonds, avocados, garlic, beets and lentils. If you don't include enough sources of copper in your diet, you can develop a copper deficiency, which can lead to a whole range of undesirable health problems, such as anemia, osteoporosis, low body temperatures and a decreased white blood cell count.

Using Solid Copper Mugs: An Easy Way to Increase Your Copper Intake

What if we told you that there's a simple solution that will allow you to increase your copper intake without making any drastic changes to your diet? That sounds pretty good, right?! One of the easiest ways to increase copper intake is to drink copper filtered water. This is achieved using a genuine copper cup, just like the Moscow Mule mugs. You fill the mug with water (unfortunately not with cocktails!) and leave it overnight at normal room temperature, and over the course of several hours the water will actually pick up trace amounts of the copper from the mug. First thing in the morning, drink this water and then re-fill it so it is ready for the next day.

What Health Benefits Could You Experience?

In addition to ensuring the body continues to produce the proteins we mentioned a little bit earlier, some of the other health benefits copper is known to provide include:

• Prevents Arthritis - Copper is known to have an anti-inflammatory affect on the body and can help to prevent the onset or progression of arthritis. This is the reason you see copper bracelets being worn by people with this disease.
• Ensures Normal Growth - We're told almost every day how important a balanced diet is to a healthy lifestyle and that our body needs a minimum mineral intake in order to operate effectively. Copper is integral to the growth and production of many cells in the body and also helps to safeguard the skeletal, nervous and cardiovascular systems.
• Stimulates the Brain - Want to really focus or kick your brain into overdrive? Foods that are rich in copper have acquired the nickname of "brain food" since copper has been proven to stimulate cerebral activity.
• Involved in Enzymatic Reactions - You might not be aware, but we are basically walking chemistry labs. There are thousands, if not millions of chemical reactions that take place in our bodies every single day, all of them key to our existence. Copper is involved in as many as 50 different types of enzymatic reactions; they can't function properly without it.
• Accelerates Production of Energy - Do you regularly feel tired or lethargic? It could be that your intake of copper isn't high enough, as it plays a vital role in the energy production process.

As you can see, the copper mugs that were made famous by the Moscow Mule are much more than just mugs!