Ah, the dreaded hangover. Everyone has had those mornings; head throbbing, stomach aching, obsessively checking your text messages from last night hoping you didn’t embarrass yourself. We appreciate wine and spirits here just as much as you do, but we also understand that hangovers can be a side effect of our favorite vice. Today, we’re going to explore some facts and myths about hangovers so you can enjoy your glass of wine without worrying about it coming back up in the bathroom the next morning.
1. Darker alcohol, such as whiskey, can cause a worse hangover – This is actually true. While all alcohol can cause hangovers, darker liquors contain congeners. These are the chemicals that give the drink its taste and color which are results of the fermenting process. These congeners can lead to a worse hangover. Verdict: FACT
2. The hair of the dog – There is an old saying about drinking the alcohol you had the night before to lessen the effects of a hangover. While many believe this to be true, you are actually just delaying the hangover. On the other end, the alcohol could just make you vomit which could help you feel better (well…not WHILE you’re vomiting, of course!)Verdict: MYTH
3. Sulfites in wine cause worse hangovers – While many lovers of wine believe that sulfites will make their inevitable hangover worse, this is actually false. There is no evidence to show that sulfites have this effect. Verdict: MYTH
4. Painkillers before bed – While many believe that taking some Advil before bed will lessen the effects of their hangover in the morning, it is sadly not true. The properties of the Advil will probably have worn off by the morning when that dreaded headache comes to say hello. Verdict: MYTH
5. Coca-Cola and milk – This might sound a bit strange, but in the 1930’s the Ritz Carlton would serve its hungover guests Coca-Cola and milk to cure their post-partying headache. While I have never tried this myself, I just had to include it so that maybe you could give it a try. I guess it sounds more appetizing than the wild west cowboys who thought rabbit poop tea was a good hangover solution. Verdict: JURY IS OUT
Now that we’ve covered the hangover myths, I am sure you are waiting for me to let you in on a super-secret Area 51 all-mighty hangover cure. Well, the truth is much less glamorous than that. The key is WATER. Almost all of a hangover is purely the result of being dehydrated. The best hangover cure is prevention. For every glass of wine you have, match it with a glass of water. The ancient Greeks would dilute their wines with water and snow to prevent themselves from getting too drunk, which would also lead to hangovers. They believed only barbarians drank undiluted wine. Don’t be a barbarian, “just add water” and you can feel a little less sick to your stomach while you are scrolling through your evening’s drunk text like this one…
Or this one...
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