Facts and fables about alcohol

I drive better with a few glasses, I sleep poorly if I don't drink, and I simply don't get drunk. Sentences that roll over the bar, but are they true? I checked Women's Health magazine and came to new insights.

This is why women get drunk faster than men

It doesn't have to do with our body weight (I always thought), but with our water percentage. Alcohol is spread throughout your blood, and if you have more blood to ‘spread it over’, your blood alcohol level is lower. Furthermore, we have a smaller liver, so breaking down alcohol takes longer than for men. Unfair, right?

Laying a foundation is indeed a good idea

You cannot speed up the breakdown process of alcohol. The liver does that, and it takes about an hour for a glass. However, you can slow down the absorption of alcohol, and carbohydrates help with that. That's why the old trusted foundation is a very good idea. Pancake, anyone? Okay, okay, there are two (and secretly three) ways to speed up the alcohol breakdown process (remember for Scrabble). One is to consume fructose, but that can only be done if you have a friendly doctor nearby. Another way is to dance a lot, with the added benefit that you automatically drink less then. That’s my third tip.

What is very important is...

...that you keep in mind that you should count an hour per glass. Did you enjoy sipping Limoncello around midnight and maybe accidentally finished a bottle of wine during a lavish dinner beforehand? Then you are still drunk in the morning. Or at least: the alcohol is still in your blood. Then you understand why there is sometimes an alcohol check on the way to certain hockey clubs to let the pleasure-seeking parents blow.

Enjoy, in short. But drink in moderation.