Science says: this really helps against a hangover

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands of online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our chefs serve you the recipe against a hangover.

Call it hungover, hair pain or just a hangover, everyone knows what you mean. It was late, it was fun and the drinks were too good and that's why you now have a head like a bus shelter, clammy armpits and a centrifuging stomach. Misery! How do you get rid of it? Science to the rescue: here are five scientifically researched hangover remedies.

Tip 1: water, water, water
That miserable throbbing headache and the leather tongue come from being dehydrated. You would think it’s possible after that stream of shots from last night, but scientists have discovered that just four drinks can cause you to lose between 600 and 1000 milliliters of water. Just imagine. What now? A big pot of tea and a few hefty glasses of water (not ice cold please) can help you. Immediately wash down two aspirin, that helps too. Tip from a bartender: sports drinks replenish the minerals you lost somewhere during the evening.

Tip 2: greasy bite
Fried egg with bacon or a cone of fries with mayo: you will notice that after a greasy bite you feel a bit better. How does that work? When your body breaks down alcohol, acetaldehyde is released. And that substance causes nausea, dizziness, and increased heart rate. Unfortunately, there is insufficient scientific evidence for the idea that, for example, a special frikandel helps your body get rid of that acetaldehyde. What has been proven: having a solid meal really helps. A hearty meal before a night out ensures that alcohol is absorbed more slowly. But well: if it doesn't help, it doesn't hurt, so warm up the kale stew from last night or call the spare rib express.

Tip 3: cup of comfort
It's not just the alcohol that causes a sluggish feeling, it’s also due to lack of sleep. You probably didn’t get to bed after Sesame Street, so you couldn’t clock those much-needed eight hours of beauty sleep. Moreover, you sleep less well with alcohol in your blood, science has shown: you fall asleep like a log at first, but in the second half of the night you sleep lighter. This way your body doesn’t enter the so-called slow-wave sleep, in which you recover from exertion. No wonder you feel so weak. A strong cup of coffee can help, the caffeine helps you a bit to get back on your feet.

Tip 4: a drink
Real barflies swear by it: a hair of the dog that bit you, in other words: just a beer to wash away the worst hangover. Scientists shake their heads en masse. The liver needs time to recover, and that doesn’t work if there’s new trouble on the way. It is advised to not drink a drop of alcohol for at least 48 hours.

Tip 5: oxygen
A refreshing walk along the beach or just a block around: you really feel better for it. Want to tackle it professionally? In Korea, there are special bars where you can hang out at an oxygen tank, and those oxygen bars occasionally pop up in the Netherlands too. It is said to have something to do with that acetaldehyde, which is released when your body breaks down alcohol, but conclusive scientific evidence is still lacking. It doesn’t matter: putting your head in the wind helps. Walk nicely to the snack bar for a fries with war sauce and a large cola, because that works best.

Text: FavorFlav