Discover the food that can reduce the effects of a hangover by 50%, according to a study

in collaboration with

Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)

When we drink too much alcohol during a night out, our bodies pay dearly for it the next day. Headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue… The symptoms of a hangover are unpleasant and sometimes take a while to disappear. However, according to science, there is a food that can help you get out of the fog more quickly.

Fruits, to eliminate alcohol from the blood more quickly

According to Dr. Rhonda Patrick, a nutritionist quoted by the Daily Mailvarious studies show that fructose, a sugar naturally present in fruit, can reduce the amount of alcohol absorbed by the blood by half.Eating fruits prevents excesses like grapes, watermelon or of the banana would help reduce the feeling of a hangover the next day” she explains.

Eating fruit the next morning can also help rehydrate the body, speeding up recovery after drinking too much alcohol.

Fruit juices are not recommended, however.

But be careful, warns Dr. Patrick, “fruit juices are a poor substitute for this”. So don’t think that drinking your glass of orange juice in the morning will help you “sober up” from the night before’s heavy drinking.

Why? Because in fruit juices, the sugars present in the plant cells are released and easily absorbed into the blood. The only effect will therefore be a sudden rise in blood sugar, followed by a fall.Note that the fructose from whole fruits, with the benefit of fiber and micronutrients, is very different from the highly refined fructose from fruit juices.” Dr. Patrick therefore specifies.

In addition, the nutritionist remains cautious in her remarks.Am I suggesting that fructose is a hangover cure? No. But it is an interesting mechanism by which fruit, in particular, can mitigate some of the ill effects of alcohol.”.

Drink, yes, but in moderation

Finally, the amount of fructose needed to benefit from this effect is of the order of one gram per kilogram of body weight. This result is taken from a study published in 2009, on which Dr. Patrick relies. In this study, scientists tested the effect of fructose to eliminate alcohol in 45 men aged 25 to 35, all in good health.

The researchers gave them an amount of fructose equivalent to their body weight. For example, for a man weighing 79 kg, he would need to ingest 79 grams of fructose (the equivalent of five or six apples).

Results: They found that their time spent drunk decreased by about 30.7%, and fructose helped their bodies increase the rate at which they eliminated alcohol by about 44.7%.

“No food or medication will cure hangover symptoms! Only abstinence can do that” immediately recalls Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo. However, in certain studies and due to their composition, foods can be beneficial. This is the case for:

• Banana, which is rich in potassium and helps fight fatigue and compensate for losses due to alcohol;
• Honey, which can speed up the process of eliminating alcohol from the blood and provide sweet comfort;
• Water-rich fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, grapes, tomatoes and cucumber, which help rehydrate the body;
• Pear or its juice (especially nashi, a Korean pear) consumed before drinking can help prevent hangovers;
• Asparagus, which contains amino acids and mineral salts that help break down alcohol in the body;
• Bread or crackers, which are alkalizing foods that can help combat acidosis caused by alcohol;
• Eggs, easy to digest, are rich in L-tyrosine which can improve mood;
• Salty vegetable broths or soups, to help rehydrate and restore sodium levels;
• And finally, oats, avocado, mushrooms, walnuts and almonds, rich in L-tyrosine which stimulate the production of dopamine and serotonin.

“It is important to note that these foods can help alleviate symptoms, but the best remedy remains moderate alcohol consumption, good hydration and rest.” concludes the doctor.

Slideshow: 10 effective hangover remedies: natural tips!