Researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou, China, tested various beverages to see which ones help the body recover from a hangover best.
The nausea and headaches that characterize a hangover are caused largely by acetaldehyde. The liver uses enzymes to break down the alcohol into acetaldehyde and then into acetate.
A hangover cure must speed up this process to shorten the time the body is exposed to acetaldehyde. The Chinese researchers tested 57 drinks, including teas, carbonated beverages, and more. Some herbal teas slowed down the process, prolonging the hangover. Sprite speeds up the process, helping the enzymes along.
The results of the study were published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Food and Function.
