Are pears the new hangover cure?
A team of Australian researchers has shown that eating a pear before drinking alcohol would help you go through the next day far easier.
PEARS AS A HANGOVER CURE
If you foresee yourself having a heavy night of drinking, researchers say your main ally would be the Korean nashi pear. Not only would it be able to lower cholesterol, relieve constipation and fight against inflammation, but it also seems that it can prevent hangovers and reduce alcohol levels in the blood – provided they’re consumed before you start drinking. Drink at least 220ml of its juice or a whole fruit.
The CSIRO researchers measured 14 parameters of the hangover with dedicated scales in a group of guinea pigs that had eaten the pear before being subjected to an alcoholiser, and among a group that drank without being accompanied by anything. The results: The people of the ‘pear group’ showed symptoms of lesser intensity, especially regarding the concentration disorders.
According to Professor Manny Noakes, who was in charge of the study, consumption of nashi pears would help in several ways to prevent a hangover: “It comes from a key enzyme involved in the metabolism of not only alcohol, but also the alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, to accelerate the metabolism of alcohol and eliminate it. In particular, we observed a reduction in the rate of acetaldehyde in the blood, the toxic that is believed to be responsible for the symptoms of a hangover.”
Scientists specified that the enzyme composition of the nashi pear differs from those of other pears and other studies are therefore needed to know whether all pear varieties gather the same response. And of course, it should be noted that the abuse of alcohol is bad for health and that the best way to fight against hangovers is to drink in moderation. Basically, a total prevention of the ‘A’ word is optimal.
Source: CSIRO news blog, July 31, 2015
Maureen Diament and Nur Syazana H.
