Shine OnCoffee and greasy breakfast not working? Try this ancient hangover cure
If you have yet to find a hangover cure that works for you, why not try an ancient one?
Iraqi scholar Nawal Nasrallah translated the 1,000-year-old recipe for Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq’s “ultimate hangover cure,” an Iraqi stew, in her book, Annals of the Caliphs’ Kitchens.
“There were things you take before, things you take while you are drinking, and of course after when you wake up in the morning,” Nasrallah tells ABC News of the advice found in al-Warraq’s 10th century Baghdadi cookbook, the earliest known compilation of Arabic recipes.
“For example, cabbage before drinking will slow down intoxication. They also encouraged having mezze [appetizers] and alternating between having them and drinking. Take a sip and have, for example, roasted nuts.”
For hungover individuals, al-Warraq recommended drinking cold water first thing in the morning — in several small doses between deep breaths.
Then comes the magical hangover cure: kishkiyya, a meat and chickpea stew.
Find the translated recipe here.
(Note, it takes one to two hours to make, so whipping up a batch the night before you party hard might not be a bad idea.)
“They used to think it was easy to digest and alleviated the symptoms of the hangover,” Nasrallah explains. “It’s a simple dish. They cook the meat with onions, some vegetables, some spices like coriander and cumin and they let it boil. Then they add kishk, which the dish gets its name from, which are clumps of dried yogurt and bulgur.”
Gizmodo India recently listed some of the traditional hangover cures from around the world.
In Germany, the hungover reach for pickled herring.
In Poland, a glass of sour pickle juice or brine heals what ails you.
We’re not too eager to try pickled sheep eyeballs in tomato juice (Mongolia) or deep-fried canaries (ancient Rome).
In The Hangover Handbook, David E. Outerbridge lists dozens of classic remedies — and a few novel ones — used to alleviate hangovers throughout history.
Cures include the Hair of the Dog cocktail — a blend of scotch, honey and double cream — a Bloody Mary, borscht, and what the majority of us really want most: sleep, quiet, darkness and time.
And then there’s W.C. Fields’ solution: a martini, to be taken round the clock.
Some people swear by coconut water — the hydrating beverage provides essential electrolytes like potassium and sodium to a worse-for-wear body — others prefer their greasy breakfasts, coffee, bananas and pain-relievers.
Scientists have long tried to understand hangovers and offer a sure-fire cure for them.
Last year, Chinese scientists determined that the best drink to relieve hangover symptoms is Sprite, as it has the ability to break down acetaldehyde, a chemical byproduct associated with hangover symptoms that’s produced when your liver metabolizes alcohol.
Berocca, an over-the-counter performance-boosting product popular as a hangover cure in Australia recently hit pharmacy shelves in North America. The orange tablet, packed with essential nutrients like B vitamins, vitamin C, and zinc, dissolves into a glass of water and reduces hangover symptoms, its faithful users claim.
While not marketed as a hangover cure, Bayer can’t ignore that many customers buy it for that reason.
According to a Bayer spokesperson, “Whilst there have been no studies conducted on the effect of Berocca on hangovers, alcohol can affect the absorption and use of the B group vitamins. Apart from the other essential vitamins and minerals, Berocca is a high-dose vitamin B supplement which may help restore depleted levels of B-vitamins. Drinking a lot of water or other rehydrating drinks will help towards preventing or lessening most hangover symptoms. Having a Berocca effervescent tablet in water may also help you rehydrate.”
Here are five other over-the-counter remedies to try.
According to the experts at AsapSCIENCE, preventing a hangover is the best strategy: eat fatty foods and carbs, drink plenty of water, opt for lighter-coloured liquors and take an aspirin before bed.
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
