If you’re a savvy tippler, you already know the best time to buy booze and where. Now, science has officially answered the question of which wine is the least likely to have you reaching for your trusty bottle of Advil tomorrow morning.
According to Professor Steve Allsop, of the National Drug Research Institute in Perth, Australia, it all comes down to the evil little morning-ruiners called congeners. When your body breaks down the congeners found in wine, toxins are released — and it’s those toxins that make you feel like a pile of poo after a carefree night of celebration.
So how do you know if your wine has a lot of congeners in it? Look at the glass in your hand. Congeners contribute to the color and flavor of alcoholic beverages, so the darker the wine you’re sippin’ on, the worse you’re likely to feel tomorrow. Meaning that the age-old debate over red wine versus white has been officially, scientifically solved: red wine will give you a worse hangover.
But it’s not just wine. The same color rule applies to liquor and beer: vodka is less likely than brandy to make you feel terrible, while heavier glasses of porter or stout will make you feel worse than indulging in a crisp pilsner or four.
Of course, you can’t blame hangovers on congeners alone. Allsop also notes that histamines in red wine can aggravate sufferers of hayfever, while preservatives and colorings (which, side note, your wine really shouldn’t contain anyway) can make sensitive folks suffer. And, obviously, if you drink too much too fast, you’re probably going to get a hangover no matter how clear that vodka and soda is.
Do we need to remind you of optimal hangover-free drinking rules? Okay, here goes: don’t drink on a full stomach, make sure you’re hydrated (and stay that way), and, yes, don’t overdo it. And if a glass is what does it for you these days, maybe reach for the riesling over the cabernet.
(Via Esquire)
