Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

I’m not sure if the following hangover remedies actually work, but thought the information was interesting and may be helpful to some.  Hopefully I won’t need ’em this year, but it’s handy just in case.

COFFEE:  While Coffee does NOT help sober you up, it can provide some relief for that pounding headache.

RAW EGGS:  Salvation for hangover sufferers could lie in downing raw Eggs as they contain a chemical ingredient called N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC).  It is thought that NAC boosts the body’s ability to mop up destructive chemicals called free radicals, which build up in the liver as enzymes break down alcohol.  Free radicals are normally destroyed by a naturally occurring enzyme called glutathione, but reserves can be low after periods of heavy drinking.  
 
BURIED UP TO YOUR NECK IN SAND:  In Ireland, it’s said that the cure for a hangover is to bury the ailing person up to the neck in moist river sand.  I don’t think I’ll be doing this.
 
PICKLE JUICE:  In Poland, drinking Pickle Juice is a common remedy.
 
Now why Fernet-Branca?  Fernet (pictured) is a type of spirit known as an Amaro – Italian for ‘bitter’.  One theory is that the bitterness is a cure for the body to begin producing saliva and digestive juices.  Herbalists say that it’s the combination of herbs found in Fernet that make it the ideal cure.  More than 40 barks, roots, herbs, fungi and spices go into Fernet.  These include Myrrh, Orris Root, Saffron and Cinchona Bark.  In fact, when the original formula was conceived in 1845, it was born as a medicine.  Decades later, Fernet is recognized as being healthful.  Give it a try, if necessary.