Hangover cure breakthrough as popular kitchen staple could reduce effects by 50 per cent

For many of us who have ever overindulged in alcohol, the uncomfortable aftermath of a hangover is all too familiar. From splitting headaches and disorientation to nausea and an upset stomach, the morning after a heavy night out is never a pleasant experience.

Over the years, numerous household remedies for this condition have been suggested, ranging from pickle juice and fried eggs to the controversial 'hair of the dog'. However, the secret to alleviating those troublesome symptoms may have been hiding in your kitchen all along.

Researchers suggest that fruit could be the miracle hangover cure we've all been searching for, with experts finding that a delicious plant-based snack could reduce hangover effects by up to 50%, according to the Daily Mail.

This health benefit is believed to come from the naturally occurring sugar in fruit, fructose, which has been shown to significantly decrease the rate at which the body can eliminate alcohol by nearly half.

Discussing the research on a recent podcast, nutritionist Dr Rhonda Patrick explained that consuming fruits such as grapes, watermelon, and bananas before a night out can lower the amount of alcohol in the blood and therefore lessen the hangover the following day, reports Gloucestershire Live.

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In theory, consuming fruit the morning after a heavy night could potentially hasten recovery by replenishing lost salts and rehydrating the body. However, it's crucial to note that this only applies to whole fruits, not fruit juice.

When fruit is juiced, the sugars within the plant cells are released and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to a blood sugar spike followed by a sharp crash. Conversely, in whole fruit, the sugars are absorbed more slowly, reducing the likelihood of symptoms associated with fluctuating blood sugar levels.

To truly benefit from a fruit-based hangover cure, Dr Patrick warns that one would need to consume a significant amount of fructose - a gram for every kilogram of body weight - which could reduce the effects of alcohol by 31 per cent. This means that for a 79kg man to combat a hangover, he would need to consume around five or six apples to ingest the right amount of fructose.

Speaking on the FoundMyFitness podcast, Dr Patrick clarified: "Am I suggesting that fructose is an anti-hangover remedy? No. But this is an interesting mechanism by which food and fruit, in particular, may lessen some of the adverse effects of alcohol."

"Note that fructose from whole fruit, with the benefit of its fibre and micronutrients, is vastly different than highly refined fructose from fruit juices."

In the study highlighted by the nutritionist, a team of scientists looking into metabolic disorders assessed how fructose impacts the body's capability to flush out alcohol using 45 healthy male participants aged between 25 and 35.

Before the study commenced, all volunteers identified as light drinkers. The men received a dose of one gram of fructose per kilogram of body weight for each gram of alcohol per kilogram they had consumed, although not in the form of whole fruit.

The research uncovered that fructose significantly reduced the duration of intoxication by about 30.7 percent and also increased the rate at which alcohol was expelled from the body by roughly 44.5 percent.

Dr.Patrick reflected on the results, stating: "Eating some fruit with a meal before you drink may help lessen its negative effects and this could also involve mixing alcohol with fruit juice, which also contains fructose."

However, it's worth pausing before reaching for fruity drinks; Dr.Patrick warned that while metabolising alcohol might be more efficient, the combination of alcohol and fructose can lead to heightened spikes in blood glucose and triglycerides levels than if the substances are consumed separately.