Drinking myths – we’ve all heard them. And if you regularly imbibe, you may even find yourself believing a few of them. Until now – here are a some drinking myths debunked:
Myth #1: Beer before Liquor, Never Been Sicker
This little rhyme may be fun to say, but it’s not based in reality. Alcohol is alcohol. It doesn’t matter if you drink beer, wine, whiskey or ale first, second or last, it’s the total amount of alcohol you consume that causes sickness. Alcohol decreases inhibition, which often leads to drinking more — so if you start with a beverage that has a higher alcohol content, your inhibition goes down more quickly and you tend to drink more.
Myth #2: A Drink an Hour Will Make You Fine to Drive
A person thinks they can drink, say, a beer an hour. And as long as they keep to that schedule, they’ll be able to get behind the wheel without issues. Guess what? Your body takes about two hours to process a single drink. So, if you stick to a drink an hour, in about four hours you’re going to be over the .08 – legally drunk – blood alcohol limit.
Even if you FEEL fine, it’s better to STAY SAFE and call an Uber or taxi.
Myth #3: The Secret Hangover Meal
If you are already hungover, then there’s no food that can cure that except time. The secret hangover meal has to occur BEFORE you drink to help prevent hangovers because it means less alcohol is absorbed by the body. All food slows alcohol digestion but fatty meals work best (steak or pizza, for example).
Also, Tylenol (or acetaminophen) should NOT be included in your hangover meal – this is very dangerous because it can cause liver inflammation and possibly liver failure. Instead, take Advil (or ibuprofen) before bed and in the morning – it will help with your headache and treat inflammation.
Myth #4: Dark Beers Have Higher Alcohol Content Than Light Beers
The color of a beer has absolutely nothing to do with alcohol content. I’ve heard this one a lot with Guinness. The Irish Stout is often called ‘strong’, but it only has 4.2% alcohol content. Compare this to Budweiser, which has 5%. To destroy this myth even further, we could look to Belgian beers, which often have an alcohol content of 8% or more.
As always, remember to space out your drinking with water and DRINK RESPONSIBLY. If you have any more myths you would like to share, feel free to leave a comment below!