Aranya Doloi
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When it comes to alcohol, the line between what’s a fact and what’s a myth is quite blurry. Even when booze is considered one of the pillars of civilization, it’s kind of shocking how little we know about it. Many of us are in fact basing our drinking habits on outdated information and not-at-all important misconceptions.
Let’s set the record straight on these damaging myths that most of us perceived to be true.
Myth 1: Eating a big meal before drinking will keep you sober
Fact: Whatever you eat, how much you eat simply has no role in keeping you sober. Once alcohol is consumed, it’ll be digested and it will enter the blood system. The presence of food in your tummy and digestive tract can slow down the process of absorption but there’s no stopping it.
Myth 2: Cold showers or hot coffee will sober you up
Fact: There’s only one way to sober up – give your body time to process the alcohol out of your system. Taking a cold shower and sipping in a cup of hot coffee might make you feel better but it definitely won’t help in getting rid of the alcohol from your system. Also caffeine at times may also trigger your anxiety when consumed after drinking.
Myth 3: The older the wine, the better
Fact: Wine does improve with age, but that’s not eternal. And every wine bottle has its own expiration date, so you just can’t store it forever. Every kind of wine has an ideal age – while some kinds should be consumed within the first year, there’re also types that shouldn’t be drunk earlier than 10-20 years. So it all depends on the type and brand that you’re drinking.
Myth 4: You can’t mix different drinks
Fact: Well, apparently you can! The way you feel after having a good time partying depends entirely on the amount of alcohol you consumed, not the variety. This myth can somehow be explained only in one way- if you’re sticking to one alcohol type; it’s easier to track how much you’ve drunk. Otherwise, you just miss the track in your already blurry mind.
Myth 5: Wine is not fattening
Fact: If you’re sticking to just wine to get back to shape, you’re taking the wrong way. There can be up to 200 calories in a large glass of red wine. Sugar in mixers or cocktails, like a chilled Sangria, comes on top of the alcohol in the form of spirits.
Myth 6: Drinking helps you sleep
Fact: Ah, the nightcap. A peg or two will make you feel sleepy and also help you get to sleep quickly. But some of you must have realized this by now that alcohol interrupts your deep sleep. Those few pegs before bed time will wake you up in the wee hours, leaving you tired and hung-over.
