Liquors Least Likely to Cause a Hangover, if any
The festive weekend is here, and it’s time to set the ball
rolling for that long-planned get-together. Festive seasons in India are the
most wonderful times, apart from the cumulative hangovers, which can be
annoying. Unless you are planning to be admirably disciplined this festive
season, it’s unlikely you can steer clear of a hangover entirely. But there are
ways you can temper down the risk of total intoxication, and naturally, a lot
will depend on what you drink.
Watch what you are drinking
All kinds of liquor contain congeners which are toxic
byproducts of the fermenting process. Alcoholic drinks with higher levels of
congeners are known to cause frequent and intense hangovers as the body
struggles to break them down.
Some congeners are pleasant in taste, so distillers also
exercise some control over their presence in your drinks. This is achieved by heating
the still, causing some congeners to evaporate while others stay or through
distillation.
Let’s now have a look at some of our favorite drinks and the
probability that they will leave you with a pounding head.
Vodka –
The Russian drink has almost no congeners. Vodka is distilled to remove all
impurities to achieve its neutral flavor. So, a bottle of Absolut Vodka is
perhaps the safest bet for mixing cocktails and doing shots. Ideally, vodka
mixes well with soda or fruit juice instead of sugary soft drinks. Apart from
vodka, clear spirits in general, such as light rum, gin and sake are low in
congeners.
Whisky –
Congeners are purposely left in darker spirits for adding depth and color.
Methanol is one particular congener found in whisky and bourbon which can
linger in the system and cause a hangover. However, you can opt for Irish whiskeys like Jameson for party consumption. Irish whiskeys are distilled three
times and taste lighter than double distilled Scotch whiskies.
Champagne –
Along with other carbonated alcoholic drinks, Champagnes can cause a killer
hangover. Carbon dioxide in these beverages helps the body in absorbing the alcohol
faster, hence leading to higher blood alcohol levels.
Wine –
The darker a wine, the more congeners it has. Some people may also react badly
to the histamines, preservatives and colorings present in red wine. If your
body cannot handle them, wines can cause a bad hangover.
What about cocktails?
While cocktails dilute the amount of alcohol you are
consuming, there’s another downside to them. A fruity, sugary cocktail can be
too darn tasty, and you may lose track of how much you have had. Apart from that,
cocktails don’t have any effect on intoxication levels or hangovers for that
matter.
In conclusion, if you wish to avoid a debilitating hangover
after the celebrations, stick with congener free spirits. Or, if you are a
whisky lover like us, drink slowly, stay hydrated, eat a good meal and get
enough rest. It will keep the hangover at bay, no matter what you’re drinking.

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