Benny Blanco just shared a pretty simple hangover trick, but does it actually work? The 36-year-old producer, who recently made headlines for his romance with Selena Gomez, 31, appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this month and shared his secret to avoiding unpleasant side effects the next day of drinking: olive oil. In the segment, Blanco said he learned the trick from a friend. “These old guys from Italy came in. They said, ‘Before you drink, drink this, you can’t be hungover. Impossible.’ ” Both Fallon and Blanco humorously put the theory to the test and drank some olive oil before taking a sip of their spirits.
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Image of virgin olive oil.
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Despite Blanco’s claims, olive oil may not actually be the best hangover cure. Registered dietitian Megan Huff tells PEOPLE that there is no direct scientific evidence that olive oil has guaranteed results against the unpleasant aspects of excessive alcohol consumption.
“Only 20% of alcohol is absorbed by the stomach,” she explains. “So the rest will be absorbed through the small intestine. From there it’s metabolized in the liver and will still lead to hangover symptoms like dehydration and headaches.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Kim Shapira, another registered dietitian and founder of the Kim Shapira Method, tells PEOPLE that because “extra virgin olive oil is a high-fat monounsaturated oil, it will slow down digestion and thus slow down the absorption of alcohol.” Shapria theorizes that the reason people speculate that olive oil will help slow the absorption of alcohol. because of the antioxidants it contains. “These antioxidants help maintain the immune system and reduce inflammation overall,” she says.
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She further explains that some people may also lack alcohol dehydrogenase, a key enzyme that helps the body break down alcohol. Shapira explains, “Women actually have less of this enzyme than men, and as we age, we end up with even less. So people who have high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase don’t have the usual hangover symptoms that someone else might have, and they ‘re [maybe] Mixing it with olive oil.” So what’s really the best way to prevent a hangover? Both Huff and Shapira recommend simply staying hydrated.
“Reach for water or coconut water—both are great choices for hydration,” says Huff. “Electrolyte drinks are also effective because they replenish vital electrolytes.”
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education