A hangover is what happens when you poison your body with alcohol. It is the result of the chemical reactions produced by ethanol when a person drinks more alcohol than they can metabolise. There’s no need to go into detail, but it can basically be summed up as a very unpleasant feeling, with a series of symptoms which can vary from person to person and which all of us have experienced on occasion, or else word of which has been passed on by conventional wisdom. The festive season is associated with excessive alcohol consumption, and a time when ham is more likely to be on the table. We will study the relationship between these two elements with a single objective: recovering from a hangover as quickly as possible by eating ham.
In scientific terms, a hangover is called a “veisalgia” and tends to disappear within 24 hours, although there is a common belief that the older you are, the longer it lasts. There are many myths surrounding hangovers, like the idea that drinking the same thing you were drinking the night before the morning after will cure your hangover. The one thing this confirms is that people don’t know what’s good for them, either the night before or the morning after. Of course, the best thing would be not to drink too much in the first place, but if there’s no going back, at least don't make it worse with pseudoscientific cures.
After drinking too much alcohol, it’s not unusual to experience an overwhelming desire to eat junk food. The fattier the better. And if you can get takeaway delivered to your house, you may feel like hugging the delivery man. However, in spite of what you fancy, it’s clear that fried or fatty foods and fast food are not the best things to cure a hangover. The best thing is to opt for healthy food which has been boiled or grilled, to avoid causing any harm to the stomach.
One of the major advantages of ham is that it is generally easy to digest. Joselito Ham is a 100% natural food, without preservatives or colourings, and which is high in proteins, which makes it ideal for when you're not feeling your best. A typical soup or hot broth made with ham bone could be the best cure, and also helps you to rehydrate. Although your mistreated stomach won’t want to wait, let the broth cook for at least an hour, and you will discover its healing power.
Bellota (acorn fed) Iberian ham is a major source of B vitamins, especially thiamine, but also contains high levels of riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B12. B-complex vitamins; B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin) and B6 (pyridoxine) seem to be involved in the digestion of alcohol, which causes them to be lost in the process. This is why eating foods that contain and will replenish these vitamins can be beneficial.
Vitamin B1 is one of the vitamins administered to patients in cases of acute alcohol poisoning, and which can be found in Iberian ham and in high levels in asparagus. Another vitamin which ham also contains is vitamin B6, which can also be found in bananas, rice, spinach or chickpeas, for example. In addition, vitamin B12, which has a positive effect on the recovery process, can be found in eggs, dairy products, fish, Iberian ham and in other meats.
As a rule of thumb, the effects of alcohol can be mitigated by a full stomach, because your metabolism will produce fewer toxins and the chances of a hangover will be lower. An old classic which works well is to drink a bottle of water before going to sleep, because after drinking alcohol your body needs an extra intake of fluids. If when you wake up you feel terrible, try to turn over because sleep helps, and the next time you wake perhaps you’ll have more luck.
You don’t need to go on a detox but it is a good idea to remember that fruit juice, due to its high vitamin C content, helps the liver to absorb the alcohol. Although it might sound appealing to stay in your pyjamas all day, take a long hot shower and force yourself to go out. It’s a good idea to get moving and even do some moderate exercise to clear the cobwebs.
We're nearing the ultimate hangover day, the zombie apocalypse of the entire festive season: New Year’s Day. The only way to avoid a hangover is probably not to drink as though all the alcohol is about to dry up at the last stroke of midnight, but if once again you have a memorable night followed by a hideous morning, at least try to sit near to the ham at lunchtime, and if you can pair it with water then even better.
