Eating Asparagus May Prevent a Hangover, Study Suggest
Drinking to ring in the New Year may leave many suffering with the dreaded hangover. According to a 2009 study in the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute or Food Technologists (IFT), the amino acids and minerals found in asparagus extract may alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells against toxins.
Researchers at the Institude of Medical Science and Jeju National University in korea analyzed the components of young asparagus shoots and leaves to compare their biochemical effect on human and rat liver cells. "The amino acid and mineral contents were found to be much higher in leaves than the shoots,"say lead researcher B.Y. Kim.
Choronic alchohol use causes oxidative stress on the liver as well as unpleasant physical effects associated with a hangover. "Cellular toxicties were significantly alleviated in response to treatment with the extracts of asparagus leaves and shoots, "says Kim. "These results provide evidence of how the biological functions of asparagus can help alleviate alcohol hangover and protect liver cells