Why You Should Avoid These Alcoholic Drinks To Reduce Hangovers

Dorothy Parker once famously called hangovers "the wrath of grapes." Indeed, spirited Dionysians want to feel the buzz and bask in the glow ... any wrath can wait till tomorrow (and, always, it is patient). When it comes to hangover prevention, the best offense is a good defense: Avoid carbonation and drinks high in congeners. Beyond ethanol, one of the main ingredients in alcohol are congeners — which most imbibers have probably never heard of by name, but are certainly familiar with. Congeners include methanol, isopentanol, and acetone, among other chemical compounds, and they're where the toxicity aspect of alcohol comes in.

Congeners are a byproduct of the fermentation processes. To convert sugar into alcohol, the sugar feeds on yeast. Different spirits manufacturers use different strains of yeast; congeners are a byproduct of this conversion, and they are produced in higher or lower concentrations based on the type of yeast used. Congeners aren't entirely bad, either. On the palate, they give certain liquors their unique flavor and aromatic profiles, like the fruity notes of bourbon and dark rum. But, inside the body, congeners can also wreak fearsome havoc in the hangover department. After a night of drinking, as the starkly sober body (lies in bed and) breaks down the ethyl alcohol, congeners' separate breakdown can slow the process, making the ethyl alcohol (and its unpleasant hangover-inducing effects) linger in the body for even longer. That means more hours of the sorely familiar headache, fatigue, dizziness, and nausea.

Congeners are the reason why vodka is less likely to give you a hangover than other spirits, and why white wine is less likely to ruin your morning than red wine. Exact congener content varies from one type of alcohol to the next, so to reduce hangovers, know your liquor before you rip the shot. Tequila, whiskey, cognac, brandy, and red wine are all naturally high in congeners. On the flip side, vodka, gin, unaged rum, beer, white wine, and sake have comparatively lower congener contents. Also, look out for liquor brands that boast "triple distillation." The more distilled a liquor is, the lower congener content it has.

In addition to steering clear of congeners, skip carbonated drinks to minimize hangovers. Carbonation speeds up the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol. So, stick to flat white wine over champagne. Or, the next time you order a highball, stretch that vodka with cranberry juice instead of fizzy soda water. To further mitigate nasty hangover effects, be sure to hydrate (with water) during a night out. Tomorrow's You will be thankful. Or, catch a buzz without the booze. Stick to THC-infused seltzers or mushroom chocolate instead and forego the hangover altogether. If all else fails, Anthony Bourdain's failsafe cure can beat even the gnarliest of hangovers.