Hangover Cures from Around the World

In the new issue of mental_floss, we reported why bacon is a miracle drug when it comes to dealing with the morning after:

Cure Your Hangovers—with Bacon! Ah, bacon. For years, we've devoured it in all its crispy glory without worrying about the side effects. But now, scientists at Newcastle University's Centre for Life have given us a new reason to gorge on the stuff. They say that when it comes to hangovers, bacon is a miracle drug. In fact, the study found that bacon is most effective when united with bread in sandwich form. The protein in bacon supplies the body with amino acids, which the brain needs to restore the neurotransmitters damaged by alcohol. Meanwhile, the bread's carbohydrates give the body energy to get up and go. Now, if only sausage could delete all of those text messages you sent last night.

Of course, that doesn't do much for the vegetarian boozehounds in our audience. But fear not, the wonderful blog blurtit has assembled quite a few of the hangover cures in the world. Here are a few hangover cures that I have no intention of trying:

*Jackrabbit Tea- A Wild West morning-after beverage made from rabbit droppings and hot water. Like Blurtit says, "There is no medical reason why water and pre-chewed plant matter would help with a hangover, and it certainly won't help with your morning breath."

*Soot and Warm Milk- 19th century chimney sweeps used this charcoal based "cure all" to soothe their stomachs.

*Pickle Juice- Apparently, the high levels of electrolytes and minerals are supposed to help cut through the headache. I'm guessing they mean dill pickles, not kimchi or Bedekar's lime pickle, but I'd be equally unwilling to try any of them.

*Tsar Nicholas II's lemon wedge- Probably the tastiest (and certainly the most blue-blooded option) on the list, the shooting Tsar used to coat a lemon slice with sugar and ground coffee and then chomp down.

In any case, the site also lists plenty of meaty options from various cultures (ground swallow beak and myrrh, deep-fried canary) and even a few traditions you can embrace before drinking (like rubbing lemon wedges under your arms per the Puerto Ricans, or placing a voodoo curse on the beverages New Orleans' style). Or, I guess you could just drink in moderation. So, do you have a favorite/fail-safe hangover cure you'd like to share with the world? Drop it in the comments!

Link via The Presurfer.