Worried about your stomach after a night on the town? Don’t be. Try drinking strawberry daiquiris.

Researchers have found the strawberries can help protect the stomach from the effects of alcohol. This is highly important as it gives us hope of improved treatments of stomach ulcers.

The finding was discovered when scientists gave ethanol to laboratory rats. The team found less ulcerations in the stomachs of those rats which had eaten strawberry extract (40mg/day per kilo of weight) for 10 days before being given alcohol.

Scientists say a diet which is rich in the fruit can help prevent gastric illness and slow down the formation of stomach ulcers.

The scientists said that treatments for stomach ulcers needed antioxidant properties, and that strawberries could be the answer to this.

Researchers were studying the mucous membrane, which contains special cells that produce acid and enzymes- helping the body to break down. It also excretes mucus; this protects the lining of the membrane from the acid.

Inflammation of the stomach membrane is related to alcohol consumption but can also be caused by viral infections or anti-inflammatory medication (like aspirin.)

Maurizio Battino, coordinator of the research group explained: ‘In these cases, the consumption of strawberries during or after pathology could lessen stomach mucous membrane damage. This study was not conceived as a way of mitigating the effects of getting drunk but rather as a way of discovering molecules in the stomach membrane that protect against the damaging effects of differing agents.’

Strawberries

Picture courtesy of Geekpulp

If you’re looking to add a bit of punch to your diet  or just want to add a little extra vitamins and minerals then why not have a look at adding some of these health drinks below:

Beetroot juice

Not a taste for everyone but it is exceptionally good for you, recent studies have suggested beetroot can help lower the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure, beetroot juice is also very good for a hangover and if you can’t stomach it on its own try mixing it with other fruit juices.

Berry drinks

Smoothies are an ideal way to get topped up with berries such as strawberry’s, which contain vitamin C and both blueberries and raspberries both of which contain lutein for healthy vision. It’s thought that darker berries are good for your skin because they contain antioxidants and anthocyanidins which strengthen the bond between the collagen fibres which strengthen our skin.

Coconut water

This is the drink many slim celebrities swear by but it has had a bit of bad press about its qualities recently however there are some facts which can’t be disputed. Coconut water contains more potassium, less sodium, and less sugar than most energy drinks plus and contains fibre which is good for energy boosts.

Pomegranate juice

There are quite a few health benefits in pomegranates; these include reducing stress levels; people who drank pomegranate juice regularly had significantly lower levels of the stress hormone in their saliva and they are also good for your heart.

Aloe Vera juice

It may not be the best tasting but it is one of the most effective juice drinks out there, aloe vera is rich in a range of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other trace elements. It is also good at reducing inflammation as well as good for your skin, dental health and immune system.

The new alcohol substitute is being developed as we speak. The substance is becoming exceptionally famous due to its property of being ‘switched off’ instantly. The alcohol is ‘turned off’ by a pill allowing the drinkers to return to what they were doing, or even drive home safely.

The substitute alcohol is produced with chemicals similar to Valium which affects nerves in the brain to produce feelings of ‘relaxation’ and ‘ease.’ However, the alcohol is different to the normal kind as it does not affect the part of the brain which controls mood swings and addiction. The substance is also easy to drain from the body than regular alcohol.

Also, because the substance is much more precise in its effects, the substitute can be switched off using an antidote (a pill) which allows the drinker to be immediately sober.

The new substance is being developed by a team at ICL (imperial college London) which is led by David Nutt, a top professor.

Professor Nutt and his team of researchers are focusing on benzodiazepines. Thousands of benzos are already known, it us just a case of finding the perfect match and if necessary modifying it to fit our needs. The ideal benzo scientists are looking for should be tasteless and colourless… leaving those characteristics to the drink it is in.

Professor Nutt explains: “No one’s ever tried targeting this before, possibly because it will be so hard to get it past the regulators.” However Professor Nutt has faith as he strongly believe other countries may be persuaded to sponsor the team.