How to avoid hangovers: One ingredient in alcohol 'causes hangovers' and you can avoid it

With Christmas fast approaching, many Brits will be excitedly looking forward to celebrations all month long - and for most, this means the worry of a hangover the next morning.

Over 68% of Brits admit to experiencing a hangover during the festive season, with the average Brit experiencing four hangovers during December.

But according to Alex Harris, founder of London-based mobile bar and event service 411Bars.co.uk, there’s a simple, one-word reason why people suffer from hangovers - sugar.

Harris explains: “Sugar is likely to worsen your hangover for a few key reasons. Firstly, a sugary mixer will undoubtedly mask the taste of alcohol in any drinks, likely resulting in your drinking more drinks, often spirits with a higher ABV. Secondly, the excess sugar and processed ingredients usually found in mainstream brands (when combined with alcohol) do not make you feel good, which is linked to how the body processes both sugar and alcohol.

"One of the most common additions is glycerin, which is used by brands to give a smoother swallow. It is 26 times sweeter than sugar often resulting in headaches and that sore throat effect associated with hangovers .For example, Polish vodka, by law, can't contain artificial ingredients, and therefore is likely to be your best bet to avoid the hangover impacts of glycerin.

"Finally, sugar causes de-hydration, due to the sugar replacing water in the bloodstream, compounding your hangover.”

Other top tips to avoid a hangover according to 411 Bars

• Increase water via your mixer
• Combining your spirit of choice with low-sugar CBD mixers - such as TRIP - can ease the effect of the alcohol.
• Consider a lower, or % ABV long drink between short, punchy cocktails
• Drink plenty of water!