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– First, at 8 or 9 pm, you should have a good dinner. And after 3 – 4 hours you can afford a glass or two of sparkling wine. And it is better to drink it without eating anything. Because champagne, even brut, contains a large amount of so-called simple carbohydrates. They give a quick jump in blood sugar, and it is better not to overload the body with food at this moment, explains endocrinologist, member of the Russian Society of Dietitians and Nutritionists, author of the Hormone Waltz series of books Natalya Zubareva.
Few people manage to limit themselves to one champagne during the New Year’s feast. Usually other drinks are used as well. And often they are mixed with champagne. For example, Northern Lights (champagne with vodka) and Brown Bear (champagne with cognac) cocktails are popular. Our expert is categorically against such mixtures:
“It won’t lead to anything good. On the contrary – expect a headache or exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For several years I worked as a doctor in the intensive care unit of a city hospital and saw dozens of victims of such experiments.
Do not add juice
Dr. Zubareva also recommends refraining from mixing whiskey with Coca-Cola and juice with vodka. Many people do this, but the juices sold in our stores contain too much sugar, alcohol also has a lot of carbohydrates. It turns out a huge load on the pancreas. As for cola, the harm of such drinks is confirmed by a large number of serious scientific studies. Plus, due to carbon dioxide, the rate of absorption of alcohol increases. Therefore, intoxication from whiskey and cola comes much faster.
In general, scientific studies have shown that drinks that differ significantly in manufacturing technology cannot be mixed at all. In particular, it is unacceptable to dilute vodka with beer, cognac, rum, liquor. All this harms the pancreas.
– If you ate something containing saturated fats at the New Year’s table (that is, animal fats: meat, lard, sandwiches with butter and caviar. – Ed.), And then poured it all with similar alcoholic cocktails, then there is a very high probability of problems with gastrointestinal tract, the doctor warns.
Myths about rising degrees
Alas, many folk tricks about how to drink do not find scientific confirmation.
“For example, the famous rule of raising the degree, which says that you can drink different alcohol, consistently increasing its strength, is not scientifically substantiated in any way,” Dr. Zubareva throws up his hands. – No research has been done on this topic. Moreover, there are no substantiated assumptions about how the alternation of alcoholic beverages in the direction of increasing the strength affects a person from the point of view of physiology. In America, a saying is popular – Beer before liquor never get sick (“Beer before liquor does not give a hangover”). But this is also not supported by scientific work.
In social networks and even in popular science literature, you can often find advice to drink an activated charcoal tablet in advance before a stormy feast. Allegedly, this allows you to drink more and get drunk less. In fact, activated charcoal does not react with alcohol, does not affect the rate of its absorption into the blood, and will not affect the rate of intoxication in any way.
Another recipe, supposedly inhibiting intoxication, recommends eating fat on an empty stomach before drinking alcohol.
“You won’t get anything but a double load on the pancreas,” the doctor comments. “There is only one drug that, according to the latest scientific evidence, helps the body cope with large amounts of alcohol. These are preparations of succinic acid, especially in a prolonged form. They have contraindications, you need to consult a doctor. Such funds are recommended to be taken not on an empty stomach, but after a hearty dinner.
Salads: less trans fats
– Herring under a fur coat is, of course, a tradition. But let’s take a look at the ingredients. Herring itself is saturated fat, protein and salt. When beets are added to it – a starchy vegetable that contains a lot of glucose, plus high-calorie mayonnaise, which is high in trans fats and saturated fats – the mixture is simply explosive for the stomach! Dr. Zubareva warns. – In small quantities, of course, it’s not so critical, but it’s definitely not recommended to wrap it with plates.
No less insidious is Olivier salad dressed with mayonnaise, with the addition of sausage and potatoes.
Luckily, you don’t have to deprive yourself of your favorite foods. There is a way out – to cook light versions of salads. For example, in Olivier, we replace potatoes, sausage and mayonnaise with avocado, chicken breast, low-fat sour cream or yogurt. It turns out the same delicious salad, but containing less calories, fat and trans fats. Also in other salads, mayonnaise can be replaced with low-fat yogurt or sour cream. And remember that you should not drink complex dishes with alcohol.
In general, nutrition scientists (scientific nutrition experts) are in favor of putting fewer multi-ingredient salads and other similar dishes on the New Year’s table. It is better to replace them with small snacks – from chopped vegetables, sauerkraut, boiled meat with horseradish, etc. By picking such a trifle into a plate, you can easily deceive your body and get enough of a small amount of food much faster.
Enzymes are not for everyone
After watching enough advertisements, some Russians are stocking up on New Year’s Eve with enzyme preparations – in the hope that the “magic” pills will help to quickly and painlessly digest bowls of food.
“Remember that this is a drug, not a harmless additive. Such drugs should be taken by patients with digestive problems. Of course, according to the doctor’s prescription, – emphasizes Dr. Zubareva. – The rest do not need to flatter themselves and hope that the enzymes will allow you to eat non-stop all New Year’s Eve, and feel great in the morning. Better try to alternate food with movement: dancing, outdoor games, walks in the fresh air.
Question – point-blank: chicken or pork
The tradition of our New Year’s feasts is the same chicken or meat that appears to replace salads. The main secret of their proper preparation is the moderation of frying (it is best to bake at all).
– It is important not to fry the meat to a dark crisp. This is the most harmful thing that may be due to the resulting carcinogenic elements, – explains Natalya Zubareva. – From the point of view of healthy nutrition, as a rule, farm meat from the market is better (it is not processed as hard as it is before being sold in supermarkets. – Auth.). It should be borne in mind that poultry meat is digested a little easier than beef, pork and lamb.
And do not forget that there are combinations of products that are very difficult for the body – you should try to avoid such mixes. First of all, as we have already said, the combination of fatty foods with alcohol is contraindicated. As well as sweet fruits with fatty meat snacks. In general, if you choose sweets for the New Year’s table, then instead of cakes and pastries from the store, rich in harmful trans fats, it is better to take fruits. Or make your own low-calorie desserts – for example, cottage cheese cake, baked apples or pears, etc. And of the fresh fruits, pineapple is perhaps the most useful. It contains the substance bromelain, which accelerates fat burning – it really works, our expert confirms. True, you need to be careful with allergies and those who suffer from inflammation of the gums, stomatitis, etc.