Magic Cream: The Korean Way to Cure a Hangover

Extracted from an ancient medicine, Korean experts have created a "hangover" ice cream that can help you regain your sobriety after a "binge".

No one knows since when, but alcohol has become an "indispensable" drink in gatherings in many countries around the world and Korea is no exception.

Although we know that alcohol is not good for our health, according to CNN - a report by the World Health Organization, on average, Koreans drink 12.3 liters of alcohol per year, the most in Asia-Pacific.

The amount of money spent on drinking alcohol accounts for 150 billion won, equivalent to 126 million USD/year (about 2,800 billion VND). What an impressive number!

Drinking alcohol is fun, but when you're "not drunk after three bottles", you'll probably feel nauseous, have a dry mouth, and a splitting headache... extremely uncomfortable.

To get rid of this discomfort, Korean experts have invented a "miraculous" cream called Gyeondyo-bar - which helps you sober up and quickly regain your spirit when you are "drunk".

Just this ice cream will sober you up after a "burning" night with friends.

Gyeondyo-bar ice cream has a grapefruit flavor, containing 0.7% essence from Hovenia Dulcis (also known as Oriental raisin). This is a rare herb, grown mainly in Korea, has the effect of cooling the liver, detoxifying, used to prepare many types of medicine, including hangover medicine.

A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2012 also showed that oriental raisin extract can also reduce poisoning symptoms in mice.

Dr. Um Kyung-sun of the Korean Herbal Research Association shared: "Hovenia Dulcis contains a lot of calcium, minerals, glucose and iron, which are proven to be good for drunk people."

The "miracle" ice cream - to beat your hangover.

Anticipating the demand, Korean manufacturers have increased the quantity of ice cream in areas with many bars, restaurants and areas specializing in Korean drinking establishments.

The fruit of Hovenia dulcis is about 3cm in size, it contains 11.4% glucose, 4.7% fructose and 12.6% sucrose - it has antispasmodic, febrifuge, laxative and diuretic effects. The seeds contain 15% protein and 7.8% fat. The seeds, twigs and young leaves can be used to extract the same ingredients as honey.

Hovenia Dulcis is a deciduous shrub, 10 - 30m tall. The tree flowers in July, the seeds ripen around September, October.

Recognizing the special uses of the Hovenia plant, experts have extracted substances in the plant to prepare medicine to reduce poisoning caused by drinking too much alcohol, support diuresis, and relieve symptoms after drinking alcohol such as nausea, headache, and heartburn.

Nowadays Hovenia Dulicis is grown mainly in Korea, Japan, Eastern China...

Source: CNBC, Reuters