It's official: The classic post-bender bacon sarnie really does help cure your hangover, thanks to the dual chemical benefits of the bread/sliced pig combination.

Elin Roberts, science development manager at the Centre for Life in Newcastle, told the Daily Mirror: “Food doesn’t soak up the alcohol, but it does increase your metabolism – helping you to deal with the after-effects of over-indulgence. So food will often help you feel better. Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids.

“Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good. Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of amines which tops these up, giving you a clearer head.”

It's not just the bacon sarnie that helps clear the fug; the very act of preparing the British culinary delight will help the fragile rebuild their shattered brains.

Elin explained: “If you’ve got amino acids and reducing sugars at a heat above 150°C, it kickstarts the Maillard Reaction in the pan. That means lots of lovely smells are released and it’s this which draws us in."

In fact, so lovely are these aromas that Elin concluded he'd known "three vegetarians who have been broken by the smell of bacon.” ®

Bootnote

I don't personally know any veggies "broken" by bacon, but did meet one whose resistance finally failed when faced with a particularly fine Scotch egg.