Coffee to sober up, a hot toddy for a cold, red wine for your heart… What science really says, with sources.
23 of these 24 beliefs are false. Only one is partly true: eating before you drink.
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Myth: “Coffee, a cold shower or exercise will sober you up”
Only time lowers your blood alcohol level, by 0.10 to 0.15 g/L per hour. Sweat contains no alcohol: your liver is what gets rid of it.
Myth: “A hot toddy or mulled wine cures a cold”
It has never been shown to work. Alcohol dilates blood vessels and can irritate the mucous membranes.
Sources: Allodocteurs
Myth: “Eating before drinking stops you getting drunk”
A meal slows down how fast alcohol reaches your blood, so the peak comes later. But it does not stop you getting drunk.
Sources: CIDJ
Myth: “A glass of red wine a day is good for your health and your heart”
According to the WHO, no level of alcohol consumption is risk-free. France's Inserm rules out any protective effect of wine: the “French paradox” does not hold up.
Sources: OMS Europe, 2023, Agra
Myth: “Alcohol burns off completely when you cook”
Not completely. According to US Department of Agriculture (USDA) tables, about 40% of the alcohol remains after 15 minutes of cooking, 25% after 1 hour and 5% after 2.5 hours.
Sources: Idaho State University (tables USDA)
Myth: “Your body gets rid of one beer per hour”
That is only a rough guide. The rate varies from person to person, and a strong beer counts as several standard drinks.
Sources: L’Avenir
Myth: “A spoonful of oil before drinking protects you”
There is no scientific evidence for it. Most alcohol is absorbed further down anyway, in the small intestine.
Sources: Anglia Ruskin University
Myth: “Mixing drinks gets you drunker”
No: what counts is the total amount of alcohol you drink, not the mix.
Sources: Mental Floss
Myth: ““Beer before wine and you'll feel fine”: the order changes your hangover”
No. A study of 90 volunteers (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2019) found no difference whatever order beer and wine were drunk in.
Sources: EurekAlert
Myth: “Men and women handle alcohol the same way”
No. For the same amount, women usually reach a higher blood alcohol level: their bodies contain less water to dilute the alcohol, and they eliminate it more slowly.
Sources: Ville de Paris
Myth: “Alcohol-free beer contains no alcohol”
It can contain a little: in France, a beer can be labelled “sans alcool” (alcohol-free) up to 1.2% ABV.
Sources: Weblex
Myth: “If you can hold your drink, you are not at risk”
Quite the opposite. Needing more and more alcohol to feel drunk is a sign of tolerance building up.
Sources: Université Clermont Auvergne
Myth: “There is a cure for hangovers (hair of the dog, paracetamol…)”
No. Another drink only prolongs the hangover, and paracetamol is not recommended with alcohol.
Sources: Mental Floss, Allodocteurs
Myth: “Alcohol helps you sleep well”
It helps you fall asleep faster, but it cuts down REM sleep: your sleep is not restorative.
Sources: Futura
Myth: “Alcohol warms you up”
No. Alcohol dilates blood vessels and makes you lose heat, while hiding the signs of hypothermia.
Sources: Futura
Myth: “A small drink during pregnancy is harmless”
No. The official advice is no alcohol at all during pregnancy. In 2020, 25% of French people still thought a drink on special occasions was harmless.
Sources: Santé publique France
Myth: “Drinking lots of water lowers your blood alcohol level”
No. Water limits dehydration, but nothing speeds up how fast alcohol is eliminated.
Sources: CIDJ
Myth: “Throwing up (or drinking salty coffee) lowers your blood alcohol”
No. Vomiting only empties your stomach: the alcohol is already in your blood. And when you are drunk, you risk choking on your vomit.
Sources: Université Clermont Auvergne
Myth: “A mint or chewing gum can fool a breathalyser”
No. Neither chewing gum nor mints change a breathalyser result.
Sources: Ville de Paris
Myth: “An after-dinner drink helps digestion”
It is the opposite: alcohol slows down gastric juices and stomach movement. Digestion slows down.
Sources: Futura
Myth: “Alcohol thins your blood and protects your arteries”
No study shows a benefit for the heart and blood vessels that outweighs the cancer risk linked to alcohol.
Sources: OMS Europe, 2023
Myth: “Alcohol is an aphrodisiac”
No. It dulls sensations and makes arousal more difficult.
Sources: Mental Floss
Myth: “Beer or wine is weaker than spirits”
Not per glass. A glass of wine, a beer and a small whisky each contain about 10 g of pure alcohol: that is a standard drink in France.
Sources: Ville de Paris
Myth: “If you do not drink every day, you do not have a problem”
Frequency is not enough to tell: what matters is your relationship with alcohol.
Sources: CIDJ
The free calculator estimates your blood alcohol level and when you will be back to 0, using the same calculation as the app.
This is general information and does not replace advice from a health professional.
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