Most people are still of the school of thought that eating bread will make them sober up faster. However, they are wrong because time is the only thing that can sober you up. This article will explore the science behind alcohol metabolism in the bloodstream and why eating bread won’t help you sober up.
While eating certain food between drinking alcohol can slow the absorption into your bloodstream, the only way to reduce your blood alcohol concentration is by allowing your liver enough time to break down the excessive alcohol content. Let’s dive into the details.
What happens after you eat bread?
The consumption of bread is as old as history; little wonder it is regarded as a staple food in many countries. However, sadly it is associated with being unhealthy and fattening. As you begin your sobriety, note that you want to know if bread is the right option. Although bread is a rich source of carbohydrates and calories, it typically contains low levels of fat, vitamins, protein, minerals, and fiber.
Although not scientifically proven, consuming bread or other food could delay the absorption of some alcoholic drinks into your body system. And this may seem to slow down the feeling of being drunk but don’t get too excited because it’s not always the case. It is best recommended that you always allow enough time for alcohol to metabolize in the body before you attempt to use or operate any machinery.
So for most folks, that amount of time varies per 1 alcoholic drink. Let’s say you consume 6 packs of beer, and you will need to give your liver up to 6 hours from when you started to get rid of all the alcohol in your bloodstream completely.
Now you could be okay to go ahead and drive after three-four hours but guess what? Your Blood Alcohol Concentration won’t be okay. Instead, your BAC will be somewhere around (.05), and this is too low to drive or operate any piece of machinery legally but not low enough to be completely sober.
Science of Alcohol Metabolism in the Body
The idea that bread consumption can sober you up is only a myth. And this is because when you take alcohol, it is absorbed by your stomach lining and small intestine, rather than the usual digestion as in the case of normal foods.
Here’s another theory, while having food in your stomach can slow down the absorption of alcohol, it will not make you sober faster. And this is due to the liver being responsible for breaking down alcohol using an enzyme known as ‘alcohol dehydrogenase,’ which turns alcohol into ketones. Bread consumption, drinking water and coffee, taking energy drinks, or even taking a cold shower cannot speed up this procedure.
The only way to sober up after consuming alcohol is to wait for your liver to do its job. It flushes out alcohol from your body at a rate of 0.015 grams per 100 milliliters of blood per hour, which means that it would typically take about an hour to eliminate alcohol content completely from your bloodstream. Therefore, there is no magical cure for sobering up after consuming alcohol, making time the only reliable option.
How to Avoid Alcohol Intoxication
If you are looking for a hack to help you not to get drunk at all, then it’s a no-brainer to avoid alcohol completely or to be a little bit lenient, take it in moderation. When you take too much alcohol with the hopes of using bread or any other means to sober up, you might be shooting yourself in the foot.
Here’s a quick one; did you know that your body needs at least one hour to process each drink you have? So, if you drink more than one drink in an hour, you might feel the effects of alcohol even if you don’t realize it.
Here are tips that help to avoid the feeling of being drunk:
- Take one drink per hour
- Take tiny sips and stay active talking with your friends.
- Take drinks that have a low alcoholic content
- Never take too much alcohol
- Keep yourself hydrated by taking non-alcoholic drinks or water between stronger alcoholic drinks
Finally, remember that it’s crucial to be responsible if you want to drink and know when to call it quits if you find out you’re taking more alcohol than is needed for the day. And most importantly, look out for yourself and others.
Other Foods That May Help Sober You Up
While some foods might speed up the process of sobering in your body, it’s important to understand the foods listed here WILL NOT speed up the process (so this isn’t medical advice). As we said earlier, eating between your drinks can help slow down the alcohol absorption in your bloodstream.
Here are categories of foods that will help you sober:
- High proteins foods like cheese, eggs, and meat
- High-fatty foods such as nuts, oily fish, and avocado
- high carb diets like potatoes and whole grain
- Eat food with lots of water content (fruits and vegetables)
- High-spicy foods like hot pepper
It bears repeating that while these foods can help slow down alcohol absorption, they cannot speed up the process of the alcohol leaving your bloodstream. The only time-tested way to sober up is to wait, which happens naturally.
Conclusion
To conclude our position on this subject, you must understand that sobering up requires time for your body’s natural metabolism to break down alcohol. Eating bread, or any other food, might slow absorption, but it will not sober you faster. To avoid alcohol intoxication, it’s best to drink moderately, take drinks with low alcoholic content, and stay hydrated. It’s crucial to be responsible and know when to call it quits.
I am a passionate beer connoisseur with a deep appreciation for the art and science of brewing. With years of experience tasting and evaluating various beers, I love to share my opinions and insights with others and I am always eager to engage in lively discussions about my favorite beverage.
