Ice cream is now a cure for hangover

In December 2015, the Hangover Clinic in Sydney opened, promising relief in 30 minutes using revolutionary treatments. Australia’s first hangover clinic offers headache or anti-nausea drugs such as a cocktail of vitamin B and C and a litre of IV drop which costs $140.

Cosmopolitan reports there’s a tastier and cheaper way cure a hangover – eat a certain brand of Korean ice cream called Gyeondyo-bar which means “hang in there.” The ice-cream, launched by a convenience store chain, uses grapefruit flavor made up of raisin tree fruit juice, a traditional hangover remedy in South Korea.

Yahoo cites a 2012 Journal of Neuroscience article that oriental raisin tree extract reduced symptoms of intoxication in rats.

Cures for hangover is a big business in South Korea where after-office hours drinking among co-workers is common. The average alcohol consumption of South Koreans per year is 12.3 litres, the highest in Asia-Pacific, according to the World Health Organisation’s 2014 report.

As a result, annual sales of hangover cures enjoys a 150-billion won (AUD$177 million) annual sales. The products range from pills and beverages to make-up for women that keeps their skin soft after a night of drinking, reports Reuters.

Many Korean restaurants also offer a hangover soup. In 2014, a popular hangover beverage, Hut-gae Condition was included in the music video of Korean YouTube phenomenon Psy and American rapper Snoop Dog titled “Hangover.” The drink is exported to China, Japan and Vietnam.

Gyeondyo-bar would be available in stores by Friday. Unfortunately, it is only available for now in South Korea.