Myth or Fact: 5 things you may not know about your favourite drinks

Answer: FACT

Your blood alcohol level rises faster when you drink on an empty stomach. Having delectable bar bites at the ready will help reduce the pace at which your blood alcohol increases and will allow you to pace yourself so you don’t have more drinks than you intended. 

Fact: Many believe that eating food after drinking will speed up the processing of alcohol –this is not true. The best time to eat is before and during consumption of alcohol, as this can help prevent your blood alcohol level from rising too quickly. 

Answer: MYTH

While it might seem tempting to sink into your comfy duvet after a round of drinks, taking a nap doesn’t speed up your body’s processing of alcohol. The reasoning behind this misconception is that many feel like their regular selves after a long nap – but that’s because the only thing that rids your body of alcohol is time. Interestingly, the breakdown of alcohol starts immediately once you take a sip.

Fact: It takes the average person about an hour to process a drink (or roughly 10g of pure alcohol), but of course, this can vary depending on factors like your body weight or metabolic rate.

Answer: MYTH

Nope, there is no standard unit size of alcohol around the world, but there are country-specific standard units. In Seoul, a standard alcohol unit is 14g – that's about one bowl (300ml) of makgeoli or a quarter bottle (90ml) of 20 percent soju. But keep in mind that the definition of a standard unit differs across countries. For instance, it’s also 8g in the UK and India, but a much higher 14g in the United States.

While we're on the topic, there's no globally recognised legal drinking age, either. You have to be 19 years old to drink in South Korea but 20 in Japan and 21 in the United States.

Answer: MYTH

First things first: there’s no such thing as a “hard” or “soft” drink. In actual fact, a dram of single malt whisky and a glass of wine both have approximately the same amount of alcohol. Take a closer look at the amount of pure alcohol each alcoholic beverage contains – it’s typically marked by a measure called alcohol by volume (ABV). Don’t trick yourself into thinking you’re drinking responsibly just because you’re guzzling down light beers. 

Fact: Drinks with a lower ABV are often served in larger sizes.

Answer: FACT

This is a resounding yes – drinking responsibly is one of the best things you could do for yourself and those around you. In order to enjoy your night out to the fullest, you should always educate yourself about drinking and how it might affect you. If you choose to drink, make sure you do so in moderation and adhere to country-specific drinking guidelines. It goes without saying that you should also respect the choice of those who choose not to drink, and not engage in any excessive or binge drinking. And of course if you are underage, pregnant, taking medication or will be driving, you should not drink at all. Drink plenty of water throughout the night to keep yourself hydrated and remember, it’s always OK to take a break and to not drink if you feel so.

Fact: Drinking water when consuming alcohol helps the body stay hydrated and keeps your bodily systems functioning well.