Myth digestive schnapps
Is post-meal alcohol really good for digestion?
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We already heard from our grandparents that a glass after a meal “clears up the stomach”. But is that really true – or is the digestive schnapps a myth?
A delicious baguette with a creamy dip, then a large plate of pasta with lots of Parmesan and, for dessert, something really delicious with lots of chocolate… When we have treated ourselves to such a sumptuous dinner, the unpleasant feeling of fullness is usually not long in coming. Because particularly fatty and high-calorie foods can weigh heavily on our stomachs. Many then like to grab the digestive schnapps. But does alcohol really matter after a feast like this, or is it just a rumor?
Digestive schnapps after a sumptuous meal? Better not
Medicine has a clear answer to this question: Digestive schnapps is a myth, alcohol definitely does not have a digestive effect. One study of the University Hospital Zurich was able to prove this: After a traditional Swiss cheese fondue, which was served with either white wine or black tea, the participants had a schnapps once and water the other time. The result of the study: alcohol slows down digestion, this applies to both white wine and schnapps. On the days when the subjects drank tea or water with or after the fondue, they digested the sumptuous meal much faster than with an alcoholic drink.
So there was no sign of the “cleaning up of the stomach” promised by grandma and grandpa with schnapps (or wine). “There is no scientific evidence that the digestive schnapps really has the desired effect,” explains Antje Gahl, spokeswoman for the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), to the editorial network Germany. Although alcohol can stimulate the production of stomach acid, it also prevents the digestive organs from emptying.
“The perceived effect that alcohol clears up the stomach is more likely due to the fact that it has a slightly narcotic effect,” Gahl continues. “So the unpleasant feeling of fullness is reduced.”
Prefer a walk or herbal tea after a big meal
So if you really want to do something good for your health, say no to digestive schnapps and go for a short walk instead. According to Antje Gahl, exercise actually stimulates digestion. Herbal tea can also help against the unpleasant feeling of fullness when we have eaten too much or too much fat. Chamomile, anise and fennel in particular facilitate the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
Sources used: bmj.com, rnd.de