In Korea, one of the first foods that comes to mind for a hangover remedy is bean sprout soup.

When it's served hot and you add sliced Cheongyang peppers, it feels like your insides are being relieved.

But is there really a special ingredient in bean sprouts that helps cure hangovers?

The most commonly mentioned component in discussions about bean sprouts is asparagine.

It's one of the amino acids that plays a role in various metabolic processes in our bodies. It's found in bean sprouts, particularly in the root part, which is known to contain a relatively high amount.

This is why there's advice not to remove the roots when making bean sprout soup for hangover relief.

However, one thing needs to be clearly understood here. There is no solid evidence that the asparagine in bean sprout soup directly and quickly removes alcohol or acetaldehyde to cure hangovers.

Rather, the actual benefits for hangovers can be found in the overall dish of bean sprout soup.

When you drink a lot, you tend to urinate frequently. Alcohol affects fluid regulation in the body.

The next day, feeling dry in the mouth, heavy-headed, and fatigued is partly due to this lack of hydration.

Eating bean sprout soup at this time allows you to consume a significant amount of fluid along with the warm broth.

The salt in the soup also plays a role. If you're low on electrolytes, a properly seasoned broth can be easier to consume than just drinking water.

However, eating it too salty won't necessarily make your hangover go away faster, so there's no need to make the soup overly salty.

The nutrition of the bean sprouts themselves is also quite good.

As the beans sprout, they develop various nutrients, including vitamin C, and they also contain protein and amino acids.

When you don't feel like eating anything the day after drinking, opting for a relatively light dish like bean sprout soup can be less burdensome than greasy foods.

Personally, I think the real reason bean sprout soup has survived as a hangover food is due to this combination of factors.

It replenishes fluids with hot broth, provides adequate salt intake, and allows you to eat bean sprouts without putting too much strain on your stomach.

If you add dried pollack or eggs, you can also supplement your protein intake. Mixing in a little rice adds carbohydrates as well. It becomes a fairly balanced meal the day after drinking.

Eating it spicy with Cheongyang peppers can make you sweat, giving the feeling that the alcohol is being flushed out.

However, sweating a lot doesn't mean the alcohol is leaving your system faster. Spicy foods can actually irritate a stomach that's already sensitive from drinking.

Ultimately, the most certain remedy for a hangover is time. Alcohol must be metabolized by the liver.

Bean sprout soup is not a magical detoxifier that shortens that time, but rather a food that relatively comfortably supplies hydration and nutrition to a body suffering from a hangover.

Still, there seems to be a reason why a warm bowl of bean sprout soup is so appealing the day after drinking.

Especially if you're making it for hangover relief, it's best to include the roots of the bean sprouts and to cook it without making it too salty or spicy.