A cure for hangovers? Photo: Getty
If you're one of those people who mix up a Bloody Mary whenever you have a killer hangover, you might think it's simply a case of throwing some vodka into a glass of tomato juice and adding a dash of Tabasco, right?
Well apparently not, say US experts who have devoted an entire presentation to this year's American Chemical Society conference on creating the perfect Bloody Mary experience.
Calling the concoction 'the world's most complex cocktail', the scientists claim it contains literally hundreds of flavours that cover almost the entire range of human taste sensations, including sweet, salty, sour and savoury (the only one that's missing is bitter).
The experts also highlighted some of the drink's healthy ingredients, including a powerful antioxidant in tomato juice called lycopene, a compound called allyl isothiocynate found in horseradish that's believed to have anti-ageing properties, and health-boosting plant chemicals in lemon - not to mention the alcohol itself, which many experts believe is good for you in moderate amounts.
So what is the secret to the perfect Bloody Mary? According to Dr Neil Da Costa, the project's lead researcher, you should use cheap vodka, since the flavours from the other ingredients masks the taste - but splurge on the best quality tomato juice you can find, as this makes up the largest part of the cocktail's volume.
Add plenty of ice, which slows down the chemical reactions between the ingredients that degrade the taste, and serve fresh (that is, don't store it in the fridge, as the quality deteriorates quickly).
What's your favourite kill-or-cure hangover remedy?