Booze Through A Straw = Drunker, Faster?
“Shaken, not stirred … and with a bendy straw, please.”
It’s hard to imagine Double O Seven maintaining his debonair demeanor whilst drinking his famous martinis through a straw, but there is a popular idea that straw-boozing will get you drunker. Sounds straw-some, but is there any merit to the method?
The general idea is that drinking through a straw creates a vacuum, allowing alcohol to be consumed while oxygen is displaced, causing you to get drunker faster. Unfortunately, there isn’t any scientific evidence to support the claim and experts say drinking through a typical glass will speed you on your way to drunkenness just as well.
If your buddies still swear by the straw, it’s more likely the carbonation in their beers that is leading them to tell such tipsy tales. Carbon dioxide (the compound that causes beer to bubble) hastens the absorption of alcohol in the bloodstream, causing you to feel drunker quicker.
All that said, don’t throw out your bendy straws just yet. If you’re into sugary concoctions, a straw may help save your teeth from tooth decay. As Bond could tell you, though, drinking martinis through a straw is not in the MI6 manual, but trends have to start somewhere – even for international super spies in training.
Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid =).
