The Rainbow Iced Latte from The Good Sort in New York. Photo / Instagram
By Charlie Lankston for Dailymail.com
Finding an effective hangover cure that actually conquers all the symptoms of post-night out illness is something that many believe to be impossible.
"As someone who has suffered from their fair share of hangovers over the years, without ever managing to track down an all-effective cure, I'd have to admit to being one of the cynics who believes that such a thing just can't really exist", wrote the Daily Mail reporter.
"But that doesn't mean I'm not willing to keep on with the search - and when I was told all about a new rainbow drink that purported to have all the makings of that miracle unicorn-esque cure, I couldn't wait to give it a go."
In the name of good journalism, I planned myself an evening on the town, complete with plenty of drinks in order to really put the drink - a collaboration between New York-based cafe The Good Sort and female-focused comedy site Betches - to the ultimate test.
Never one to do things by halves, I really threw myself into the task at hand and was delighted (note, sarcasm) to wake up the following morning with all of the symptoms you would expect from a truly awful hangover.
Nausea? Check. Headache? Check. Exhaustion, sallow skin, eye bags? Check, check, check.
Ironically, having landed myself in what can only be described as a hangover hell, the last thing I wanted to do was head out early in the AM to pick up a rainbow-coloured latte that didn't actually contain any caffeine, the one thing that I so desperately craved to help me survive the day.
Having already tried - and Instagrammed - The Good Sort's original rainbow latte, I was pretty optimistic in terms of what flavours I could expect from the drink. I've been to the cafe a few times now, and never been served something I didn't like.
And looking through the list of ingredients, it's clear that each one hasn't just been chosen for the sake of appearances; in fact, each addition to the beverage is there to tackle a different aspect of your hangover, from helping to re-hydrate you, to putting you in a better mood.
First up, there's dragon fruit, a low-calorie addition to the latte which gives it the pretty pink base, but also contains a huge number of antioxidants, plus vitamin C, B vitamins, and fatty acids, meaning it has anti-aging properties. This fruity flavor also gives the drink a particularly refreshing edge.
Then there's the turmeric and almond milk - not my favorite in terms of flavor, I have to say - but it's a great mood booster (ideal when you're in the same grumpy state I was when I arrived at The Good Sort) and turmeric is also an anti-inflammatory so it can help with puffy eyes.
Moving on, there's coconut milk, which is full of electrolytes - something your body desperately craves when it's in a dehydrated, hungover state - and tastes super.
Last, but not list, the drink is topped off with blue algae, something which The Good Sort and Betches describe as "one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet".
"It's full of vitamins and minerals and makes you feel, like so healthy," the drink's description explains.
All sounds good on paper, but how does this miraculous rainbow drink fare when put to the test against my headache, bad mood and nausea?
Flavour-wise, I wouldn't say it's the best thing I've ever tasted; I'm not a fan of turmeric, have never really understood the turmeric latte craze, and wouldn't opt for that flavour over others on offer.
That being said, it also wasn't horrible. The dragon fruit made is nice and refreshing, and the coconut and almond milk additions were creamy enough to give it a real latte feel, but not so creamy that it made my sickness worse.
Plus it's iced, which is ideal when your symptoms are already being heightened by New York's horrifyingly hot weather.
In terms of serving as a miracle cure for a hangover, I have to say I'm not totally convinced; I certainly snap back to my normal self after drinking it. However, what the drink did do was help to alleviate some of the most unpleasant symptoms.
Despite not having any caffeine in it, the latte did perk me up and make me feel more energetic; it also helped to calm my nausea, which was something I was really thrilled about, as I had worried that the unique flavour combination was going to make that aspect a whole lot worse.
So, while it certainly isn't the miracle cure I had been hoping for, it definitely wasn't a total waste; plus I'm not ashamed to say that the Instagram potential made the whole ordeal well worth my time...