The Science Behind a Bloody Mary (2025)

FAQs

What is the story behind the Bloody Mary drink? ›

The creation of the Bloody Mary is often credited to Fernand Petiot in the 1920s while a young bartender at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. However, it appears he simply spiced up an existing and well-established combo of vodka and tomato juice while working at the St. Regis Hotel, New York City during the 1940s.

If you really want to feel better after a long night of drinking, maybe try a Virgin Mary on for size. In summary: the non-booze ingredients of a Bloody Mary deliver up electrolytes, water, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, all of which might help with a hangover. Vodka, not so much.

So how has the Bloody Mary gotten its reputation as a hangover cure? It is the combination of a heavy vegetable base (tomato juice) and salt that can settle the stomach and replace electrolytes, as well as delivering Vitamins C and B6 that are both beneficial in reducing the effects of a hangover.

Preparation and serving. In the United States, the Bloody Mary is a common "hair of the dog" drink, reputed to cure hangovers with its combination of a heavy vegetable base (to settle the stomach), salt (to replenish lost electrolytes), and alcohol (to relieve head and body aches).

She can't have just appeared, this urban legend has been passed through time from one frightened child to the next. Bloody Mary originated from the infamous Queen Mary Tudor of England that ruled during the 1600s.

Bloody Marys are actually healthy cocktails.

In addition to electrolytes, sodium, potassium, and Vitamin C, tomatoes also contain lycopene, which is high in antioxidants. Lycopene helps to combat the toxins in the liver (like the toxins that you consumed while drinking the night before.)

“The non-booze ingredients of a Bloody Mary deliver up electrolytes, water, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, all of which might help with a hangover,” according to the site.

Bloody Mary is a healthy drink to have when trying to lose weight. Premixed bloody mary contains 200 to 400 calories. So make it yourself to keep the calorie count in check. Add 30 ml of vodka with a small portion of fresh tomato juice and add a dash of Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces.

Both of these brunch classics clock in around 125 calories (for a standard size), but the Bloody Mary (made with tomato juice and vodka) has less sugar than the mimosa (a combo of OJ and champagne). And because mimosas are sweeter and go down easier, you're likely to drain your glass faster and wind up drinking more.

Celery is a Must

Sure, you have seen celery as a garnish to a Bloody Mary, but did you know that it adds more than just a pretty presentation? The flavor of the celery compliments the tomato juice and can be enhanced with celery seed or celery salt as well.

Is Bloody Mary mix good for your stomach? ›

Bloodymary Aids In Digestion

Bloodymary is known for its digestive qualities as well. It contains a lot of fiber like celery and tomato pulp which can help your body with digestion.

It is actually rumored that us thrifty Midwesterners originally came up with the beer chaser after being forced to replace expensive vodka in our Bloody Mary's.

Nasal and oral cavities tend to dry out when we fly as humidity levels decrease, causing some flavors and aromas for certain foods and drinks to dull, while sharpening others. Because of this, the bold bloody mary has become increasingly popular on board.

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Gently roll from one glass to another until chilled (if you shake a Bloody Mary, the tomato juice will foam, and if you simply build it over ice in a glass, the ice will melt faster and the drink will become insipid before you have a chance to finish it).

The most obvious difference between a Bloody Maria and a Bloody Mary is the liquor – Bloody Marias are mixed with tequila, while Bloody Marys use vodka. Some recipes stop there, but tequila's rich, savory profile makes it an ideal base to build a delectable drink upon.

Some say it dates to the pre-Prohibition era, to keep beer moving and fresh, and others think it happened during the Red Scare when some bars replaced Russian vodka with American beer. Or that during a vodka shortage in the '50s, beer replaced the vodka.

What is a Beer and Tomato Juice Drink Called? A cocktail made with beer and tomato juice has several names depending on what region you're ordering it in. Popular names include Red Eye (what we call it), Red Beer, Spicy Beer, Michelada, or Chelada. In theory, a Red Eye is a take on a Bloody mary.

Queen Mary spent three decades transporting the rich and famous across the Atlantic before retiring in 1967. She survived the Great Depression and World War II, and managed to avoid the tragic fate of her cousin, Titanic. But under the glitz and glamour, this haunted ship is hiding several dark secrets.

Many mistakenly believe Mary, Queen of Scots was known as “Bloody Mary”. In truth, this notorious nickname refers to a different Mary – Mary I of England (Elizabeth I's half sister) and the daughter of King Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon.