Apparently, a cheeky G&T could help regulate your hay fever symptoms

If you ever needed an excuse for an afternoon G&T, now you have it.

Past research from Asthma UK has shown that, if you're partial to a summer tipple (or two, or three), the refreshing staple is less likely to trigger hay fever symptoms than its darker alcoholic counterparts.

When surveyed, more than half of respondents claimed that alcohol made their allergies worse. This is due to the usually high levels of sulphites and histamines, which are particularly prevalent in dark, fermented drinks such as beer and cider. Bad news for ale aficionados.

But, because the process of making gin involves distillation, it's sulphite-free - and therefore less likely to make your eyes water.

Other clear spirits like vodka are a relatively safe bet too, meaning that those pesky hay fever symptoms needn't interfere with your boozy summer afternoons.

We'll drink to that.

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