You might be familiar with Sprite's curative powers if you've ever sipped it when stricken with the stomach flu. As a team of Chinese researchers found, the efficacy of lemon-lime soda in alleviating hangover symptoms may have a genuine scientific basis.

After testing 57 beverages, scientists at Sun Yat-Sen University in Guangzhou concluded that Sprite was the most effective in curbing hangover symptoms. "It is proven to speed up the breakdown of acetaldehyde, which is key to reducing alcohol-related damage," explains New York City certified dietician/nutritionist Nicolette Pace, who calls Sprite "one of the better cures for a hangover."

But did it live up to its hype in our no-drinks-barred experiment? Click ahead to find out.

A major foodie, Avi is so wrecked from a late-night partying with coworkers that the farm-to-table Italian fare in front of us holds no allure. Desperate for a hangover cure stat, I summon our waiter for a Sprite on the rocks. After downing the beverage, Avi is noticeably perkier. "I had really intense heartburn, and not necessarily queasiness, but I didn't have room in my stomach," he explains. "After drinking a sweet, bubbly thing, I don't feel like I have heartburn anymore."

"I was worried that I couldn't even drink it because I felt so unwell, and now I feel like I can eat again," he says brightly, tackling his ravioli in cream sauce with renewed gusto.

However, a mere 10 minutes later, Avi's heartburn -- and pout -- return. So much for the Sprite hangover cure (and, for that matter, the pasta).

Grade: 6/10

A sweaty workout is touted by men's lifestyle magazines as a tried-and-true hangover cure, but Pace is wary.

"This isn't as effective as some people think," she says. "If you exercise and aren't properly hydrating, you could actually make yourself feel worse. Although exercise is always good, and we should always be doing this, when you have a hangover, it may be the worst time." Rest and plenty of water are more effective prescriptions, she says.

Not to be deterred, we dug our running shoes out of the closet and put them by the bed -- and then headed out to get our beer goggles on.

Former assistant editor Tiffanie doesn't actually remember what she drank the night prior to her experiment. "Probably wine and dark liquor," she offers. And with that comment, she passes the litmus test for being a hangover-cure test subject.

Tiffanie carefully considers her definition of sweating it out. "Jumping up and down is not ideal," she says, "so I went running."

But Tiffanie discovers that running as a hangover cure isn't ideal, either. "Moving constantly when you feel like you're gonna throw up is not fun," she elaborates. "Good idea, though. Maybe a steam sweat would be better." Guess I'll have to arrange for a bottle of rum and a spa appointment.

Grade: 5/10

A Puerto Rican folk remedy, rubbing a wedge of lemon or lime under one's armpit before drinking is believed to ward off hangover headaches. As for the science behind that one, well....

"This is a more holistic approach to curing a hangover," Pace says diplomatically. "It is said that your armpits absorb the lemon juice and help [treat] dehydration. This is one of the least effective hangover cures."

However, you can be pretty sure that rubbing a lemon in your armpit will cure you of wanting to shave your underarms ever again. Ouch.