You wake up on a Saturday morning with a throbbing headache as the remnants of last night slowly creep into your mind. Unfortunately, sometimes the best and wildest nights lead to the most dreadful mornings. We’ve all been there. When you’ve given your liver enough work to do from having one too many drinks, sometimes you don’t feel like popping Advil or Tylenol. So, what else can you do to remedy the effects of the night before? Does eating help a hangover? Yes! It does! In this article, we’ll talk all about the best hangover cure foods. Plus, we’ll give you a couple of non-alcoholic drinks that are helpful too.
Top best hangover cure foods
So, what should you eat after drinking alcohol? Below, we’ll go over a few of the best foods to scarf down that can help you combat a gnarly hangover.
Bananas
Wondering if bananas are good for hangovers? Well, if you love a good banana smoothie– you’re in luck! Bananas are often touted as a natural remedy for hangovers. This is because they’re rich in potassium, a mineral that the body loses in large quantities when we drink alcohol. This loss of potassium can lead to dehydration and fatigue, which are two of the most common symptoms of a hangover.
Likewise, bananas contain natural sugars that help boost your energy levels and reduce the feelings of lethargy that often go hand-in-hand with a hangover. Plus, they’re easy to digest, which can be helpful when your stomach is feeling sensitive after a night of drinking too much tequila. So, whether you eat a banana as is or make a whole smoothie concoction and pair one with your favorite fruits, it can definitely help you feel less groggy!
Blueberries
Whether it’s a hangover or food poisoning (or a hangover that’s so bad it feels like food poisoning), blueberries are one of the best hangover cure foods. They’re a nutrient-dense superfood that can help relieve the symptoms of a hangover, and, like bananas, they’re a good source of potassium. Also, they’re rich in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. This is important since alcohol consumption can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress. And in turn, this can contribute to hangover symptoms such as headaches and nausea.
Furthermore, these antioxidant-packed fruits are high in vitamin C, which is the best friend of your immune system. Vitamin C boosts the immune system and supports liver function, both of which can be compromised by excessive alcohol consumption. So, adding some blueberries to your breakfast or snack after a night out of partying is a delicious and great way to ease your hangover symptoms.
Nuts
If you don’t feel like eating fruit and you’re still wondering what to eat after drinking too much alcohol, grab a handful of trail mix that’s rich with nuts! Nuts are a great food to eat when you’re dealing with the aftermath of a night that got a little too out of hand.
Known for being a good source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, nuts can help to stabilize blood sugar levels. As a result, they keep you feeling full. This can be particularly helpful if you’re experiencing nausea or an upset stomach, as nuts are easy to digest and can help to settle your stomach.
Nuts are a good source of vitamins and minerals that can be depleted by alcohol consumption as well. One example is magnesium, which is great for naturally reducing headaches and muscle tension. Likewise, some types of nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are high in antioxidants (just like blueberries!) which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and support liver function. So, for an ever stronger hangover remedy, try throwing some blueberries into your favorite trail mix!
Chicken noodle soup
Where’s the edition of Chicken Soup for the Partied-Too-Hard Soul when you need it? If it’s comfort food you’re looking for after a night of one too many rounds of beer pong– look no further. Chicken noodle soup is a comforting and nourishing food that can help to ease the symptoms of a hangover. This is because the broth in chicken noodle soup is rich in electrolytes, which can help to replace those lost during alcohol consumption and reduce dehydration.
The chicken in the soup is a good source of protein, which can help to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce feelings of nausea and dizziness. Also, the vegetables in the soup, such as carrots and celery, are a good source of vitamins and minerals that get lost due to alcohol consumption. This makes chicken noodle soup one of the best hangover cure foods.
Salmon
What’s good to eat for a hangover when you’re craving sushi? Turns out, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and support liver function. And, since alcohol consumption can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress in the liver, salmon is great for combatting the resulting symptoms of headaches and fatigue.
Plus, salmon is an amazing source of protein, which can help to stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce feelings of nausea and dizziness. It also contains vitamin B6, which is important for energy production. As a result, you don’t feel like you’re gonna fall asleep all day after drinking too much.
Best hangover cure foods for carb lovers
Carbs for hangovers can be super helpful. This is because carbohydrates help to replenish energy levels and stabilize blood sugar levels. As a result, carbs can help you feel less dizzy or lightheaded after a night of drinking.
Toast
Toast is one of the best hangover cure foods because it’s a simple and easy food to eat when you’re dealing with a hangover. It’s a great source of carbohydrates and is easy to digest. This is good if you’re dealing with an upset stomach. Plus, it makes the perfect vehicle to eat other foods with. You can pair it with peanut butter, cream cheese, jam, avocado– whatever you like!
Make it a sandwich
You can also use toast to make a big ol’ breakfast sandwich. If you’re thinking, “but won’t a breakfast sandwich be a greasy mess and make me feel worse”, you might be surprised! So, why does greasy food cure a hangover? Well, to clarify, nothing can actually cure a hangover, but greasy foods can help. Here’s why:
When we drink alcohol, it irritates the lining of our stomach and increases the production of gastric acid, which can lead to nausea and stomach discomfort. Eating greasy food can help coat the stomach and reduce irritation, which can alleviate some of these symptoms. Thus, a greasy breakfast sandwich makes the list of the best hangover cure foods.
If you’ve got a sweet tooth…
Sometimes you just can’t fight the urge for some sugar. But what food cures a hangover that’s sweet? Let’s talk about honey.
Turns out a spoonful of honey doesn’t only make the medicine go down, but it helps the hangover go down too! So, you can eat it straight up or swap it with maple syrup on your morning pancakes for the best hangover cure food. Plus, since they have loads of carbs, pancakes are good for hangovers too.
Let’s dig into how this “bee’s food” is helpful for hangovers.
Honey
Studies indicate that honey’s high fructose content may aid in relieving hangover symptoms. Fructose is a natural sugar found in honey that can help alleviate headaches associated with hangovers. Though more research is necessary to determine if it can significantly shorten recovery time, recent research has shown that it can accelerate the body’s removal of alcohol.
If you don’t feel like eating
Sometimes after a night of too much booze, you don’t feel like stuffing your face the next morning. If that’s the case, you might find yourself asking what to drink after a hangover. So, let’s go over a couple of drinks (virgin, of course!) you can sip on the morning after.
Coconut water
While it doesn’t fit into the category of “best hangover cure food,” coconut water is arguably the best hangover cure drink. It’s rich in electrolytes, which can help rehydrate the body and restore balance to the system after a night of heavy drinking. Likewise, it has antioxidants, which help to lower inflammation in the body and protect the liver from damage caused by alcohol consumption.
Green tea
Another drink that makes a great hangover tea recipe is green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants and caffeine which can work together to help alleviate mild hangover symptoms. To up your hangover remedy game, you can add some honey to it!
What’s your best hangover cure food?
And there you have it, fellow hangover warriors. The ultimate guide to eating your way back to feeling like a human being after a wild night out. All of the foods (and drinks!) we mentioned can help you bounce back from even the worst of hangovers. Now it’s up to you to figure out which one makes you feel the best after a crazy, booze-heavy night.