The post night out hangover is something we all dread but we are here to tell you the best foods to have to cure that hangover.
We have all been there. Laid in bed like a shriveled raisin as your eyes pry open. The sun beaming through the windows seems far too bright and a pounding ache creeps into your head and why does it feel like you’re on a boat? Oh no- the impending hangover has set in.
All most people want to do when their room is spinning, and their stomach churning is roll over, pick up their phone and get straight on their Uber eats app to order in a big cheesy pizza, burger, or Chinese takeaway.
A greasy carb fest may feel like the plaster on this alcohol induced cut, but it is not surprising to discover that some more nutritious alternatives are much more effective in alleviating your hangover symptoms.
Nutritional therapist, Eva Humphries says this greasy fast-food need is likely to be a craving for salt, given that most processed foods are extremely high in salt.
She explains that: “When we drink too much, we lose electrolytes. Since electrolytes are minerals that help us keep hydrated, it is pretty important that we replenish them.”
Sorry to break the bad news, but that burger is essentially only going to make you feel worse.
Eva says: “Opting for fast food as a hangover cure will only prolong that morning after a big night out feeling. In a hangover situation, we are trying to get rid of toxins so adding more in via heavily processed foods will not help.”
If you’re desperate to know what can alleviate your hangover, the foods you crave the least may be the ones your body needs the most.
To fully understand what helps with hangovers, it is important to first understand why they happen in the first place.
The worst hangovers are mostly caused by dehydration- which explains the sandpaper mouth and the bodies often sudden resemblance of a raisin (at least it feels that way!).
Eva detailed that a chemical called Acetaldehyde is what is left behind when the liver tries to detoxify alcohol. “It’s a super toxic chemical that’s usually the culprit for feeling sick, anxiety and sweating and is even associated with liver disease.”
In a nutshell, shifting acetaldehyde should be a priority for helping hangover symptoms.
If this is starting to sound like a confusing chemistry lesson that is only making that headache worse, don’t panic! Let Eva break it down for you.
Here is what she advises you eat to help balance those chemicals.
Eggs, oats, sunflower seeds and lentils and most meats are all good sources of the amino acids L-cysteine, which will help shift that pesky hangover chemical mentioned above.
Okay- porridge may all too reminiscent of last night’s tactical chunder but hear me out. Oats contain complex carbohydrates that provide a slow and steady release of sugar into the bloodstream giving you that well needed energy supply.
Eva says that: “You may want to give your liver a bit of a hug by adding a few green veggies, if you can stomach them.”
I know, I know- vegetables on a hangover may sound like the worst thing ever, but the nutrients in them will do you wonders to replenish your body.
Studies also show that pickles, which are high in sodium can help. Sodium is an electrolyte that drinking alcohol depletes. This will be music to the ears of all those who secretly love a pickle. And, if you do decide a Big Mac is a necessity after all, we wont judge- just as logn as you don’t take the gherkins out this time!
For many, a main symptom from a heavy night is feeling sick. If you want to tackle those waves of nausea that keep coming and going- try ginger. Extensive research suggests that ginger is an effective remedy when you feel sick.
You could perhaps try a ginger shot- or, if that would give you too many flashbacks from last night’s tequila, try adding ginger to a soup, smoothie or even a herbal tea. If they all sound too overwhelming right now, even a humble gingernut biscuit could help (albeit less nutritious).
Foods high in water content are also brilliant on a hangover, and often much easier to stomach when you’re not feeling human. Watermelon and cucumber are super refreshing and will help you to rehydrate.
Of course, the best way to do this is by drinking lots of water. Eva suggests sparkling water as the bubbles will likely slow down how quickly you drink which may be more efficient for rehydrating.
Her top tip is to drink some water before going to bed. When you come stumbling in, try to remember to drink a glass of water after inhaling your kebab and crawling in bed- future you will be forever grateful.
As a nutritionist, Eva’s personal go to hangover food is of course carefully curated to replenish her body. She opts for scrambled eggs, asparagus, a handful of watercress and a big bottle of sparkling mineral water.
She says: “it takes some effort to eat that with a hangover but it contains all of the necessary nutrients that may shift the toxic by-products of alcohol and actually give our body a fighting chance to be human again.”