9 Foods that Help Cure Hangovers

First thing’s first – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Phew, 2016 is finally over and done with and I bet we’re all ready to move on to bigger and better things.

I hope you all had a wonderful, fun, and SAFE New Year’s celebration! After a night of drinking and celebrating, it can be hard to get up and going the next day…especially if you’re nursing the common New Year’s hangover…

But you don’t have to suffer through it! There are things you can eat and drink now to help put a kabash on those headaches and stomach pains so you can get 2017 off to the right start!

Unfortunately, the science of hangovers (and how to prevent them) hasn’t quite made it to the research table…leading to brave souls inventing their own “cures” for morning headaches, nausea, and overall crappy-ness.

Though there is nothing that exists – that we know of, at least – that can act as a 100% cure all elixar, there are certain foods and drinks that are better for refuling than others. Stick to foods high in fructose, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals to banish those horrible headaches and help break town the toxins that are causing the reaction…and remember that alochol is a diuretic, which means it pushes water out of the body…so keep drinking water before, during, and after your night of drinking to help avoid a horrible morning.

If you still need some help getting out of bed today, here are a few drinks and foods that will help re-energize you, as well as a few foods to avoid so you don’t have problems later on!

9 Foods that Help Cure Hangovers

Water
Well this is a no-brainer. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means is pushes liquids out of the body (which is why you have to pee so much when you drink). For nourishment, the body will draw water from any available source, including the brain…thus the headaches. Drinking water before heading to bed and when you wake up can help prevent, or at least lessen, the hangover headache.

Sports Drinks
Sometimes there’s just nothing like the taste of a good ol’ fashioned Gatorade to get you back on your feet. Packed with electrolytes and sugar, sports drinks can help restore liquids and help you feel like your normal self.

Ginger or Peppermint Tea
If the nausea bug’s got you down, try an herbal tea. Ginger and peppermint are both known to help reduce nausea and motion sickness and may help ease stomach pain.

Coffee
If you drink coffee on the daily, keep on keepin’ on. The liquid in coffee can help rehydrate your body and skipping it may even lead to a worse headache. However, if you’re not normally a coffee drinker, the caffeine in coffee could make your headache worse…so to each his own.

Eggs
Ugh, eggs are literally one of the last things I want sometimes, but they are chock full of amino acids, which boost liver function. They also help break down the chemicals in alochol that cause headaches.

Bananas or Leafy Greens
Bananas have been praised for ages for having a lot of potassium, but there are actually some greens out there that pack more potassium than bananas…regardless, anything with potassium can help restore important electrolytes in the body. Add yogurt to your banana for an even stronger boost of the good stuff.

Chicken Noodle Soup
All us Jews out there know…this stuff is magic. Chicken noodle soup can help restore liquids in the body as well as restock sodium levels. The chicken is also packed with nutrients that are great for liver recovery.

Oats
A hot bowl of oatmeal contains a ton of essential nutrients, including B vitamins, calcium and iron. Oats can also help neutralize acids in the body and raise blood sugar levels, giving you an instant energy boost.

Watermelon
Any water-rich fruit will help hydrate you and watermelon is loaded with potassium and magnesium, as well as other amino acids that help boost blood circulation.

WHAT TO AVOID

Greasy Foods
I know, I know…everyone says that a greasy spoon breakfast is what you need to fix everything, but actually a hamburger and fries is much better at PREVENTING a hangover than curing it. If you’re planning a big night of drinking, down a good pub meal beforehand to help prevent alcohol from being absorbed into the stomach lining and bloodstream. Eating food like this after you’re already hung over may actually cause more hurt by irritating your stomach.

Hair of the Dog
The Scandinavians were the ones who gave us this popular saying, but boozing in the morning is not the best solution to curing that hangover. Alcohol can help take the edge off, but it will further dehydrate you and make your hangover symptoms worse throughout the day.

Every Monday is a “Reci-bee” post, where I share my favorite recipes, recipe collections, and cooking and baking hints and tips.