A hangover is a combination of mental and physical symptoms that appear following intensive alcohol consumption at the moment when this substance has already left the bloodstream. Its main cause is the metabolic processes occurring in the liver, during which ethanol is converted to acetaldehyde – a compound even thirty times more toxic to the human body than pure alcohol. It is this substance that is responsible for the ailments that a person experiences during a hangover. Does proper diet help with poor well-being after alcohol? What to eat for a hangover to get rid of the discomfort?
TL;DR
A hangover is the effect of acetaldehyde – a toxic metabolite of alcohol – and dehydration of the body. Proper diet can alleviate hangover symptoms by replenishing vitamin deficiencies (especially C and B) and electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, calcium). For breakfast, easily digestible dishes rich in good carbohydrates and potassium are recommended: oatmeal with dried fruits, eggs, pickled vegetables, bananas, or buckwheat groats. After vomiting, it's worth eating delicate meals (e.g., soups, bananas, avocado) and drinking infusions with ginger. Recommended fluids are still water, fruit juices (citrus, apple, cranberry), tomato juice, and juice from pickled vegetables. Avoid fatty foods, spicy food, coffee, strong tea, and "hair of the dog" – drinking alcohol for a hangover can intensify symptoms and promote addiction. Patience is key – complete removal of toxins from the body requires time.Does proper diet help with a hangover?
Proper diet allows reducing the effects of a hangover, such as headache, nausea, trembling limbs, drowsiness, or a general feeling of exhaustion. Consuming appropriate products allows replenishing missing nutrients, vitamins, and minerals – primarily vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, and potassium – hydrating the body dehydrated by alcoholic beverages and consequently accelerating alcohol metabolism.What should a hangover breakfast contain?
What to eat after alcohol? A hangover breakfast should be light so as not to burden the stomach irritated by alcohol. However, it is important that food replenishes the level of vitamins and electrolytes flushed out by ethanol, necessary for proper functioning of the human body. Breakfast after a heavily watered party should therefore contain products rich in potassium and good carbohydrates. It is also recommended to eat eggs and pickled vegetables for a hangover. Start treatment at Nasz Gabinet:Products rich in potassium
Potassium is one of the main electrolytes necessary for proper functioning of the body. Due to the diuretic effect of alcohol, it is excreted faster, so eating for a hangover should enable replenishing its deficiency. Products rich in potassium include, among others, bananas, kiwis, spinach, and tomatoes.Good carbohydrates
A hangover breakfast should also provide good carbohydrates. For the first meal after a party, it's worth preparing oatmeal, which is simultaneously rich in magnesium, calcium, fiber, and B vitamins. It is recommended to enrich it with almonds, nuts, dried apricots and bananas, as well as cocoa or chocolate. Lovers of hearty breakfasts should, in turn, choose groats, preferably buckwheat groats. One of the best meals for a hangover is oatmeal, full of good carbohydrates.Eggs
Eggs contain protein and fat, i.e., nutrients playing an important role in alcohol metabolism. They are also a source of cysteine, an amino acid supporting body detoxification. Scrambled eggs or fried eggs cooked in a small amount of fat are an excellent way to start the day after a party.Pickled vegetables
Consuming pickled vegetables improves body hydration and allows replenishing electrolytes and vitamin C. These products additionally have strong prebiotic action. Thanks to pickled vegetables, you can effectively reduce the symptoms accompanying a hangover. The best effects come from pickled beets, cucumbers, and cabbage, as well as juices based on them. However, you should remember to consume them in raw form. Subjecting pickled vegetables to high temperatures deprives them of valuable nutritional properties and reduces the effectiveness of their action. What else to eat for a hangover? After breakfast, it's worth reaching for something sweet. This helps replenish glucose deficiencies caused by alcohol consumption and reduce symptoms of hypoglycemia, such as primarily body trembling, concentration problems, and accelerated heart rate. Instead of hard-to-digest bars and candies, however, it's worth eating a slice of bread spread with honey or jam.What to eat for a hangover after vomiting?
Following drinking too much alcohol, nausea and vomiting may occur. What to eat after vomiting to get rid of hangover symptoms? Following vomiting, loss of appetite most often appears. However, to improve your well-being, it's worth forcing yourself and eating an easily digestible meal that will allow replenishing flushed-out minerals and vitamins and provide the body with energy for further functioning. It is recommended to reach for a banana, mashed avocado, a soft-boiled egg, or a delicate soup. For lunch for a hangover, barley soup and vegetable soup are best, rich in fiber and easily digestible carbohydrates, as well as lean broth, which is a source of protein and fats supporting regenerative processes. After vomiting, it's also worth reaching for water or tea enriched with ginger. The root of this plant supports liver function, thereby contributing to accelerating the body's detoxification processes.What to drink for a hangover?
Following alcohol consumption, replenishing fluids in the body is extremely important. Dehydration is the main cause of headache. What to drink for a hangover? To overcome symptoms caused by the action of acetaldehyde, it is primarily recommended to drink large amounts of still mineral water. Right after waking up, it's worth drinking 1–2 glasses of water, and then sipping it in small doses throughout the day. It is also recommended to consume fruit juices, primarily from citrus fruits, apples, and cranberries, which are rich in vitamin C. Vegetable juices also help improve well-being for a hangover, mainly tomato juice, containing lots of potassium and magnesium, as well as juices from pickled cabbage and cucumbers, which are a source of calcium and vitamin C. To overcome symptoms of dehydration, it is recommended to drink about 2–3 liters of fluids during the day.What meals and drinks to avoid for a hangover?
It is already known what to eat for a hangover to get rid of unpleasant symptoms of excessive alcohol consumption. However, what should not be consumed after a heavily watered party? For a hangover, you should avoid primarily:- very fatty food, which may excessively burden the digestive system strained by alcohol consumption
- spicy dishes
- consuming meat without carbohydrates
- strong tea
- coffee, whose diuretic effect can lead to further dehydration of the body and cause intensification of headache.
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