When you are feeling rough, the morning after the night before, the last thing you should do is to believe that the hair of the dog is the solution. More alcohol may well make you feel a little bit better, but then that too will wear off and you’ll feel even worse. You could, of course, turn that old remedy of Alka-Seltzer, but if it’s something a bit more natural that you are looking for, here are ten foods that make great hangover cures.
1. Tomato juice
One of the best natural hangover cures that work is tomato juice. A glass of tomato juice will provide just the boost of minerals and vitamins that your body needs after a long night out. It will also help rehydrate you and the fructose that tomato juice contains will also help to flush out any alcohol that you still have lingering in your system.
2. Bananas
It’s not just the headache you have to contend with, when you have a hangover; it’s also the general weakness that you feel too. A banana will quickly restore the potassium levels in your body, which will give you an energy boost and help your muscles to function properly.
3. Honey and lemon drink
Another one of best natural hangover cures that work is a hot drink made of honey, lemon juice and water; it will also help to boost your energy levels and speed up your hangover recovery. Honey naturally reduces the toxins in your body and breaks down the alcohol, while the lemon juice will help to boost the functioning of your liver. The water, of course, will help to rehydrate you, as it is dehydration that is the cause of many of the symptoms of a hangover.
4. Ginger
Another symptom of a hangover is the queasy stomach and, one of the best natural cures for an upset stomach is ginger. Chew on some fresh ginger or candied ginger, or add some ginger to your honey and lemon drink for that added relief of your hangover.
5. Asparagus
Research has shown that asparagus helps to boost the enzymes in the body that break down alcohol. Eating asparagus before you drink alcohol, while you are drinking it, or the morning after, can help to reduce that hangover feeling faster.
6. Toast
A few slices of simple toast can help tame a hangover too. When you drink a lot of alcohol, your liver gets so busy dealing with that, it can’t always control your blood sugar levels properly and the carbohydrates in the toast will help to rectify that. Toast is also very easy for the tummy, when you can’t face eating a lot more than that.
7. Coconut water
Next one of the best natural hangover cures that work is coconut water; it’s a great and natural way to balance your body chemistry and coconut water is a lot better for you than a sports drink, which also contains artificial colours and additives. In fact, scientists have proven that pure coconut water contains just the same levels of electrolytes as a sport drink does; so coconut water can boost your energy, hydrate your entire system and help tame a hangover.
8. Eggs
Eggs, if you can face them with a hangover, are also a good way to bring your body back into balance after a night of excess. The protein in eggs will help to stabilise the blood sugar levels and they will also help to replenish the Vitamin B that is lost when you drink alcohol.
9. Prickly pear
To help reduce the inflammation that will be causing your headache, prickly pear juice is another one of the best natural hangover cures that work. You can drink prickly pear juice in the morning, to help repair the damage, or drink some before drinking alcohol, to help stop you from getting the hangover in the first place. Researchers at Tulane University found that drinking prickly pear juice before a night out reduced hangover symptoms by 50%.
10. Don’t drink so much!
All of these natural remedies will help reduce the symptoms of a hangover, but the only way to not get a hangover is to watch what you drink. Always have something to eat, before you drink, try and alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks through the course of the evening, and drink a large glass of water, just before you go to bed. That way, you can still have a good time, without feeling awful the following morning.
