Brian Nagele
There’s nothing like a fun night out with friends, but there’s also nothing worse than waking up with a raging hangover the following day. Luckily, there are things you can do to help your body recover.
A hangover results from the depletion of electrolytes and essential minerals from your body, along with dehydration. Both are unfortunate side effects of consuming alcohol.
Symptoms of a hangover include headaches, sensitivity to light and sound, fatigue, and more. All in all, it’s nasty business.
Through years of trial and error on regret-filled mornings, I swear by the solutions below. Whether you can lounge and recover slowly, are in a rush to get to work, or need to rally for another day of festivity, there’s a perfect beverage for you.
Here are the best drinks for a hangover that will get you feeling fresh again in no time.
Water
Alcohol is a diuretic, and if you don’t believe me, your repeated toilet trips during a few hours at the bar will prove it.
Many of us know the feeling of spending a day in the sun and having it end with a pounding headache and sensitive eyes because we didn’t drink enough water and became dehydrated.
Alcohol does the same thing but is amplified. That’s why it’s critical to drink water the next day but while drinking, too.
If you can, drink a big glass before going to sleep and then as soon as you wake up. Your body will thank you.
Coconut Water
There are several reasons why coconut water is a terrific hangover drink.
It’s isotonic, meaning your body absorbs it faster than most other liquids, helping you rehydrate sooner.
It’s also packed with some of those electrolytes and minerals, like potassium, that you lost during your night out. In my experience, it’s best to have it with a well-balanced meal.
Keep a container of coconut water in the fridge and sip it slowly when you wake up. Another idea is to consume your alcohol mixed with coconut water.
Try white or dark rum, fresh lime juice, ice, and coconut water. It’s incredibly refreshing on a hot day.
Bone Broth
When you drink alcohol, your body loses important electrolytes.
The three main ones you need to replenish after drinking are:
- Sodium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
Bone broth has all these electrolytes, along with a few other health benefits.
Most types of bone broth are water-based, meaning that you’ll also get the hydration you need.
You may have heard experts recommend eggs as a hangover cure, but bone broth also has protein and healthy fat, which is part of what makes eggs effective.
You can buy bone broth at the farmer’s market or learn to make your own and keep it on hand.
Beet and Pineapple Juice
While something like bone broth will work wonders for your hungover body, it might be a little hard to get down; sometimes, you need something sweeter.
If that sounds like you, consider a mixture of beet and pineapple juice.
In truth, most of the hangover benefits come from the beet juice, which contains betaine, a natural anti-inflammatory.
The pineapple juice provides the sweetness needed to cut the taste of the beets and a kick of sugar to help with nausea. Since both are water-based, you’ll also help rehydrate yourself.
I like to drink a glass of this juice first thing in the morning and then sip water the rest of the day. You could also drink them in a smoothie!
Carrot, Ginger, and Apple Juice
While this might seem like a peculiar combination, these three foods work together to create a fast, effective, and tasty hangover cure. It’s excellent if you’re struggling to get anything down.
All the drinks on this list rehydrate your body, but ginger is unique because it can soothe an upset stomach and calm nausea.
At the same time, the beta-carotene in carrots zaps the free radicals in your body created by drinking.
The apple juice provides Vitamin C to help you recover and makes it taste delicious.
This drink is refreshing, and I love to use my juicer to make it, even when I’m not hungover.
Miso Soup
You might assume that sodium would be a poor choice if your body is already dehydrated, but alcohol depletes your body’s healthy levels, which it needs to hold onto water.
Replenishing sodium will help your body rehydrate faster, and miso soup is full of it.
In addition, this brothy Japanese staple is water-based, another element that makes it one of the best drinks for a hangover.
The miso paste also helps restore other minerals and gives the soup its characteristic umami flavor. If you can, add some tofu or edamame beans for protein and substance.
Hangovers usually affect my stomach, so I like to add grated ginger to my soup as it cooks.
Bloody Mary
It’s true that the “hair of the dog” is one of the best hangover cures out there.
If you’re going this route, the Bloody Mary is the way to go; it’s a breakfast beverage for a reason.
Most Bloody Marys are loaded with:
- Tomato juice
- Vodka
- Worcestershire Sauce
These ingredients help restore vital nutrients, and the shot of alcohol helps you deal with the side effects of a night out.
Many Bloody Mary’s also come with green olives, a fatty snack that can help coat your stomach.
You’ll have to expel the alcohol from the Bloody Mary eventually, but if it helps you drink water and eat a good meal, it’s worth it.
Check out our favorite bloody Mary mixes and the best vodkas to use to create this cocktail.
