Greasy Food Contrary to popular knowledge, heading to the local takeaway joint is not a great idea. Turns out, a large, fatty meal is better at preventing a hangover than curing one, since fried foods can irritate the stomach.
If you're feeling brave after a big night out and have a bit more appetite than usual, we definitely recommend having fried chicken. A big bucket of fried chicken contains plenty of protein that will give your body the energy it needs to recover from a big night out.
Eating greasy foods may help slow the absorption of alcohol in the blood. However, this method is only helpful if a person eats the greasy foods before drinking alcohol. Eating greasy foods the morning after might upset the sensitive digestive system, making the hangover worse.
So given that your body breaks down protein into amino acids, high-protein foods are a good choice on a hangover. Lean chicken, eggs, and salmon are all excellent sources of protein that work well in a salad.
McDonalds Coke
Once again this is a myth, but lots of people claim McDonald's coke has a magical effect on hangovers. People also say it has to be just right- not too fizzy, not too cold, not too flat, not too warm. Well I agree, when it is just right it can move the earth, but it is not a cure.
Greasy foods may feel comforting, but eating a heavy meal can really stress your hangover belly. The same goes for coffee, which is acidic and could exacerbate your tummy troubles. And like alcohol, coffee is a diuretic, so it's not going to help your hydration game.
Grease, contrary to popular belief, won't absorb the alcohol (especially if you slept before eating—your body already absorbed it). Not only that, but if you've ever woken up with an upset stomach kind of hangover, greasy food's only gonna make it worse.
When you drink alcohol, your body experiences a variety of changes. This includes alterations to the type of food you crave. Interestingly enough, alcohol intake encourages the brain to release galanin, the neurochemical that promotes a need for fatty foods. It also explains all those late night jaunts for pizza.
Any food will help, but carbohydrates — like bread, pasta or potatoes — slow down how quickly your body absorbs the alcohol. Eating during or after drinking alcohol may make you feel less intoxicated, but it doesn't mean you've sobered up and are no longer impaired.
A burger
However, a burger will not help your hangover, sorry! A greasy burger will only cause more irritation to your stomach, and the saturated fats will worsen your headache.
Another reason dumplings are a popular hangover food is that they're filling without being too heavy. After a night of drinking, you're likely to be feeling pretty dehydrated, so a big, greasy meal might not be the best option.
The myth that eating tacos, pizza, and burgers will help "soak up" the alcohol is just wrong. "Greasy food doesn't soak up anything, it's not soluble in water," White said.
Alcohol lowers your blood sugar and makes you particularly hungry. That's why hungover people crave fat, sugar and carbs (those two are related, of course): they're the most efficient ways to take on calories.
Congeners are compounds, other than ethyl alcohol, that are produced during fermentation. These substances contribute to the taste and smell of alcoholic beverages. Darker spirits, such as bourbon, which tend to have higher levels of congeners than clear spirits, could worsen hangover symptoms for some people.
Does eating before bed absorb the alcohol and help your hangover? No. By the time you get to bed, the alcohol will have left your stomach and been absorbed into your bloodstream, so it's too late to have any effect on alcohol absorption.
"When you're hungover, you need to hydrate your body. The way you feel – that headache – it's mostly caused by dehydration. Something like Coca-Cola has lots of sugar and fluids and will put those back into your body to get your energy levels up. The caffeine will also give you an energy boost."
Eating something slows the absorption of alcohol, otherwise blood alcohol levels may peak after just one hour of steady drinking. During the evening, avoid salty snacks like peanuts and crisps – they'll only cause you to drink more.
Want to gain an edge over plain old water to treat your hangover? Consider reaching for Gatorade, Pedialyte, Powerade, or a similar nonfizzy sports drink.
As for eggs, they're high in vitamin B, which will help reduce your hangover symptoms.
Alcohol drains your body of electrolytes but the salt and sugar help replenish these while the water hydrates you.
Sugar is very important at some stage in your hangover and that's where sweets come in. You may want to go with old favourites and grab a bag of Skittles or really go to town and hit the nearest pound shop for whatever bag of sugar you can find for cheapest and inhale on the walk home.