Overdone it on the booze? The good news is help is at hand! While you
may be tempted to reach for the junk food to make yourself feel better, loading
your overworked liver with more toxins is actually the last thing it needs.
Instead, try snacking on one of these alternative foods to aid your recovery
and start feeling better in no time at all.
1. Marmite
One reason many of us feel so bad the morning after a drinking session
is because alcohol depletes your system of essential nutrients, including B
vitamins. A lack of B vitamins can cause anxiety and depression, so try
munching on Marmite - a rich source of the vitamin B complex - to lift your
mood. As an added benefit, Marmite has a high sodium content which can help
replace the salts lost through drinking alcohol. Try the savoury spread on
toast for an added fix of carbs.
2. Watermelon
Not only does alcohol deplete your body of nutrients, it can also lead
to low blood sugar levels, which may leave you feeling weak and shaky. To
counteract this, try snacking on watermelon, which is not only high in fructose
but is also water-rich to boost hydration. On top of this, watermelon is high
in many essential nutrients, including vitamin C, B-vitamins and magnesium.
3. Ginger
If too much alcohol has you feeling queasy, ginger is the perfect food
to help settle your stomach and relieve nausea. While you may not feel much
like chewing on the food in its original form, you could try adding some grated
ginger to hot water for a ginger tea, blending into a fresh fruit or vegetable
juice, or snacking on ginger biscuits for a stomach-soothing treat.
4. Eggs
Scrambled, fried or boiled, eggs are a popular hangover breakfast, and
the good news is they are a great choice for beating the nastiest of hangovers.
Firstly, eggs are extremely rich in protein, which helps raise mood-boosting
serotonin levels as well as helping to reduce nausea. Furthermore, eggs are
rich in an amino acid called cystine, which helps fight against the
alcohol-induced toxins that contribute to your hangover.
5. Bananas
Bananas are packed with potassium and magnesium, two of the minerals
often depleted in our bodies when alcohol is consumed. A lack of potassium in
the body can lead to nausea, weakness and tiredness, so stocking up on bananas
can help reduce these classic hangover symptoms. As an added bonus, bananas are
natural antacids so great for reducing stomach acid, and are good for providing
a boost of energy if you have a busy day ahead.
6. Soup
One of the most important steps for beating a hangover is getting your
body rehydrated, and this can be done through what you eat as much as what you
drink. To up your fluids and sodium levels and get a shot of nutrients all at
once, try some health-boosting vegetable or miso soup. As an added benefit,
soup is easy on the stomach so good if you're feeling a bit queasy.
7. Oats
Due to the diuretic effects of alcohol, the body loses many essential
minerals and vitamins during a heavy drinking session. Luckily, oats can
provide you with many of these nutrients, including B vitamins (good for the
liver and mood) and essential minerals magnesium, calcium and iron. On top of
this, oats can help neutralise acidity levels in the body, cleanse the liver,
absorb toxins and slowly raise blood sugar levels, making a bowl of porridge
the perfect hangover breakfast.
8. Fruit juice
If you're feeling a bit queasy at the thought of food, then this is the
cure for you. While it's great to line your stomach with food if you can, to
replace lost vitamins, raise blood sugar levels and rehydrate your body, you
can't do much better than a glass of fresh juice. Not only is juice good for
immediate relief, the fructose will also help speed up the removal of alcohol
from your blood.
9. Sardines
If you're craving something savoury, sardines on toast could be the
perfect morning-after breakfast. A major cause of hangovers is an imbalance of
electrolytes, and sardines are rich in many of these vital minerals, including
sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium and calcium. In addition to this,
sardines are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for protecting the
liver as well as lifting the mood.
10. Coconut water
Many hangover sufferers swear by sports drinks as a way to hydrate the
body and help rebalance electrolytes. However, the main problem with sports
drinks is they are generally carbonated, which can irritate the stomach. For a
natural alternative to sports drinks, try sipping on some coconut water, which
contains essential electrolytes (including calcium, potassium and magnesium) to
boost hydration, and is also soothing for the stomach.
Yahoo Lifestyle
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