Many fruits and vegetables are packed with essential nutrients and natural sugars. These wholesome foods can be incredibly beneficial in alleviating hangover symptoms and helping you bounce back after a night out.
1. Bananas
When you drink alcohol, it inhibits the production of vasopressin, a hormone that helps your body retain water. This leads to dehydration and the depletion of vital electrolytes like potassium and sodium.
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium, playing a crucial role in replenishing your body’s potassium levels. Just one medium-sized banana provides 9% of the Daily Value (DV) for potassium, making it a perfect choice for hangover recovery.
2. Watermelon
Headaches are a common hangover symptom, often triggered by dehydration and reduced blood flow to the brain. Eating watermelon can be a refreshing way to combat these hangover-induced headaches.
Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid that may help improve blood flow. Furthermore, its high water content is incredibly effective in rehydrating your body, making it an ideal food for hangover relief.
3. Blueberries
Hangovers often come with inflammation throughout the body. Blueberries are nutrient powerhouses packed with antioxidants that are known to fight inflammation.
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A study in 2003 involving 20 men revealed increased levels of inflammatory compounds in the blood after alcohol consumption. Therefore, incorporating blueberries into your diet after drinking can be a delicious strategy to help your body combat hangover-related inflammation.
4. Oranges
Oranges are well-known for their high vitamin C content. This essential vitamin plays a role in preventing your body from losing glutathione, a vital antioxidant.
Glutathione is crucial in helping your body process and eliminate alcohol, and it also helps reduce inflammation caused by alcohol consumption. Eating oranges can provide a boost of vitamin C, helping to maintain stable glutathione levels and potentially lessen hangover symptoms.
5. Pickles
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a significant drop in sodium levels, an important electrolyte. Pickles are naturally high in sodium, making them a surprisingly effective food for hangover recovery.
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Eating pickles or even drinking pickle juice can help replenish your sodium levels and ease hangover symptoms. One dill pickle spear provides approximately 12% of the DV for sodium. Remarkably, just 2 ounces (60 ml) of pickle juice can offer around 16% of the DV. Keep in mind that sodium content can vary between different pickle brands.
6. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are nutritional powerhouses, containing a variety of vitamins and minerals that can aid in faster hangover recovery.
A single cup (200 grams) of cooked sweet potato delivers over 200% of the DV for vitamin A, 13% for magnesium, and 20% for potassium. Vitamin A is known to help combat inflammation associated with hangovers. Magnesium and potassium are crucial for replenishing electrolytes lost due to alcohol’s diuretic effects.
7. Spinach
Spinach is rich in folate, a B vitamin that can become depleted in the body due to heavy drinking. Alcohol can hinder folate absorption, and chronic alcohol intake can even lead to folate deficiency.
Eating spinach can help maintain healthy folate levels after alcohol consumption. One cup (180 grams) of cooked spinach provides a significant 66% of the DV for folate, making it a great choice for recovery.
8. Avocado
Avocados are creamy, delicious, and beneficial for hangover recovery. After a night of drinking, potassium levels can drop due to alcohol consumption and dehydration.
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One avocado (136 grams) provides 15% of the DV for potassium, helping to restore depleted levels. Older research suggests that avocados contain compounds that may protect against liver damage. Considering the strain alcohol puts on your liver, avocados may be particularly beneficial for hangover relief and liver support.
9. Asparagus
Asparagus is a unique vegetable that contains compounds that could offer hangover relief.
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A 2009 test-tube study found that asparagus extract more than doubled the effectiveness of certain enzymes that break down alcohol and protect liver cells from damage in vitro. While human studies are needed, including asparagus in your post-drinking meal might be a worthwhile strategy to explore for hangover recovery.
