What to Eat for Hangover? Best Foods for the Morning After

Ah, the morning after. Your head’s heavy, and your stomach's not quite sure what’s happening. Sound familiar?

Instead of reaching for the nearest leftovers, why not choose something that’ll actually help? Believe it or not, what you eat can ease or worsen the hangover symptoms. Ready to find out what will get you back sharp and clear your head?

We’ll cover what to eat for hangover relief if you’ve been out drinking too much alcohol—plus offer products like Myrkl that may help you avoid hangovers in the first place.

What Is a Hangover?

If you’re reading this with a hangover, you already know what a hangover is. It’s the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms of drinking what your body deems as excessive amounts of alcohol. These symptoms happen as our bodies process and filter out the alcohol. It’s your body’s way of signaling you’ve been put through the wringer with a range of distressing symptoms that can leave you feeling utterly miserable.

What Causes a Hangover?

Ever wonder why hangovers hit you so hard? When your body starts breaking down alcohol, it creates something called acetaldehyde. Sounds complicated or even fancy, but it’s really just an irritant that sparks inflammation all over your body.

And let’s not forget that alcohol is a diuretic— hello, dehydration! Losing fluids and critical electrolytes only makes your body’s inflammation worse. It’s a one-two punch that leaves you feeling wrecked.

Common Symptoms of Hangovers

The telltale signs of a hangover can vary from person to person, but they usually include:

• Headache
• Fatigue and lethargy
• Brain fog
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Dizziness
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Dehydration

Best Foods for Hangover Relief

So, what food should you eat when you have a hangover? We’ve broken down what foods to eat and drinks to take for hangovers:

Hydrating Foods

Hydration is vital if you’ve got to this point and haven’t figured out how important it is! Eating water-rich foods, like sweet fruits or other fructose-containing foods, can help rehydrate your body and replenish lost fluids. Here are some examples:

• Watermelon
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Grapes
• Oranges

Electrolyte-Rich Foods

Electrolytes aren’t only found in a bottle of sports drinks—plenty of foods can replenish your potassium, sodium, and magnesium back to normal levels. Some good examples are:

• Bananas
• Coconut water
• Avocado
• Nuts and seeds

Comfort Foods

Ever get a flu or cold, and all you need is a bowl of chicken noodle soup? Sometimes, the best remedy for a bad hangover is familiar, easy-to-digest foods that not only soothe your stomach but also give you a nostalgic feeling of comfort. 

Below are examples of the best hangover food for an upset stomach. They are also the best options when you’re looking for what to eat when hungover and throwing up:

• Toast
• Crackers
• Oatmeal
• Rice
• Chicken broth

Protein Sources

Protein-rich foods can support your body’s natural detoxification process. Additionally, you may get a boost of energy. Options include:

• Eggs
• Lean meats like chicken or turkey
• Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Legumes

Foods to Avoid When You Have a Hangover

Now, let’s break down what not to eat after drinking alcohol. While some foods might help you get over a hangover, others can drag it out and make you feel worse. Here are some of the worst hangover foods:

Heavy and Greasy Foods

The belief that greasy foods can cure your hangover is a myth. While your hangover hunger might make you crave them, you should think twice before diving into that greasy breakfast. 

Fatty, fried foods are not the best foods for hangover relief and can be harsh on your stomach, making nausea and that queasy feeling even worse. In short, they are basically the opposite of what to eat for hangover nausea.

Caffeine

Have you heard of the idiom, “hair of the dog that bit you”? Some people swear by going for another round of alcohol or loading up on caffeinated drinks like energy drinks or a cup of coffee. On the contrary, this is a terrible idea. These can dehydrate you further and mess with your recovery.

Saturated Fats

Munching on foods loaded with saturated fats—like processed meats, pastries, and fried snacks—can increase inflammation, worsening your hangover or making it last longer.

Sugary Foods and Drinks

That sweet soda or sugary snack might seem tempting. But remember, your body is going through a rollercoaster ride of blood sugar levels. Adding lots of sugar into your system can send your blood sugar spiraling even further, leaving you even more tired and cranky.

Highly Processed Foods

Hyper-processed foods are usually lacking in the nutrients your body needs to bounce back. Sure, they’ll fill your stomach, but they won’t do much to help you recover.

The Importance of Good Nutrition After Drinking Alcohol

Eating right is one of the best remedies for a hangover, and it can make a world of difference when you’re trying to bounce back from a night of one too many drinks. The proper nutrients can help your body detox naturally and take the edge off those nasty hangover symptoms.

How Food Affects Hangover Recovery

Specific food and drinks can seriously up your hangover recovery game and help you sober up quickly. They can help:

• Replace all those fluids and electrolytes you’ve lost
• Load you up with antioxidants to fight off inflammation
• Give your liver a hand in breaking down alcohol
• Soothe your upset stomach
• Perk up your energy levels
• Clear your mind

Hydration and Its Role in Hangover Recovery

If there’s one thing you shouldn’t skip, it’s staying hydrated. Water or drinks that don’t contain alcohol are great, but if you want to feel better, reach for drinks packed with electrolytes and vitamins. These will help you replace what you lost while drinking, making your hangover feel a little less brutal.

Quick and Easy Hangover Meal Ideas

So, you’re feeling rough and don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen. You’d want simple, nourishing dishes that you can throw together with minimal effort because who feels like cooking after a night out? Here are some suggestions for quick morning meals; the goal is to make something tasty and nutritious without much hassle:

Smoothie Recipes for Hangovers

Sometimes, when nursing a hangover, solid food isn’t appealing or the way to go; try a smoothie. Packed with whatever you want, fruits, veggies, and even protein, smoothies can be a lifesaver.

Blend up some bananas, spinach, and a handful of berries with coconut water, and you’ve got yourself a drink that’s hydrating and easy on the stomach. You can also toss in some yogurt, protein powder, or even raw oats. The best part? You can sip it slowly while you lie on the couch and recover.

Simple Breakfast Options

The mornings after a heavy night of drinking call for breakfast that’s easy to make and gentle on your stomach. You can opt for some toast with honey, a plain bagel with a smear of cream cheese, or even a bowl of cereal and milk.

If you’re up for something warm, try making scrambled eggs or a simple omelet—nothing too heavy, just enough to get you started in the right direction.

Does cooking seem like too much? It's a good idea to grab a piece of fruit to get some nutrients in your stomach.

Hydrating Soups and Broths

When your body’s crying out for hydration, soups and broths are where it’s at. A simple chicken broth, miso soup, or even a bowl of plain tomato soup can work wonders. They’re easy to digest, full of fluids, and can help replace some of those missing nutrients and electrolytes.

What’s best about these soups and broths is that you can find them canned, so there’s practically zero prep necessary!

Additional Tips for Hangover Recovery

Food and drinks aren’t the only way you can get over your post-drinking blues. Here are some other tips for hangover recovery:

Rest and Sleep

When it comes to shaking off a hangover, rest and sleep are your best friends. Feeling wiped out? That’s your body’s way of saying, “Take it easy!” Getting extra shut-eye helps your body repair and recover, letting your liver do its thing in processing all those cocktails.

If you can, take a quick shower and catch a few more hours of sleep or lounge around some more. It’s not being lazy; it’s letting your body heal. Isn’t that what weekends are for? So stay home and take care of yourself.

Over-the-Counter Remedies

Popping some medicine can feel like a quick fix, but not all over-the-counter medicine works. Ibuprofen? Sure, it can take the edge off that pounding headache. But you’ll want to avoid taking it on an empty stomach. Steer clear of acetaminophen—it’s a no-go for your liver after a night of drinking. 

If you need a little extra help, a rehydration solution like Pedialyte could be just what you need to get back on track.

Seek Medical Help in Severe Hangover Cases

Sometimes, you can tough out a hangover, but sometimes it’s more than that. When should you consider calling the pros?

If you’re experiencing severe symptoms—like nonstop vomiting or intense abdominal pain—it’s time to get checked out by a doctor. These could be signs of alcohol poisoning or another serious issue that’s beyond a typical hangover.

What Are the Best Alternative Hangover Cures?

What if there are better ways of avoiding a hangover altogether? Well, there are several products that can help alleviate some side effects of hangovers and, at best, help you avoid them. Let’s take a look at some of the top picks:

1. Myrkl

Myrkl might just be the “miracle” weapon for anyone looking to bounce back after a night out without sacrificing productivity or mental sharpness the next day. Designed for healthy adults, these hangover pills are all about keeping you in top form.

The pre-drinking formula is a game-changer for those who deal with typical hangover woes like grogginess, nausea, and brain fog. According to the company, Myrkl helps break down about 70% of alcohol in your gut within an hour of drinking—within 30 minutes, you’ll already be at 50%.

Myrkl Customer Reviews

With a solid 4.5 out of 5 rating on Amazon, people are generally happy with the product. Casey, for example, is one customer who used Myrkl because they were tired of getting terrible hangovers. “They always substantially reduce the day-after effects of alcohol for me,” they wrote on Amazon. However, they did point out that it “isn’t a complete miracle cure [1].”

2. BetterMorning 

Ever wake up after a night of drinking with an uneasy feeling in your chest? Heart racing faster than usual? That’s what some have nicknamed “hangxiety,” a neurological reaction to alcohol. BetterMorning by BetterBrand is one of the best hangover pills that takes a well-rounded approach to easing hangover symptoms, but it especially helps relieve hangxiety.

The hangover pill’s secret ingredient is dihydromyricetin (DHM), which is known to help with anxiety that creeps up after drinking [2]. But DHM doesn’t stop there—it helps your body filter out alcohol more efficiently, shields your liver, and even tackles inflammation. This ingredient, plus the B vitamins and other vital nutrients that drinking can deplete, makes BetterMorning a great choice.

BetterMorning Customer Reviews

People also seem to love BetterMorning, as it’s scored a 4 out of 5 on Amazon and a 4.5 on its website. One happy customer, Josh, shared that he takes these pills before a night of drinking and again before bed. Now, he “never has hangovers anymore [3].” On the flip side, some reviewers say it didn’t help at all [4].

3. ZBiotics® Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink

Remember acetaldehyde—that nasty toxin your body produces when you drink alcohol? ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol Probiotic Drink breaks the toxin down, helping your gut ease those pesky hangover symptoms.

The secret sauce here is bacillus subtilis ZB183, a probiotic targeting acetaldehyde [5]. What’s best about the product is you don’t have to plan ahead. You can drink ZBiotics before, during, or after your drinking session. This way, you’re giving yourself a chance to fend off the worst symptoms of the hangover.

Pre-Alcohol Probiotic’s Customer Reviews

Customers on Amazon claim it works well and leaves them hangover-free and feeling great the next day [6]. That said, not everyone has the same experience—while one user mentioned still feeling tired the following day, they appreciated that their head wasn’t spinning like it usually does after a night of heavy drinking and no hangover cures [7]. On the flip side, a disappointed user noted that the product had the opposite effect on them [8].

4. Omre AFTERDRINK®

If nausea and an upset stomach are your issues with hangovers, AFTERDRINK could be just what you need. This hangover remedy packs ginger root extract, a time-tested ingredient known for easing nausea. That’s not all, though; AFTERDRINK also includes a combo of salts, minerals, and electrolytes to help rehydrate your body after a night of alcohol indulgence.

Omre AFTERDRINK® Customer Reviews

Take Kristin’s word for it. On Amazon, she mentions that her hangovers became particularly brutal as she hit her 40s. After trying several products, she found that “AFTERDRINK is the most effective one so far [9]!” However, one user complained that 3 capsules before and after indulging in alcohol was too much [10].

FAQs on Hangover Foods

Now you have an idea of how to deal with that annoying hangover. Let’s get all of the most common hangover questions answered!

Why Does Alcohol Cause Hangovers?

Alcohol has a complicated effect on your body. However, getting a handle on its effects can make dealing with a hangover easier.

• Electrolyte Imbalance: Since alcohol is a diuretic—which pretty much means it makes you pee more and get rid of fluids in your system— you lose crucial electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. When these levels drop, you may be dealing with muscle cramps, feeling wiped out, or just generally drying out.
• Dehydration: With all the extra fluid loss thanks to alcohol’s diuretic nature, dehydration is very likely. So what does that mean? You’ll probably wake up with a pounding headache, dizziness, and a mouth that feels like sandpaper.
• Blood Sugar Levels: Alcohol also has an annoying habit of throwing your blood sugar regulation out of whack. The result? You might feel moody, exhausted, or have trouble focusing on anything (other than how lousy you feel). 
• Gastrointestinal Effects: Your stomachs and intestines aren’t huge fans of alcohol either—it really irritates these organs. This irritation often leads to that all-too-familiar nauseous feeling, vomiting, or general stomach unrest.

How Long Does a Hangover Last?

Hangovers affect each person differently. However, the symptoms typically peak when the blood alcohol concentration returns to zero. Depending on your metabolism, diet, and other factors, this can take up to 24 hours or even longer in some cases.

How Can You Heal a Hangover Fast?

Focus on hydration and nourishing foods, get enough rest, and avoid alcohol consumption the morning after.

Can Specific Foods Cure a Hangover?

There’s no single “cure” for a hangover, but certain foods can help. So, what should you look out for? You want to pick foods that give you the necessary nutrients and hydration to support your body’s natural recovery process.

What Fast Food Should You Eat When Hungover?

If you’re ordering takeout to fill your belly, choose meals that are easy to digest. Toast or a simple grilled chicken sandwich are better for you than pounds of greasy food.

Is Greasy Food Good for a Hangover?

No, greasy food is not suitable for a hangover. Typically, this food doesn’t replenish the nutrients you need and fills an already upset stomach.

What Is the Best Hangover Breakfast?

A balanced breakfast is best. Whole grains, protein, and hydrating fruits and vegetables are great options—try oatmeal or Greek yogurt with berries.

What Is Good to Drink When Hungover?

Water, electrolyte-rich drinks, and herbal teas are great for hangovers and the best drinks to cure most hangover symptoms.

Is Orange Juice Good for Hangovers? 

Yes, orange juice is full of vitamin C—one of the nutrients depleted by alcohol in your system. Plus, the beverage helps with hydration. However, if you have a sensitive or upset stomach, the acid in the orange juice may not help your stomach.

Final Thoughts on What to Eat for Hangover Relief

Beating a hangover isn’t just about waiting it out. It takes a bit of strategy, with good nutrition being key. The right mix of foods, drinks, and hangover cures like Myrkl can give your body the boost it needs to recover from a night of heavy drinking.

Think hydration first, followed by balancing your electrolytes and loading up on nutrient-rich foods. With these tips, you’ll be ready to tackle your hangover like a pro.

References: 

1. “Check out This Amazon Review of Myrkl Unique Pre-Drinking Supplement for Liver Health Support, Helps Morning Energy with High-Performing Probiotic, L Cysteine & Vitamin B12, Social Evening, Party & Vacation Essentials, 30 Capsules.” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B0CZ6DYJ6L/R3QCGNLQGW6Y17?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0C324DVKM. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
2. Batista KS, Cintra VM, Lucena PAF, Manhães-de-Castro R, Toscano AE, Costa LP, Queiroz MEBS, de Andrade SM, Guzman-Quevedo O, Aquino JS. The role of vitamin B12 in viral infections: a comprehensive review of its relationship with the muscle-gut-brain axis and implications for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nutr Rev. 2022 Feb 10;80(3):561-578. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab092. PMID: 34791425; PMCID: PMC8689946.
3. “Check out This Amazon Review of Betterbrand BetterMorning All-Natural Ingredients with DHM - Supports Liver Aid - Gluten-Free & Vegetarian (42 Capsules).” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B095VZLH1Q/R270YDU7CMNUYI?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B095VZLH1Q. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
4. “Check out This Amazon Review of Betterbrand BetterMorning All-Natural Ingredients with DHM - Supports Liver Aid - Gluten-Free & Vegetarian (42 Capsules).” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B095VZLH1Q/R1M063JBBIBOF9?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B095VZLH1Q. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
5. Yang M, Hutchinson N, Yin J, Guan M, Wang Z, Chen P, Yang S, Crane JD, Zhang K, Li J. Engineered Bacillus subtilis as oral probiotics to target circulating lactic acid. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2023 Dec 1:2023.11.30.569300. doi: 10.1101/2023.11.30.569300. PMID: 38076834; PMCID: PMC10705430.
6. “Check out This Amazon Review of Pre-Alcohol — Feel Better After Drinking, Wake Up Refreshed, Science-Backed, Patented Probiotic for Easier Mornings, Travel-Friendly, 12-Pack of 0.5 Fl Oz Bottles.” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B0BVVCJ9BL/R8CBB5516RZ6Z?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0BVVCJ9BL. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
7. “Check out This Amazon Review of Pre-Alcohol — Feel Better After Drinking, Wake Up Refreshed, Science-Backed, Patented Probiotic for Easier Mornings, Travel-Friendly, 12-Pack of 0.5 Fl Oz Bottles.” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B0BVVCJ9BL/R10U9GDRHMJT1O?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0BVVCJ9BL. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
8. “Check out This Amazon Review of Pre-Alcohol — Feel Better After Drinking, Wake Up Refreshed, Science-Backed, Patented Probiotic for Easier Mornings, Travel-Friendly, 12-Pack of 0.5 Fl Oz Bottles.” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B0BVVCJ9BL/R3D9HBMN9NGBUP?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0BVVCJ9BL. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
9. “Check out This Amazon Review of AfterDrink Restore Pills with Milk Thistle, DHM, Vitamin B, Ginger & Herbal Extracts - Pre & Post Drinking Supplement with Liver Support for Better Mornings - Made in USA (48 Caps).” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B07PCRHDBQ/R1ULSY5FI0ZJN9?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07PCRHDBQ. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
10. “Check out This Amazon Review of AfterDrink Restore Pills with Milk Thistle, DHM, Vitamin B, Ginger & Herbal Extracts - Pre & Post Drinking Supplement with Liver Support for Better Mornings - Made in USA (48 Caps).” Amazon.Com, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/review/B07PCRHDBQ/R20YNTNXQ6R2OP?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B07PCRHDBQ. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.