20 Foods to Eat When You Have a Hangover - MyRecipes (2024)

1 of 21

Credit: Anass Bachar / EyeEm/Getty Images

Before you do, eat, or drink anything else, drink plenty of water. Hangover symptoms are caused by the dehydration that comes from the overconsumption of alcohol. What’s the best way to rehydrate? Water. It’s really very simple, people.

1 of 21

2 of 21

Credit: Anjelika Gretskaia/Getty Images

Next up: Grab a banana. The yellow fruit is packed with potassium, something your body loses a lot of after a night of heavy drinking. A lack of potassium can lead to nausea and fatigue—so you might want to stock up on bananas before you hit the town.

2 of 21

3 of 21

Credit: Paul Taylor/Getty Images

Have you ever noticed how salt can sometimes keep nausea at bay? That’s because dehydration (often caused by vomiting or excessive alcohol consumption) and loss of sodium are a package deal. Pickles (specifically pickle juice) are loaded with salty electrolytes that can help your body recover quicker.

3 of 21

4 of 21

Credit: Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images

Can’t stomach pickle juice? Reach for an electrolyte-rich drink. Gatorade and Powerade are good, but Pedialyte is even better because it has less calories and sugar than most sports drinks.

4 of 21

5 of 21

Credit: R.Tsubin/Getty Images

Nuts like peanuts, walnuts, and almonds are rich in quite a few hangover-fighting nutrients—specifically magnesium and protein. Magnesium (which is lost while drinking) can help your body break down and eliminate alcohol, while protein replenishes your amino acids (more on that on the next slide).

5 of 21

6 of 21

Credit: Photography: Greg DuPreeFood Styling: Rishon HannersProp Styling: Thom Driver

6 of 21

7 of 21

Credit: Vesna Jovanovic / EyeEm/Getty Images

Remember what you just read about chicken being a great source of protein, which can help put you on the fast track to recovery? So can eggs. Boiled, scrambled, or fried, starting your day with an egg (or two or three) can help combat debilitating hangover symptoms.

7 of 21

8 of 21

Credit: Westend61/Getty Images

Before you get too excited, we’re not giving you permission to chow down on a big greasy pie the next time you’ve been overserved. However, when done correctly and when eaten in moderation, pizza is kind of a hangover-fighting triple threat: It has carbs to regulate your blood sugar, cheese that’s rich in calcium and protein, and you can customize it with nutritious toppings. It’s a win-win-win.

8 of 21

9 of 21

Credit: TIFS

You’re mom wasn’t lying: Chicken noodle soup really can help you feel better when you’re feeling sick. The soup’s high sodium content can help you rehydrate, while the standard ingredients are loaded with nutrients that can help combat hangovers (chicken has protein, carrots help detoxify, and noodles have carbs that help regulate blood sugar).

9 of 21

10 of 21

Credit: Madeleine_Steinbach/Getty Images

If you’re not feeling up to a hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup, see if you can stomach bone broth instead. Rich in protein, calcium, sodium, and amino acids, bland broth is kind of the perfect post-drinking meal.

10 of 21

11 of 21

Credit: Photo by Cathy Scola/Getty Images

Toast with honey is a double whammy when it comes to hangovers: High in healthy carbs and sugars (honey is rich in fructose), this simple snack can help you feel temporarily better.

11 of 21

12 of 21

Credit: Arx0nt/Getty Images

Millennials, rejoice! Avocado toast is more than a tasty, Insta-worthy brunch. Not only are avocados packed with protein and good fats, they’re also rich in vitamin B6 and fiber that can help your body recover.

12 of 21

13 of 21

Credit: twomeows/Getty Images

Full disclosure: Coffee is a diuretic, so it’ll make you lose liquids. As we now know, dehydration is behind most hangover symptoms—so consuming coffee and nothing else could theoretically make you feel worse. However, it can help ease post-alcohol headaches that are worsened by caffeine withdrawal, as well as give you a bit of an energy boost.

13 of 21

14 of 21

Credit: Arx0nt/Getty Images

Anyone who’s had too much to drink knows that the side effects are more than just physical: Anxiety and uneasiness are hallmarks of a hangover. Starchy carbohydrates can effectively raise serotonin levels in your brain, which can boost your mood.

14 of 21

15 of 21

Credit: Burcu Atalay Tankut/Getty Images

Coconut water will simultaneously rehydrate your body while replacing a lot of the vitamins and nutrients (sodium, potassium, electrolytes, and sugar) that you lost during last night’s rager.

15 of 21

16 of 21

Credit: LauriPatterson/Getty Images

Drinking can deplete your body of B-complex vitamins, which can leave you feeling fatigued and generally out of sorts. You can replace those lost vitamins with a fatty fish like salmon, which is also a great source of protein.

16 of 21

17 of 21

Credit: Vesna Jovanovic / EyeEm/Getty Images

What can’t leafy greens (like spinach) do? Rich in vitamins and minerals that are necessary for even a hangover-less person, leafy greens get their color from chlorophyll, which helps detoxify the body.

17 of 21

18 of 21

Credit: Vesna Jovanovic / EyeEm/Getty Images

Watermelons are a great source of, well, water. Sometimes a name can tell you all you need to know.

18 of 21

19 of 21

Credit: Arsen Ametov / EyeEm/Getty Images

Plenty of teas can help ease the symptoms of overindulgence (peppermint and ginger are especially useful for relieving nausea). However, ginseng tea can actually shorten your hangover by helping your body metabolize the alcohol faster.

19 of 21

20 of 21

Credit: fcafotodigital/Getty Images

There’s a reason turmeric has been used as a cure for common ailments for thousands of years: It works. The anti-inflammatory herb helps relieve your symptoms while reducing inflammation in your liver.

20 of 21

21 of 21

Credit: SaraBerdon/Getty Images, Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

21 of 21

Up Next