Ancient Indian physician Susruta knew all about hangovers. In the Susruta Samhita, a treatise on medicine he wrote and published more than 3,000 years ago, he describes a post-drinking condition called paramada, which caused excessive thirst, heaviness in the body, and pains in the head. If you’ve ever woken up after consuming a few too many boozy drinks the night before, it’s likely you know exactly what he’s talking about.
In the US, one YouGov study from 2015 suggested that around 22 percent of Americans had experienced a hangover in the year before. A more recent study from 2022 found that the UK is the worst country for hangovers, with around two in 10 Brits experiencing one when they drink. This is unsurprising when you consider the country’s drinking culture—it has one of the highest levels of alcohol consumption per capita in the world.
But even though hangovers are common, and have been around for as long as humans have drunk alcohol, still, they have no real cure. The answer is just to ride it out and wait for the unpleasant symptoms to pass. But there are some things you can do to ease the symptoms, and we’re sorry to say, it might mean ignoring those cravings for fried food.
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Why do hangovers feel so bad?
Hangovers can be different for everyone, but they tend to include a few similar symptoms. Things like a sore head, dry mouth, muscle pains, tiredness, and nausea after drinking too much alcohol are common signs of a hangover. If you’re suffering from more serious symptoms, like confusion, irregular breathing, or difficulty remaining conscious, this could be a sign of alcohol poisoning, which is a medical emergency.
However, hangovers are not usually serious; they tend to go away on their own within 24 hours or so (but if they still persist after several days, consider consulting a medical professional).
Hangovers feel awful for a few reasons. Firstly, they cause dehydration, as alcohol causes the body to make more urine than usual. Alcohol can also irritate the stomach lining (which is why some people feel nauseous or vomit), cause blood sugar to dip, and prevent good-quality rest.
According to Drinkaware, a UK platform dedicated to alcohol advice, “the alcohol in your system will mean you spend less time in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, with the end result that you wake up feeling less refreshed. Even just a couple of drinks will have an effect.”
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What should you eat when hungover?
Fried food or fast food are common hungover cravings. In 2020, one survey suggested that Brits spend more than $1300 on hangover comfort food. Nearly a quarter of people said they opt for a fry-up, while 18 percent said they head to McDonald’s.
However, according to Destini Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD of Garage Gym Reviews, this probably isn’t the best choice in the long run.
“Though many people swear by junk food when recovering from a hangover, you actually want to avoid fried or otherwise high-fat foods,” she told VegNews. “Fat tends to float around at the top of the stomach and, if you’re feeling particularly pukey, this can make those feelings of nausea worse. The same goes for high-sugar foods which can not only give a tummy ache but can cause blood sugar crashes that can make hangover fatigue worse.”
Instead, consider trying to replace the fluid and nutrients you’ve lost from a night of drinking. Moody explains that it’s not just water you lose during all those drunk bathroom trips, but vitamins, too. “Given that B vitamins are water-soluble, they are lost in the urine when one is urinating frequently,” she says. “The loss of all of these nutrients results in dehydration which is part of why a hangover feels so draining.”
Opting for foods that are rich in vitamins and antioxidants might help your body recover from a hangover sooner, and potentially give you some quicker relief from the symptoms. “There isn’t a ton of solid science on what foods or nutrients can definitely help one recover from a hangover,” adds Moody. “However, nutritious foods that contain antioxidants may help clear out the alcohol.”
She recommends opting for foods like oatmeal and whole-grain cereal, as well as watermelon, berries, and soups, “which nourish the body while also improving hydration.”
5 easy hangover recipes
Below, we’ve included five easy recipes to whip up next time you’re nursing a sore head after a night of too much drinking. But of course, the best way to avoid hangover symptoms is simply not to drink too much alcohol. The recommended alcohol intake for a woman in the US is one drink or less per day, for a man it is two drinks or less per day.
Riley Yahr
1 Vegan Banana, Almond Butter, and Cold-Brew Smoothie
This smoothie is a tasty way to help yourself get back on track after one too many alcoholic drinks. Bananas are rich in nutrients, like potassium, which will help to restore lost electrolytes, while almond butter is full of healthy fats. The cold brew adds a nice caffeine boost to help ease tiredness, too.
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2 The Best Avocado Toast Ever
Creamy avocado is another good way to get some potassium into your body during a hangover, and it’s also packed with healthy fats, B vitamins, and antioxidants, which will help to neutralize the free radicals that are created when you metabolize alcohol.
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Emily von Euw
3 Easy Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup With Chickpeas and Herbs
This nourishing, light soup will help to rehydrate your body and provide it with potassium and antioxidants at the same time. Tomatoes are also rich in nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene, which is a potent antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties.
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Kate Lewis
4 Vegan Chia Berry Breakfast Pudding
Chia seeds are an effective way to boost hydration because they are particularly good at retaining water—in fact, they can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. They’re also a good source of fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar. The berries in this tasty pudding are also packed with beneficial vitamins and antioxidants.
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Lauren Toyota
5 The Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Skillet
This hearty vegan breakfast skillet will satisfy those hungover cravings for fried food, while also helping nourish your body with the vitamins and minerals it needs. Tofu is a good source of protein, which will support liver detoxification, potatoes contain potassium, and avocado and kale are both rich in essential nutrients and antioxidants. It really is the best of both worlds.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
