Five foods to fight a hangover

We know what you’ve been up to last night so we’ve got you covered with a few easy tips to avoid that nasty hangover.

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It’s the morning after a wild night of a shot too many and several bad decisions. Crawling out of bed is like getting out of a subterranean pit filled with quicksand. The good news is you’re reading this. While collegiate wisdom suggests binging on a plate of greasy food or taking a swig of the leftover Bloody Mary; we tell you, the hair of the dog or cheesy pizza is not the answer. Here is how you can prep yourself for another night.

Eggs

Though an elaborate breakfast with eggs Benedict or cheesy scrambled eggs might not seem appetising now, this morning staple is packed with hardworking amino acids like cysteine and taurine.

The former gives your overworked liver a boost, and the latter breaks down acetaldehyde, a chemical that causes headaches when your liver breaks down ethanol.

Coffee

A fatigued mind and body craves for its daily cup of joe, and while some would argue that pumping caffeine into the system might not be the best idea, it’s proven to reduce GGT, an enzyme caused by excessive alcohol consumption leading to illness.

If you’re a regular coffee aficionado, we recommend you continue sipping on your morning cup, and avoid adding to your hangover woes with a pounding caffeine-withdrawal headache.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Just the thought of drinking a hot bowl of soup while lying in a soft bed with the curtains drawn is enough to cure any hangover.

It might not be the most conventional choice, but it helps restock the sodium and water levels in the body. Vitamin B1 or Thiamine found in meat also prevents the build up of glutarate, responsible for the classic hangover headache.

Ginger

If you’re still reeling with nausea you experienced from the time you got home and hit the sack, a small dose of ginger is the best remedy. It helps stimulate a stalled digestive system, and eases gas, bloating, and indigestion. Its anti-inflammatory compounds also relieve the swelling on the liver and intestines caused by alcohol.

Beans

The body craves magnesium after a heavy night of boozing. Signs of deficiency include muscle spasms, cramps, anxiety, and irregular heartbeats. Digging into a bean-burrito with some guacamole for that added punch, feeds the body with a fair share of magnesium, along with Vitamin B that helps with metabolism and creates energy.

(Zahra Amiruddin is a freelance writer.)