Foods that Fight Hangovers

There's nothing wrong with a little alcohol in moderation, but let's be honest; most people don't do moderation with their drinks. The trickiest part about a night of drinking is that the more you imbibe, the more impaired your judgment becomes. When that occurs, you get hit with a double whammy of not knowing that you've had too much, and drinks going down much easier. Suddenly, the burn of bourbon turns into a far easier thing to swallow, beer's like water, and your wine glass is empty before you know it. At that point, you're probably going over the edge of Hangover Canyon, a dry and desolate place with a deep, stark drop.

Human beings have been drinking alcohol since the days of the pyramids, and earlier. We used to ferment alcohol inside of tree stumps that we would come back to find months, or years, later. The invention of beer went hand in hand with the invention of bread, and wine's in almost every religious text you'll find. So you might think that with our long-storied expertise on alcohol, we'd have just as much experience with cures for the dreaded hangover.

Eating Your Way to Victory

The good news is that there are some measures one can take to help reduce hangovers that are actually quite valid, and many involve foods that are quite delicious. For example, food that is high in fat, breads, and foods that have valuable minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium are all good for helping to block some of the devastating effects of a hangover before they even get the chance to ruin your day.

Those are just one line of defense, however. For foods that you should eat after you've begun suffering the onset of the hangover, here's a brief list of recommendations and what makes them so effective.

• Salty soup and noodles. One long-storied hangover helper from New Orleans, yaka mein, is a beef and noodle soup made with brisket, chili powder, and other seasonings. It's also known as “Old Sober.” The salt helps to replenish valuable minerals in your body. It also contains an egg, the proteins of which can help your body to process the harmful congeners that are found in alcohol.

• Pizza. Another salty favorite. Easy to buy, easy to eat cold after a night of celebration, and full of grease and bread, both of which can help you to absorb any alcohol that may still be in your system. Ingredients like pepperoni and other meats can also up your protein and salt intake.

• The farmer's breakfast. With the above mentioned recommendations, it should be easy to figure out that a breakfast heavy in eggs, bacon, toast, and other staples can put your hangover to pasture. Combining them with a helping of water can work to flush your system. Just be mindful about caffeine intake; the constriction action on your capillary system can actually cause you to lose some of the water that you need to eliminate any alcohol and toxins still in your body.