What is good for a hangover cure

The room is spinning. Your head is pounding. You’re thirsty and nauseous and hungry, and you probably want to go live in a cave, like forever. You, my friend, are hungover. It’s one of the worst feelings in the world. If you’re (silently) cursing yourself for having one too many margaritas, just stop. It’s what you do next that’ll define what happens for the rest of the day. Well, mainly what you eat, according to registered dietitian and nutrition and fitness consultant Dana Angelo White.

A recent study found that after a night of drinking, college students desired salty, fatty, and overall gross, totally-bad-for-you foods instead of what they normally would eat. Don’t be one of those people. There’s a better way. If it’s morning and you’re feeling the aftermath of last night, these dietitian-approved hangover cures are sure to help.

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There's just one caveat to this, Dana says. If you’re nauseous, drinking coffee could make you feel worse. But if you’re just drained, coffee with some food can perk you up and make you a little more functional.

Smoothies are so easy to make (just cover your ears during the whole insanely loud blending part), and they can be really filling. They help with dehydration, and adding in berries—like strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries) as well as flax seeds and chia seeds, which are high in antioxidants, can make a great alternative to an unhealthy meal. Just follow our guide on how to make a smoothie.

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Not only are eggs easy to make, but they’re a good source of protein. You’re gonna need that protein to process all the alcohol in your system. But Dana has a reminder: Just stick with eggs and maybe some toast. "Don’t go the extra step and put the bacon and the sausage on it; you’ll be bringing in all the grease," she said.

A good ol' bowl of chicken noodle soup might just do the trick! You might only be gravitating to salty, fast foods because you want comfort food. Chicken noodle is perfect because you’re going to get the protein from the chicken, electrolytes from the broth, and easy-to-digest carbs. "The same way chicken soup can help you when you're sick, it'll fill some of the needs you have when you're hungover" White said.

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Salmon is high in antioxidants, which can combat the inflammation that comes from drinking. "If you're hungover and you've done a lot of drinking, you're likely inflamed," White said. "In some cases, you're dehydrated, you're puffy. You can actually see it visually." This'll help with that. Salmon is also high in Omega 3, making it a good food choice.

We have plenty of salmon recipes to try out like easy air fryer salmon, a spicy salmon bowl, and lemony grilled salmon.

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Carb-heavy foods like bread, crackers, sandwiches, and pasta are typically easy to digest, which is what your body needs at this point. The myth that eating tacos, pizza, and burgers will help "soak up" the alcohol is just wrong. "Greasy food doesn’t soak up anything, it's not soluble in water," White said. However, bread and things of that nature have high sodium content, so you're eating something digestible and you're also getting the electrolytes your body needs.

Wondering why drinking the night before can make you so thirsty in the morning? It’s because you're dehydrated and your body is craving liquids. White suggests having watermelon because of its high-water content as well as its amino acids. "Your liver is obviously affected when you consume alcohol, and when you take in some type of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, then that might help because the liver has been too busy dealing with all that alcohol," she said. Other fruits and veggies that can help include strawberries, cucumbers, cantaloupe, and zucchini.

Try out some fruit-rich recipes like Thai watermelon salad, a refreshing watermelon agua fresca, or a strawberry spinach salad.

If you're feeling weak or just plain out of whack, it might be because you need some potassium. Bananas are a great source of it. They're also easy to digest, so your stomach won't feel upset. On another note, coconut water is a great option and is high in potassium (and will give you some fluids) as well as orange juice and avocados.

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