These Are the Best Morning-After Drinks to Help Your Hangover
So, that tequila was really good. For the first shot. And the second. And whatever came after that. Now it's the next morning, and that hangover is real. More alcohol won't take the edge off. But there are plenty of other drinks that can help do that and start to get your day, life, brain, and energy back on track. Here's what to put on your day-after drinks menu. (Check out what foods to pair with them here.)
H2O
Water is the great replenisher, and a glass of this lifesaver is the first thing you should reach for after having had one too many. “Your body needs water to help with the removal of the alcohol,” says Lisa Dorfman, R.D., a certified culinary medical specialist and author of the sports nutrition book Legally Lean. “Your body takes time off from normal activity to flush out toxins.” So, sipping on water is the best way to give your body some thanks while it combats hangover dehydration.
Emergen-C
In a pinch, an Emergen-C packet offers a much-needed jolt of energy to a temporarily stressed immune system. Research suggests that fighting the detrimental effects of acetaldehyde, a byproduct of alcohol, with a dose of vitamin C might be enough to counteract some of that byproduct's detrimental effects. “Alcohol breaks down the immune system,” Dorfman notes.
Nuun
Dropping a Nuun Immunity tablet into your water bottle isn’t a bad idea either. The supplement boasts a potent blend of electrolytes, anti-inflammatories and antioxidants. Top up on these nutrients.
Kefir
While taking a daily shot of probiotics is associated with a healthier gut in general, it’s especially important for regular drinkers suggests Dorfman. This fermented milk drink is packed with good bacteria, some of the healthy-making bugs that form your microbiome. Replacing some of what the alcohol washed away can soothe an inflamed gastrointestinal tract and ease stomach cramps.
Pedialyte
Nurse yourself back from hangover to health with this drink. While reminiscent of childhood, it has the appropriate balance of electrolytes and glucose for adults. “Sugar actually helps your body absorb fluid,” says Robert Glatter, M.D., an emergency physician at New York City’s Lenox Hill Hospital.
Bone broth
Warm bone or vegetable broth, without any of soup’s fixins, can restore sodium, which helps maintain the balance of fluids both inside and outside of your cells. Since alcohol is a diuretic, this is the kind of water retention you need.
Coconut water
Mother Nature’s top sports drink may be a post-workout favorite of many a fitness buff for its uber-hydrating properties, but it is certainly a best friend to someone trying to come back from the hangover brink. “It’s high in potassium, a shortfall nutrient most people don’t get enough of,” says Dorfman. A shortage of potassium can inhibit nerve signals, many of which are already misfiring if you’re hung over.
Herbal Tea
Steep a bag of ginger tea in a cup of hot water. Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, this root isn’t a favorite of folk medicine for nothing—it's known to settle an upset stomach.
Ionic Fizz Magnesium Plus
Pop a scoop of this powder in a water bottle on the way home or on your way from the kitchen to the couch. “Magnesium may help you sleep better,” says Dorfman. And who wouldn’t want that after a tough night. “One of the biggest reason’s people are hung over the next morning is because they didn’t get a good night’s rest,” she says.
Shot of turmeric
The same spice that gives curry its color, might be worth infusing into a tea. Curcumin, the anti-inflammatory compound in turmeric, is believed to ease pain and inflammation. While some drinkers swear by having some before a night on the town, there is probably no harm in taking a dose the day after.
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