The nutrition you need after a night out
The healthiest choice isn’t always an option. In Best Worst Choice, experts explain what you can do to make the most of those less-than-ideal situations.
The gist:
Drink too much alcohol, and the resulting hangover will cause a laundry list of symptoms: nausea, exhaustion, dizziness, aches, thirst, and weakness, to name a few. You can make the effects fade more quickly if you’re smart about nutrition.
Expert insight:
For the hangover to pass, your liver needs to metabolize all the alcohol in your system. Eating certain foods like beets and cruciferous vegetables can speed up that process, says Katzie Guy-Hamilton, New York City-based certified health coach and author of Clean Enough.
One reason you get an upset stomach after drinking is because alcohol makes your body more acidic, throwing off your pH. To get it back to neutral, eat foods high in alkaline and chlorophyll, both of which you can get from greens or supplements (with doctor approval), Guy-Hamilton says. Hydration, omega-3s, and spices like turmeric will further ease inflammation and aches.
The bottom line:
When hungover, try Guy-Hamilton’s go-to breakfast, which ticks all the boxes listed above: a fried egg and sauteed greens topped with turmeric plus a glass of water spiked with a chlorophyll supplement. She also suggests hydrating via IV drip therapy, the quickest way to deliver water to the tissues.