From mulled wine to hot toddies, the culprit contained in whatever alcoholic beverage you choose this festive season is ethanol. Ethanol is the alcohol in drinks, which makes you pay the toll for a fun night the next day.
Alcohol is a toxic chemical, which is also a diuretic, taking the water from your body and leaving you dehydrated. Worryingly, dehydration is one of the main causes of hangovers, according to Drinkaware.
While there’s no “evidence-based” hangover cure, a doctor has recommended the “best” foods to eat the day after your big night. Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, told Express.co.uk: “Unfortunately, according to The Alcohol Hangover Research Group, despite ten years of investigation, there is still no agreement about any evidence-based hangover cure.
“There have been no large, well-conducted randomised controlled clinical trials of hangover cures. Those that exist are observational studies only, which may demonstrate some sort of benefit.”
With the existing evidence in mind, the doctor recommended eating foods containing zinc and nicotinic acid. “Zinc and nicotinic acid can make a hangover less severe as both are needed in the breakdown of acetaldehyde – the main metabolite of alcohol,” Dr Lee said.
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Zinc
Apart from helping to break down the main metabolite of alcohol, zinc also helps to decrease inflammation in your body dealt by the popular drink.
Dr Lee recommended eating the following foods: oysters, meat, poultry, seafood, whole grains, nuts, cereals, dairy products and eggs.
Nicotinic acid
Research suggests that people with higher levels of nicotinic acid typically have less severe hangovers.
Therefore, the doctor advised filling up your fridge with these items: meat, fish, poultry, whole grains, avocado, mushrooms and potatoes.
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Healthy breakfast
The doctor explained that alcohol tends to push your blood glucose levels down, so eating a healthy breakfast may help.
She recommended pairing whole grain toast, with eggs, avocados, and spinach. However, oats are also a “good option”.
If your go-to hangover cure is full English, you won’t be surprised to hear that there’s a scientific reason behind why your body might be craving an egg after a night out.
Dr Zoe Williams has previously told Express.co.uk: “Eggs are kind of like nature’s little hangover remedies because they’ve got so many nutrients in them.
“They’re packed with protein, vitamin D, vitamin B1, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, selenium and zinc.
“But they also contain something called cysteine – an amino acid – that can help break down acetaldehyde.
“Acetaldehyde is one of the worst by-products of alcohol metabolism, so this cysteine can actually help alleviate nausea and headache by helping your body metabolise the alcohol more effectively.”
However, Dr Lee added that you might want to avoid fried and greasy foods which tend to irritate an already upset stomach.
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