What to Eat After a Heavy Night of Drinking

We've all been there before. You wake up on Sunday (or Monday or Tuesday--this is a judgement-free zone) after a night of one-too-many adult libations, and you swear to never drink alcohol again. Then Thursday comes around - you indulge in happy hour after work, happy hour turns into late-night, you've forgotten to eat dinner, and now it's Friday morning. You have to get up for work but your head is pounding and your stomach feels like it's full of battery acid. Bookmark this page, because you know this scenario all too well, and we have the best meal plan to get you through your day without having to rely on Chinese take out. Breakfast

breakfast quesadillaBreakfast Quesadilla : This quesadilla is easy to throw together in your post-booze haze. The eggs are a valuable source of protein, which are broken down into amino acids to help rebuild neurotransmitters in your brain that you definitely killed last night. The cheese and chorizo are the grease that you need to soothe your stomach and soak up that queasy feeling after a night of drinking.



miso ramen, ramen, ramen with shrimpMiso Ramen with Shrimp: The salty broth will help replace lost electrolytes, which help re-balance your system. Your body craves sodium and carbs, and this ramen does the trick to help set you straight. Also, soup is easy to digest and filling, two things that are crucial to your recovery.


Mid-Afternoon Snack

Pomegranate smoothies, bluberry smoothie, smoothie

Pomegranate, Blueberry, Banana Smoothie: Remember all those times you went to the restroom last night? Well, basically your body was eliminating  precious vitamins and minerals, such as potassium and glucose. Fructose, the natural sugar found in fruits, helps replenish the lost glucose in your body. This smoothie will help keep your energy levels up, and replace vitamins B and C, which tend to be zapped by alcohol. Banana is a great way to restore the lost potassium as well. Try adding coconut water to this smoothie, for an extra dose of potassium and hydrating electrolytes. For more info on how coconut water is great for hangovers and more, read here.



penne, asparagus, goat cheesePenne with Roasted Asparagus, Broccolini and Goat Cheese: By now you should be feeling better. You've replaced some of the vitamins and minerals depleted by last night's copious amounts of tequila shots, and you've hopefully drank enough water to re-hydrate your system. If you are so-inclined to have a drink tonight, make sure you eat enough carbs to slow the absorption of alcohol into your system. Also, check out this interesting article on Rodale that suggests eating asparagus before/after alcohol consumption to prevent/remedy a hangover. To put it simply, asparagus is high in the amino acids that stimulate the enzymes that quickly break down alcohol in your system.

bloody maryOn top of these food and recipe suggestions, and what goes without saying, drink plenty of water throughout the day and take ibuprofen to help keep your headache at bay. If all else fails, try the old "hair of the dog" trick. A perfect drink to re-introduce what originally got you feeling hungover is this Morning Glory Bloody Mary.