How to cure a hangover

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Posted at 2:10PM, 06 March 2009 by Stuart Walton - Food and wine writer

There's always a moment when you first surface that catches you by surprise. For a split-second, you find yourself wondering what on earth has happened. You don't remember being this ill. You don't remember being ill at all. But then it hits you that you did drink rather a lot of that Pinot Grigio last night, and followed it with a couple of shots. And was there a beer or two in there somewhere too? Well, that was silly, wasn't it? Still, you're stuck with it now, for at least half the day and maybe more. There's no fool like an old fool, etc. etc.

If one of the symptoms of a raging hangover is the queasiness that comes from having poured too much alcohol into a stomach with too little food in it, then eating may now be the last thing you want to do. And yet, as soon as you can get your blood sugar levels back up, you will undoubtedly feel a lot better.

I asked some of the wastrels among my nearest and dearest how they cope, gastronomically speaking, with the catastrophe. Many insist that a good fry-up, if you can bear to rattle those pots and pans, is the best recourse. The fat will belatedly coat the stomach, it's all stodgy sustenance, and there is something comforting about sausages and bacon in such circumstances. (Perhaps hold the runny egg, though.) A fried breakfast looks like some kind of return to normality, but is at the same time enough of a weekend treat to make you feel you're looking after yourself again.

It all takes time though, and doesn't necessarily work. A former colleague of mine used to swear by a big bowl of porridge for the morning after, mixed to the stiffer end of the spectrum. There's no doubt oats are a good bet. They contain plenty of fibre, they will help to stabilise your blood sugar for the rest of the day, and they are an excellent source of selenium, which is good for promoting healthy liver function.

Anything with strawberries in it is a good idea, whether a cereal or just a health-boosting probiotic yogurt. They are said to enhance short-term memory, and to be an overall tonic for the brain (might just give you the intelligence to avoid this predicament in future).

I wasn't much taken with the recipe for Brown Cow as a hangover cure. It's a glass of Coca-Cola with an ice cream float (or just blended with whole milk, if you've no ice cream). The splodgy horror of that for me would be exacerbated by the fact that I'm the only person in western Europe who doesn't like any sort of cola.

No, there is really one dish to make the world look like a place worth living in again on these disastrous mornings. And that is a bowl of Heinz Mulligatawny Soup, accompanied by hot buttered crumpets for dunking. Its gently peppery spiciness, together with the fortification of carbs and dairy fat, taste as restorative as anything Florence Nightingale might have prescribed.

What's your preferred cure?

Comments

1-20 of 26 comments

Suzanne

6 March 2009, 3:48PM
Suzanne

I think alcohol must destroy my tastebuds or something, because all I want the morning after the night before is something strong-tasting and spicy. Blandness just will not cut it. A huge glass of fresh orange juice, then poached eggs on toast with hot, fresh tomato salsa always does the trick. Or fresh fruit. Come to think of it, I'm sure all that acidic food and drink on top of a rumbly alcohol-bloated belly is the worst thing for me ...

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Theboydonefood

6 March 2009, 4:01PM
Theboydonefood

I'm a firm believer in kill or cure methods - although hair of the dog is a proven failure - short term gain for long term pain. I swear by noodle soup - a spicy Thai version, something like a tom yum - fiery chillies to clear the sinuses and brain and release some lovely feel-good endorphins. Carbs in the form of rice, maybe a little meat or dumpling and then lots of warming liquid. This must be accompanied by a can of full fat Coke and a Resolve dissolved in half a glass of water. Now we're talking.

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Cucina Italiana

6 March 2009, 4:49PM
Cucina Italiana

Great blog - took me back to my long-distant university days where many a hangover was had. My boyfriend (now husband)'s preferred hangover cure was a cold shop bough steak & kidney pie - makes me want to barf now just thinking about it! My preferred choice back then, and even now, is at least a litre of OJ and a couple of paracetamol... BTW, neither I or my two young sons like cola either, so you're not alone Stuart!

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James

6 March 2009, 5:34PM
James

Not drinking in the first place?

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Paul

7 March 2009, 12:34AM
Paul

It has to be a good cooked breakfast. My only problem is that if I've had a heavy night the night before, I don't really feel like cooking a big breakfast!

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Belit

7 March 2009, 11:00AM
Belit

Water. Black tea. Fresh orange juice. Can't think of food in that state.

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miniminx

7 March 2009, 1:11PM
miniminx

without sounding too self-righteous: home-made muesli with lots of pumpkin seeds, blueberries and soy milk, banana; fruit juice; strong coffee; about a litre of mineral water..........! i find the most virutous breakfast imaginable usually sorts me out. of course, if the hangover really is 'the mother of all mals' then the only solution is to stay in bed for as long as possible on a liquid and hunger strike.

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Leamac83

8 March 2009, 10:38AM
Leamac83

Its prevention rather than cure for me, a big sandwich loaded with everything and lots of mayo before you go to bed...always saves me from a hangover the next day and failing that a breakfast of bacon and tattie scone toastie with brown sauce works pretty well too!

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Elsbeth

8 March 2009, 5:42PM
Elsbeth

Big glass of water with grenadine syrup for the instant bloodsugar high. Then banana, toast with butter, tea and a bowl of spicy oily spaghetti puttanesca in the evening. Perfect!

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liz

8 March 2009, 7:31PM
liz

for me its got to be the full breakfast ,bacon,sausages,eggs,etc it replaces your lost salt and its a kill or cure also lots of fluids

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Ann

8 March 2009, 10:38PM
Ann

lots of water before going to bed, and if you think of it water between drinks. Sure fire way of avoiding a hangover in the first place.

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Becks

9 March 2009, 10:37AM
Becks

Having been a chalet girl I have wide experience on clearing the most savage hangovers pronto. Skiing aside, I think the best cure is a Berocca dissolved in ice cold water and gulped down in one, followed by something fatty between big chunks of bread (my preference being cheese and pickle) and a White Russian. Avoid the immediate urge to vomit at the thought of milky vodka on a hangover and think about it - milk for lining your stomach, kahlua for a caffeine hit and vodka for hair of the dog. Perfect!

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becky

9 March 2009, 4:56PM
becky

fat coke and more fat coke its the only thing I can have it has to be out of cans the bottle type never does the job the same, then I spend all day looking at a take away menu deciding what grease I want the norm is a stuffed Crust pizza with lashings of garlic mayo

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RenaRuadh

9 March 2009, 5:08PM
RenaRuadh

Ah, we Scots drink one of our national beverages in these situations: Irn Bru!!!

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Babs

9 March 2009, 8:10PM
Babs

I agree with Ann lots of water before you go to bed. Stops dehydration and that horrible queasiness in the morning.

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boo

9 March 2009, 9:50PM
boo

the best thing for a hangover is a fizzy drinks or anything with a high sugar content to get your blood sugar level up after a heavy night!!!!

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Chris Brack

10 March 2009, 9:21AM
Chris Brack

Recently I was in rome and was hammered the night before. The hotel woke us up to kick us out so we were walking around feeling sorry for ourselves and really hungover. I then bought some ice cream and hey presto it settled my stomach and my head didnt feel so bad afterwards. So that is my tip for a hangover-ice cream.

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Cordelia

10 March 2009, 2:20PM
Cordelia

It's got to be Irn Bru!

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mumbird

10 March 2009, 5:01PM
mumbird

It has to be the ultimate masala omelet in a chappati, spicy, eggy and carbs from the bread and lots of tea- really hits the spot

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Andy Lynes

12 March 2009, 10:03AM
Andy Lynes

A lie in is the best thing, but if you can't do that then a bowl of congee works wonders for me for some reason. Failing that, chocolate milk is wonderfully soothing.

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