The grub dished out at the local greasy spoon after a fun night out is considered by many to be a fundamental preventative measure taken against impending hangovers (see Hangover Cure Fact or Fiction: Food before Bed). Piling a heap of eggs, bacon, pancakes and who knows what else on top of a gut full of booze can seem like a great idea at 3 a.m.
But, what about eating all that jazz after you wake up? Whether that can help a hangover is a good question. As it happens, it’s also very easy to answer.
Eating a ton of greasy food after you’ve already earned the booze blues is like closing the barn door after the horses have run loose, as they say. Your body has already processed (or is still struggling to process) the alcohol consumed the night before, and whatever scant vitamins and minerals are clinging to the fat in that sausage sandwich are not going to make the difference.
The best thing to do food-wise is to focus on replenishing the essential nutrients that have already been depleted. The good news is that some “greasy” foods can help do that – particularly eggs. Eggs contain amino acids that assist liver detoxification including cysteine, which helps in neutralizing the toxin acetaldehyde.
Bad news aside, dropping that gut bomb before you start the night actually does help. The grease and gunk saturating that extra helping of hash coats the stomach and slows the absorption of alcohol.
Of course, it’s usually a rare few who want to start a party with a Grand Slam breakfast, but such may be the cost of an awesome morning after a night of indulgence.
Of course, I should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Because everyone is different, you should work with your medical professional to determine what’s best for you. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid =).
