We tried 10 hangover cures – these are the ones we’d recommend

The classic symptoms of hangover – a pounding head, dehydration, low blood sugar and an upset stomach – typically start when almost all the alcohol has been cleared from your system, probably 8-10 hours after your night out. It’s not unusual to feel pretty rough for at least 24 hours, although it can take longer to get back to feeling your old self again.

Sadly, there’s no definitive cure for a hangover. But many of us have go-to ways of propping ourselves up next morning; how effective these are will depend on whether they address the key symptoms of excess alcohol or simply make us feel a little less sorry for ourselves.

This festive season, the Good Food team have shared their favoured hangover solutions, and we’ve asked nutritionist Kerry Torrens to rate them. Find out if yours is on the list, or what you should do to improve your morning after…

Our top 10 go-to hangover cures:

1. Healthy pepper tomato & ham omelette

Chosen by: Kerry, nutritionist

Given that it’s our nutritionist’s recommendation, you’d probably expect this breakfast of champions to take the top spot in our list.

Nutritionist says: Eggs are a festive storecupboard essential. Quick to prepare, nourishing and filling, eggs sustain and restore you the morning after. They contain almost all essential nutrients, except vitamin C – which is provided here by the peppers and tomatoes. This omelette uses a combination of egg whites and whole eggs; egg whites are a natural source of cysteine, an amino acid that breaks down the toxic byproducts of alcohol that are responsible for your banging head and upset stomach. Egg yolks meanwhile are a source of choline, a water-soluble vitamin that supports the liver’s detoxication process. And the ham and cheese will help curb those post-alcohol cravings.

Verdict: Requiring minimal fuss, this nourishing option will restore energy levels and replenish lost nutrients. Swap the ham for smoked salmon if you prefer, then simply add a hydrating drink such as a glass of water or a cup of milky tea.

2. Breakfast burrito

Chosen by: Nat, head of multimedia operations

Breakfast burritos are a healthier step up from the traditional fry-up, and the extra veggies will help your recovery.

Nutritionist says: These burritos provide both fast-releasing energy that will help you feel better quickly, and slow-releasing carbs to stabilise blood sugar levels through the morning. Loaded with nourishing ingredients including mushrooms, tomatoes, avocado and eggs, these burritos will help replenish the B group of vitamins, along with minerals like sodium and potassium, while also providing antioxidant vitamins to help counter the damaging effects of excess alcohol.

Verdict: These have been knocked off our top spot purely because they require a little more effort; if you feel up to cooking, or better still, you’ve someone to cook for you, this is a great morning-after solution.

3. Green juice

Chosen by: Zazie, sub editor

This was a popular choice with the Good Food and Good Health teams – most of us fancied a fresh and zingy, vitamin-packed juice after a late night.

Nutritionist says: Ideally, make this juice with a dairy milk base; studies suggest that cow’s milk is as good as an isotonic sports drink for hydration. This is thanks to milk’s balance of natural sugars, electrolytes and protein, which help the body rehydrate more effectively than water. The flaxseeds and almonds provide zinc, a key nutrient for alcohol metabolism, while the dates and banana are rich in both natural sugars and electrolytes, including potassium and magnesium. The addition of kale replenishes vitamins including folate and vitamin C.

Verdict: This juice makes a quick yet nourishing choice. As the morning progresses, add a protein-packed brunch such as shakshuka.

4. Sausage, Lancashire cheese and caramelised onion challah bread sandwich

Chosen by: Keith, Good Food magazine editor

Our resident cheese fanatic won’t be put off his favourite food by a hangover! This is one special sausage sandwich…

Nutritionist says: Prepare the challah bread ahead, then all you need do in the morning is grill the sausage and add your cheese and condiments. Challah bread is a great option, providing fast-releasing carbs to restore blood sugar levels, combined with sustaining protein from the flour and eggs. Not only does cheese replenish lost electrolytes, a 2023 study suggests that cheese rich in live bacteria (probiotics), may improve alcohol metabolism, making it a useful stomach liner on the big night, and a valuable hangover solution the morning after.

Verdict: This is a good option. Add a mood-enhancing drink like a cup of green tea, which provides moderate amounts of caffeine to improve focus and attention as well as additional health benefits that are valuable after a heavy night.

5. Spicy noodle soup with peanut sauce

Chosen by: Rene, senior social content creator

Salty, spicy foods are a common craving the morning after! And it turns out they’re not a bad choice…

Nutritionist says: This filling soup not only replenishes energy as well as sodium and potassium, it also includes warming spices like ginger, which may settle an upset stomach. The base of the soup is coconut milk, which isn’t ideal because it lacks the hydrating electrolytes like potassium that coconut water is known to provide. It’s also higher in fat than some other soup bases, and especially in saturated fat, which the liver can struggle with when it’s dealing with excess alcohol. Finishing the soup with eggs and lime juice provides useful micronutrients that help metabolise alcohol and restore balance.

Verdict: If spicy is your thing and your morning after stomach can take it, this comforting bowl may be the one for you. However, consider replacing the coconut milk for a lighter, more hydrating bone broth or vegetable stock.

6. Lucozade Sport, Diet Coke and Marmite on toast

Chosen by: Issie, deputy health editor

Sweet, salty and with plenty of fluids, this is a formula many of us support. According to Issie, the order of consumption is key…

Nutritionist says: Formulated to support hydration and energy, isotonic sports drinks can be a good option to speed rehydration, replace lost minerals and re-establish blood sugar levels. Lucozade Sport provides energy in the form of glucose syrup, electrolytes as sodium, and vitamin B3, a key nutrient for alcohol metabolism. Although anecdotally some people find Diet Coke (especially when flat) settles an upset stomach, its caffeine levels can do the opposite and, being diuretic, it may worsen hydration levels too. Diet Coke lacks the necessary energy to restore blood sugar levels, so is not the best choice for getting back in balance. Following these drinks with something to eat is a great idea, and Marmite on toast is a brilliant choice. Marmite is a rich source of energising water-soluble B vitamins, which are one of the first casualties of a heavy night. Toast and Marmite also top up your sodium levels.

Verdict: This is a well-thought-through plan, but I’d suggest skipping the Diet Coke. If you need a caffeine nudge, have a cup of tea instead. Consider adding grilled tomatoes to your Marmite on toast to replenish additional electrolytes and further restore balance.

7. Effervescent electrolyte tablets

Chosen by: Tamarah, digital editor

Dehydration is the cause of most hangover symptoms, so countering that with a purpose-built drink is a logical option.

Nutritionist says: Alcohol is a known diuretic, and one of the effects of this is that we lose important electrolytes. These essential minerals including sodium, potassium and magnesium help maintain our hydration, support our muscles to work optimally and facilitate nerve impulses. Restoring electrolytes can help rehydrate and as a result ease hangover symptoms like headache, fatigue and muscle cramps.

These effervescent tablets are combined with water to support hydration and are a source of the key electrolytes. Check the label to ensure they provide a balance of sodium, potassium and magnesium – don’t be too concerned about flavour as long as it’s a taste you can stomach. Another useful tip is to pick a product that provides the B group of vitamins and zinc. That’s because these nutrients will have been used up by the liver when metabolising alcohol.

Verdict: This is an effective and quick solution to get your hydration back on track and alleviate some of your hangover symptoms. However, you could swap expensive supplements for a natural electrolyte choice such as coconut water or electrolyte-rich foods like bananas and watermelon. Alternatively, make your own electrolyte drink using our easy guide. As well as supplying the key electrolytes, your drink needs to provide energy in the form of honey or sugar; you could also consider flavouring it with spices like ginger for its anti-nausea properties, or anti-inflammatory turmeric.

Check out our review of the best electrolyte products.

8. Big cup of tea and a Calippo ice lolly

Chosen by: Emma, health editor

One for those who can’t face anything solid the day after drinking. Try heat to soothe and ice to refresh.

Nutritionist says: A cup of builder’s tea is likely to give you a short-term boost and lift your fatigue thanks to its moderate caffeine content. Tea is also a source of L-theanine, an amino acid that has a calming and soothing effect. The natural polyphenols in tea may have a positive effect on your gut and help minimise the wider symptoms of excess alcohol. A Calippo ice lolly provides some hydration, although limited, as well as fast-releasing energy from glucose syrup and sugar. These effects are likely to be short-lived though, and could lead to a crash in blood sugar later.

Verdict: To avoid a blood sugar rollercoaster and to address nutrient shortfalls, follow with a more sustaining option like a bowl of porridge topped with fruit such as banana, and seeds.

9. Coke and McDonald’s breakfast

Chosen by: Sam, senior food editor and podcast editor

Not everyone at Good Food would admit to this breakfast choice, but sometimes you want what you want, and there’s a lot to be said for sweetness, salt and fat in a comforting format.

Nutritionist says: A regular Coke will supply a sugar hit and lift mood thanks to its caffeine content, but it won’t address your dehydration or loss of electrolytes. Caffeine is a diuretic, so in the medium term your coke may worsen hydration levels. Salty comfort food like a McDonald’s breakfast can seem an attractive answer to perk up wavering energy levels, but greasy, fast food is, sadly, not the answer: it’s hard to digest and can worsen nausea and stomach upset.

Verdict: If you’re on the go and it has to be McDonald’s, make it an Egg & Cheese McMuffin. The egg is a useful source of protein, as well as amino acids, which support liver function. Mushrooms and eggs with a diluted juice would be a more nourishing choice, helping to rebalance blood sugar levels, support hydration and replace lost vitamins and minerals.

10. Sparkling water and strong coffee

Chosen by: Anna, head of Food Group video

You know things are really serious when coffee and water (yes, it has to be sparkling, there’s just something about it) are all you can stomach.

Nutritionist says: If water doesn’t appeal, then sparkling water often makes a more attractive and hydrating option. That said, the bubbles can cause bloating and discomfort. Choose natural sparkling water to benefit from electrolytes such as sodium, calcium and magnesium. A strong coffee will certainly give your system a jolt, but because caffeine is a diuretic, it’s unlikely to improve hydration and may prolong hangover symptoms. Caffeine also constricts blood vessels, which can make a banging head even worse. Add to that the jitters that excess caffeine can provoke and it may not be the ideal option when you’re already feeling fragile.

Verdict: You could swap sparkling water for soda water. Studies suggest it’s one of a small number of drinks that may speed alcohol clearance; soda water is also a hydrating option and replenishes electrolytes. Ditch the strong coffee for a weaker one with milk. Follow with something light to eat, such as a comforting bowl of soup or beans on toast.

Found this useful? Get more hangover help:

How to drink responsibly
How to cure a hangover
Hangover cures: Fact or fiction?
Best foods to eat before drinking
How many calories are in alcoholic drinks?

Kerry Torrens BSc. (Hons) PgCert MBANT is a BANT Registered Nutritionist® with a postgraduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including Good Food.