Australian nutritionist Shannon Young (pictured) has shared the foods to eat after a big night out – and the ones to avoid
Party animals recovering from a wild night of New Year’s celebrations should be munching on eggs and avocado to cure their hangover, a nutritionist has revealed.
Shannon Young, a nutritional adviser for Australian meal planning service THR1VE, told 9Honey eggs are one of the best things to eat after heavy drinking because they are rich in an amino acid that breaks down the toxins found in booze.
Avocados and bananas are other ‘terrific’ ways to accelerate recovery, Ms Young says, thanks to their high concentration of potassium which replenishes the hydration stripped by alcohol.
If a takeaway is all you can face, Ms Young recommends ordering sweet potato fries instead of classic hot chips – the complex carbohydrates prevent blood sugar from spiking throughout the day, helping you bounce back faster.
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She said eggs are the perfect breakfast when you’re wrestling with a hangover (stock image)
Eggs
Ms Young says eggs are the perfect breakfast when you’re wrestling with a hangover.
That’s because they are rich in cysteine, an amino acid that breaks down acetaldehyde, one of the primary toxins that leave you feeling wretched the morning after.
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Acetaldehyde accumulates the more you drink, leaving you with nausea, headaches and lethargy when you wake up.
Sweet potato
Drinking alcohol causes blood sugar levels to skyrocket which causes an increase in appetite and a depletion of energy reserves in a matter of hours.
That’s why it’s vital to rustle up meals that stabilise blood sugar and restore balance to the metabolism.
Ms Young recommends eating unrefined carbohydrates like sweet potato, quinoa or multigrain bread which release energy slowly and steadily throughout the day.
This slow release reduces sugar cravings while increasing satiety, leaving you fuller for longer and less likely to reach for processed junk food.
Avocados and bananas are one of the best food you can eat to cure a hangover thanks to their high concentration of potassium (stock images)
Avocados and bananas
Alcohol depletes potassium, one of the most important minerals in the body which regulates fluid balance, controls nerve signals to the brain and muscle movement.
Potassium plays a key role in keeping the body hydrated – and rehydrating it after a night on the town.
Ms Young says the high concentration of potassium in both avocados and bananas make them an excellent way to pump water back into the body, fast.
Avocados are also packed with fibre, vitamin B6 and healthy fats which work together to replenish the body of the everything that alcohol has robbed.
For support for alcohol-related problems and addiction you can contact Turning Point Services, or one of the many other services available, speak to your GP, local health service or call a helpline.
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