10 Hangover Cures From Around the World
Quick summary
This New Year's Eve, it's estimated Americans will consume more than 360 million glasses of Champagne as the ball drops. No surprise, then, that the drunkest annual holiday directly precedes the country's biggest collective hangover.
And when you wake up on the first of January with a throbbing head, chances are you won't be waddling your way to the gym like you promised yourself you would. The odds of reaching your resolution will recede rapidly, from slim to none — and you're not even 24 hours into the New Year.
There is hope, however. Take it from the experts. Bar industry professionals know that even the most stubborn of hangovers can be circumvented by following a few trusted measures. Below they share their tricks of the trade, helping you head into 2018 feeling fresh and ready to tackle that early morning SoulCycle session. Happy New Year, indeed.
Aaron Polsky, Brand Ambassador, Seedlip Non-Alcoholic Spirit, Los Angeles, California
"Pacing yourself before dinner is a great way to mitigate your hangover. A Seedlip Spice and tonic [a non-alcoholic cocktail featuring a two-to-one ratio of tonic to Seedlip, served over ice, with grapefruit garnish] is a festive adult drink that allows you to participate without imbibing on that round. Also watch the sugar intake — that's a huge multiplier for hangovers."
António Saldanha de Oliveira, Beverage Manager, NIMB Hotel, Copenhagen, Denmark
"In Portugal, we have this thing we call 'soup of the tired horse.' This is an extremely old recipe and is usually served first thing in the morning to the farmers and constructors to boost energy in the morning, or as a hangover cure to food and alcohol feasts. It mixes a generous dose of bold red wine or Port wine (normally a young wine harvested in the previous year), sugar, three raw eggs and old bread crumbs. Beat the eggs together with the wine and sugar, add the bread crumbs and let them soak until softened.
I actually believe it works cause the wine will cool down our body's need for more alcohol (that's what the hangover is all about), the eggs will bring the proteins, calories and healthy fats that you need to restore your levels, the sugar will bring the calories you need to boost your energy levels and the bread crumbs will soak all of it and ... you'll be able to process this 'cure' more effectively."
Kat Odell, Author, Day Drinking, New York City
"I've hacked a whole hangover prevention routine. I take two activated charcoal pills before I drink. When I get home and before going to bed I take two more, along with glutathione, a supplement but also an antioxidant that your body naturally produces. One of the major reasons people become hungover is because their levels of glutathione are depleted after a night of copious alcohol consumption. So, by taking glutathione, you're replenishing what has been lost. I've tried this method out on several friends and it has worked for them as well."
Tim Herlihy, Brand Ambassador, Tullamore DEW, USA (by way of Ireland)
"It's a bit cliched, but a full Irish Breakfast — complete with black and white pudding, a runny egg, paired with a strong Irish Coffee. It contains the four major food groups: alcohol, sugar, caffeine and fat. A combination of grease, salts and fats boost your protein and vitamin B and D levels. It's home-cooked, hearty fare designed to kickstart your day. I guess."
Cooper Cheatham, Director of Culture, Freehand Hotel, New York City
"A couple of options: Take a multivitamin before bed. Go for a run as soon as you wake up. You usually have a 30-45 minute grace period before the death hangover sets in, so if you get up, get your blood flowing, you can sweat out some of last night's bad decisions and the endorphins will make you feel better. An Aperol Spritz always makes everything better."
Juan Mayorga, GM, Cervecería del Valle Sagrado, Urubamba, Peru
"Caldo de cabeza: Sheeps' head soup. It's full of healing goodness. The ladies at the markets in Peru make soup from all the parts .... You can get the eyes, the head, stomach. I swear they end up using all parts. It's nutritional and great for a hangover.
Myjungju Lee, Nightlife Enthusiast, Seoul, South Korea
"As a Korean, my favorite hangover cure is yukgaejang (spicy beef soup). It has hearty long-simmered beef and noodles to give strength and scallions, onions and other vegetables for flavor. With lots of spice, it energizes and helps sweat out the alcohol. After a night of lots of soju or beer, it is the perfect pick-me-up the next morning, especially during the holiday season. Combined with a visit to a sauna, it's a quintessential Korean ritual after overindulging."
Joel Caruso, Bar Manager, Bar Mateo, Los Angeles, California
"Egg yolk and coffee with butter and honey. Seriously. Short, strong coffee or espresso with butter melted at the bottom and a touch of honey, then sink the yolk and slam it in one gulp. Butter delivers the caffeine to your system, protein and fat from the yolk and butter help for sustenance cause you can't really eat, but also help act as a delivery agent for caffeine. The honey is also a vehicle for making nutrients absorb into the body better. I have these powdered mushrooms I add to it but they're not easy to come by — reishi and cordyceps are good."
Jackie Summers, Creator, Sorel Artisanal Liqueur, Brooklyn, New York
"Ginger tea. Half a lemon, big piece of fresh ginger sliced. Boil in a saucepan. Dash of honey for taste, dash of cayenne. Water for dehydration, ginger for digestion, lemon for electrolytes, cayenne to move everything through your system. Eat a banana with this for potassium replacement. Repeat all day as necessary. It all sounds basic but this has been around for thousands of years."
Ross Simon, Proprietor, Bitter & Twisted, Phoenix, Arizona
"Sadly, there is no real 'cure.' They really are all just BS. Biggest advise alternative: For every cocktail or beverage had, have one glass of water to compensate. It works and is more of a common sense survival technique. But people just get drunk and forget to do it."
Feature photo by Caiaimage/Paul Bradbury/Getty Images