Top six foods to beat the St Patrick’s Day hangover nutritionist swears by
These nutritious foods could help ease the thumping headache you might wake up with tomorrow.
Screeds of Scots went out this weekend to celebrate St Patrick's Day with their Irish brethren. For many, the celebrations will continue well into tonight, with Scottish streets to be flooded with green outfits, pints of Guinness and of course, novelty leprechaun hats.
But tomorrow morning will see the not-so-glamourous consequences of too many celebratory St Paddy's drinks, and many of us will wake up hungover.
To help combat a groggy morning after, nutrition expert Kyle Crowley at Protein Works has provided the best foods to help avoid a dreaded hangover. Here are the top six foods to eat before your night out to ease tomorrow's hangover symptoms.
Six foods to eat before drinking alcohol to help the hangover
Eggs
“Eggs are one of the best foods to consume before a night out drinking as they are full of vitamin B, which is valuable in protecting your liver, as well as the amino acid cysteine helping to rid your body of toxins”, the expert said.
“They’re also packed full of protein, so are a fantastic food to help keep the munchies at bay and avoid waking up next to a greasy half-eaten kebab.”
Salmon
“Salmon's high-protein and healthy fats make for a great pre-drinking food. In particular, the fat helps slow the rate at which food leaves your stomach, which slows the rate of alcohol absorption into your blood. Meaning you won’t feel like death in the morning.”
Healthy eating
Oats
“Oats are a great source of fibre and protein, which help make you feel fuller for longer and line your stomach before drinking. Many studies have also shown that oats can help improve liver function and protect against alcohol-induced liver damage.”
Bananas
“When we drink, naturally, we need to use the bathroom more frequently. However, once the seal is broken, we risk ridding ourselves of important sodium and potassium electrolytes which help keep our body hydrated," the nutritionist said.
"By eating a banana, you’re helping to increase your potassium store and hydration throughout the night, which should leave you feeling a little better in the morning.”
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Sweet Potato
“Sweet potatoes are not only another great source of potassium, which will help keep your body more hydrated throughout the night, but are also high in complex carbohydrates. This will help slow digestion and reduce the effects of alcohol on the body.”
Protein
“Consuming a high-protein meal or even a protein shake before drinking can be beneficial in helping ensure you are well-nourished. Just like the effects of eggs and salmon, a meal rich in protein helps curb hunger and consequently slow down the absorption of alcohol in your bloodstream. This can help minimise the severity of a hangover the next day.”
Overcoming the pressures of drinking
Our society can feel centred around drinking, but it's important to try to resist peer pressure if you don't want to consume alcohol.
“It’s very easy to get caught up in the celebrations. Where one drink becomes two. Two becomes three and so on. You may even say yes to drinking despite preferring a soft drink", the nutritionist continued.
“Some ways you can help combat the pressures of drinking over the St Patrick's Day weekend is by carrying your own drinks, so you’re in control of what you consume. Pick and choose events - saying no to some is okay. Or, try to find a soft drink or mocktail that you enjoy drinking so that it can still feel like a special occasion.”