After a night of celebrating, we imagine there’ll be quite a few sore heads this New Year’s Day morning.
And if you’re among those who woke up feeling less than fresh, you’ll no doubt be praying for a miracle cure.
Many of us have our own hangover remedies – each with varying results – but if you’re looking for a post-party breakfast that’s backed by science, we’ve got you covered.
According to nutritional therapist Cara Shaw, the ideal recovery brekkie should do two key things: firstly, get your blood sugar back at a normal level, and secondly, support your poor liver, which is doing the bulk of the work in breaking down that alcohol.
‘If you’ve been boozing all day long, particularly on lots of beer or high sugar cocktails or sugary mixers, it’s likely that your blood sugar will be going haywire into the early hours,’ Cara tells Metro.
‘In order to support your blood sugar first thing, eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking, but be sure to opt for a high protein option.
‘When it comes to the liver, the alcohol will be putting a lot of pressure on the liver so detoxification will need additional support. You can get this from adequate protein but also B vitamins and antioxidants.’
You may be tempted to reach for a greasy bacon sandwich, but- and don’t shoot the messenger here – the best breakfast to make you feel human again is actually one that’s packed full of veggies.
Cara says the perfect hangover breakfast is:
- 3 eggs cooked any way you like
- ½ cup of sautéed mushrooms in olive oil
- ½ avocado
- A sprinkle of feta
- A handful of cooked tomatoes
- Drizzle of olive oil
And here’s what each component can offer you:
- Eggs are a good source of protein and rich source of choline which supports liver detoxification
- Mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins which support the liver.
- Avocado is a healthy fat that’s rich in nutrients like potassium and vitamin E, along with fibre to help eliminate toxins.
- Feta provides extra protein and a source of B12 to give you energy after a rough night.
- Cooked tomatoes provide antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties to help negate the effects of alcohol.
- Olive oil provide polyphenols and lots of anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce the oxidative stress that excessive alcohol can cause.
Cara also recommends a cup of Matcha to wash it all down, explaining: ‘Matcha is much lower in caffeine than coffee and is absolutely packed with antioxidants to give the body a boost.
‘My top tip is to have your caffeinated drink after a meal to ensure it doesn’t spike your cortisol levels, even more important when hungover.’
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