Almost every inhabitant of the planet has experienced a hangover at least once in his life. The consequences of violent parties with an abundance of alcohol in the morning are headache, dehydration, nausea and weakness. All these symptoms are due to the breakdown products of alcohol, which the liver is not able to quickly neutralize. The time of complete elimination of toxins depends on the metabolism, and it is difficult to speed up these processes, but physical ailment can be successfully dealt with. In different countries, the approach to treating a hangover is different.
United Kingdom
The favorite of the British in the fight against a hangover is a traditional English breakfast of sausages, bacon, black pudding and baked beans. A hearty and heavy dish is not very good for the liver, but food rich in protein and fat stimulates the production of enzymes that break down alcohol toxins. In 2009, scientists from Newcastle University concluded that a simple sandwich with bacon and ketchup helps to cope with malaise, since fat contains a large amount of amino acids, and bread and hot sauce saturate the body with carbohydrates.
France
The country is famous for its culinary delights, so the French consider a dozen oysters to be the best way to deal with a hangover. Seafood is rich not only in protein, but in vitamins A, B1 and C, which tone the body, stimulate protein synthesis and improve liver function. Hot onion soup is no less popular.
Germany
The national German dish for the neutralization of alcohol is called Katerfrühstück (translated from German “hangover breakfast”). These are a kind of herring rolls stuffed with pickled vegetables, which should be washed down with plenty of liquid. Oily fish is rich in amino acids, and the combination of protein and acidic foods stimulates thirst. The Germans believe that drinking plenty of water quickly restores the salt balance in the body.
Italy
The traditional Italian way to cure a hangover is strong coffee: espresso or ristretto. Caffeine dilates blood vessels and relieves headaches. For breakfast, Italians recommend cooking spaghetti with butter, garlic and chili. Carbohydrates will relieve nausea and restore sugar levels, and pepper will boost metabolism. By the way, the ancient Romans relieved their condition with the help of owl eggs soaked in wine and fried canaries.
Turkey
The best breakfast after heavy drinking is considered by the Turks to be kokorets, which is prepared from lamb offal. Offal is wound on a spit and fried like shawarma. Pieces of hot meat are seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil. Ishkembe Chorbasy, a veal tripe soup with milk, butter, red pepper and garlic, also successfully copes with the consequences of overdrinking raki.
Japan
Residents of the Land of the Rising Sun are not distinguished by moderation in drinking alcohol and can spend the whole night in a nightclub. Japanese stores sell many special drinks that help you quickly clean up before work. As part of the medicine – turmeric extract (Asian ginger), vitamins, iron and bovine liver extract. The national dish to combat the consequences of alcohol excesses is umeboshi pickled plums, saturated with enzymes, organic acids and beneficial bacteria.
South Korea
Koreans are known not only for their high working capacity, but also for their propensity to drink heavily, so a whole industry has been established here for the production of drinks to treat unpleasant symptoms. A proven folk remedy is spicy haejangguk soup. The dish does not have a strict recipe, it is cooked with beef bones, oysters, red pepper, soy sprouts and garlic, and then served simmering.
Canada
Poutine is a national Quebec dish that is considered an excellent hangover cure. Potatoes are fried in a large amount of vegetable oil (in fact, french fries are obtained), then seasoned with cheese and poured over ready-made beef gravy with cracklings. Breakfast turns out to be very nutritious and fatty, it is recommended to drink it with tomato juice or Canadian ale.
Mongolia
The recipe for a traditional Mongolian hangover cure has been known since the time of Genghis Khan – these are pickled ram’s eyeballs with spicy tomato juice. The radical medicine is not for everyone, so it is replaced with bonton, a light soup based on beef broth with green onions and freshly made dough crumbs.
A universal international recipe for fighting a hangover is a fatty and spicy meat soup, which should be served very hot. The dish is recommended in at least ten countries from Eastern Europe to Latin America. There are also Russian hangover dishes, described in a separate article.