Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.
Stop and drop that bacon, egg, 'n' cheese. And the Gatorade. These healthy hangover cures are going to make you feel like a million bucks, plus are totally guilt-free. (As for how you feel about your dance moves last night? We can’t help you there.) “But make sure to drink fruit-based juices on an empty stomach to allow them to be quickly absorbed and work more efficiently,” suggests Annie Lawless, cofounder of Suja.
And, with Thanksgiving and the holiday season just around the corner, we all have those evenings when we go a little too hard. But, never fear. There are plenty of ways to hydrate and energize. Ahead, seven delicious drinks that can help you turn those mornings around.
Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.
Juice Generation Kale Kolada, $8.95, in-store only.
1 fresh coconut — use the water and meat (or 8 oz. of fresh coconut water with the pulp)
1 cup spinach
1 cup kale
1/2 medium banana
Blend; drink over ice or at room temperature.
“The hero ingredient here is the coconut water as it is an excellent hydrator and supplier of electrolytes,” says Juice Generation-founder Eric Helms, who shares even more recipes in The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies, out January 2014. But, you can preorder now. “In fact, the electrolyte content is more than double that of standard sports drinks,” he says.
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Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Juice Generation Ginger Fix, $5.25, in store only.
1 cup almond milk
1 fresh ginger root (peel and juice two inches of it)
1 tbsp raw agave
Pinch of cinnamon
and cardamom
Stir all of these ingredients together and heat on stove top in a saucepan (or use an espresso steamer) until they come to a low boil; drink while hot.
“Ginger is known to settle an upset stomach, and ward off and subdue any nausea,” says Helms. So, if you're feeling a little queasy when you wake up, a nice ginger tonic might be just the drink to do the trick. The small amount of agave can also help to settle that nauseous feeling.
Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Juice Generation Pure Energy, available in-store or online.
1 oz. wheatgrass
1 cup spinach
1/2 beet, medium-sized
4 carrots, medium-sized and peeled
1/4 cucumber, peeled
3 stalks of celery
Juice all of the above together in a juicer.
“Wheatgrass will quickly cleanse your liver and balance out the acidity in the alcohol,” says Helms. “And it even speeds up your digestion — so the alcohol passes through your body faster, while the carrots and beets have low acid content, and helps alkalize your body so you feel more energized.”
Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Suja Lemon Love, $6.99, available online.
8 oz. purified water
2 lemons
Pinch of cayenne and stevia
To take it up a notch: Add 1 tbsp. of apple-cider vinegar
Combine ingredients. Drink chilled or warm.
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“Lemon is very alkalizing and rich in vitamin C, which helps buffer the effects of toxins in the body,” says Lawless. “Cayenne pepper helps boost your metabolism and is a natural pain reliever for that too well-known hangover headache. Adding the apple-cider vinegar at home helps balance your pH and neutralizes excess acids in the stomach from alcohol.”
Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Suja Glow, $6.99, available online.
2 apples
6 celery stalks
1/2 peeled cucumber
1 small bunch of spinach and collard leaves
3 large kale leaves
A few mint leaves
To take it up a notch: Add 1 small piece of fresh or ground ginger
Put all of the above into a juicer.
“This apple-based green juice contains soothing mint, perfect for boosting your metabolism of sugars and beating bloat. The body can better metabolize excess alcohol when it's moving quickly, which fructose helps facilitate,” explains Lawless. “Mint is helpful in fighting nausea and bloating. And by adding ginger to this, you can help calm your stomach if it is really upset.”
Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Suja DIY Watermelon And Lime "Wonder" Juice
1 sliced seedless watermelon
3 peeled limes
Put in a juicer; serve room temperature or over ice.
Lawless came up with this recipe just for us, and we're happy she did. The combo of watermelon and fresh lime makes us think of relaxing on the beach instead of dragging our feet to work after three glasses of vino. “Watermelon is a powerful diuretic that will help facilitate elimination and rehydration, while lime helps stimulate stomach acids which help with the removal of toxins,” says Lawless.
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Illustrated By Ammiel Mendoza.Nuun Recovery Smoothie, $24 for four tubes, available online.
1 Citrus Fruit Nuun tablet
1 small container of non-fat kefir yogurt
½ scoop protein powder
5 oz. of orange juice
1 banana
½ cup of strawberries
Add the 5 oz. of OJ into a blender, drop the NUUN tablet in, and wait for it to dissolve. Once the tablet disintegrates, add the remaining ingredients.
“The electrolytes you’ll need to replenish are in the Nuun tablet; the kefir yogurt contains probiotics that will help boost your immune system; and, the protein will help soak up all of the alcohol,” says Pital. “The added potassium from the banana will help alleviate headaches as well.”