Effective Hangover Cures Used in Asia You Need to Try

Apr 27, 2020 | Asia, China, Korea, Philippines, TASTE

Ordering a full bottle of whiskey or getting bottomless margaritas with your besties may be fun, but the morning hangover is anything but that. Check out these Asian hangover cures that would wash your pounding headache away.

It happens to the best of us — waking up squinting from the light with a pounding headache and foggy memory. Then comes a clear recollection of you tattooing your ex’s name on your arm. Well, maybe not the last part, but there’s no denying that nobody is immune to hangovers.

Hangovers are a three in one flood hellish feeling that includes the run-down immune system, dehydration, and hormone dysfunction. Because of these, you experience the classic telltales of hangover which include indigestion, dizziness, nausea, and headache. Now that you’ve decided to get up and look up ways to cure it, how do you cure this garbage feeling? Here’s a look at several Asian remedies to make you feel better.

Ice Cream

Yes, you read that right. While it may be gross to think about ice cream while you want to projectile vomit all over your living room, this one is unique. Being the hardest drinking country in the world, it’s just fair that South Korea has invented a dessert to erase your hangover if you want to skip elixirs and soups.

The Gyeondyo-bar is a grapefruit-flavored ice cream that can be bought in Withme branches. The secret of this hangover cure lies in the exterior which contains the juice of oriental raisin tree. This secret ingredient is widely known in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve the cruel symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.

Congee

Without question, Congee is one of Asia’s leading hangover cures. This rice porridge is made with ginger, green onion, chicken stock, and rice. Depending on your preference, you may also change some elements of this well-known dish into fish or vegetable stock, or add eggs and meat.

Congee is a surefire way to let your hangover die down since the broth hydrates your body. The rice will also absorb all the remaining alcohol in your stomach. The ginger and green onion is not just to add flavor, but also to help with nausea. Next time you go out, you can make a batch of congee, stock it in our fridge, and simply heat it the next morning.

Coconut Water

Ah, coconut water — your drink of choice when taking a vacation on an exotic island in Southeast Asia. But did you know this amazing drink also has hangover-erasing qualities, too? Coconut water remains to be a popular hangover cure of choice in Asia because of its high concentration of minerals, fiber, electrolytes, and vitamins. The antioxidants in this refreshing drink will protect your cells from free radicals.

Because it can quicken metabolism, it’s best to drink in the morning when you are dehydrated. Coconut water is also a diuretic so it will flush out fluids in the body. The potassium and electrolytes will also hydrate you and help with headaches.

Kuding Tea

If you’ve never heard of Kuding tea, you’re missing out. This plant that grows in China has been used for more than 2,000 years. Its name means “bitter nail tea,” but don’t let it discourage you. This drink can eliminate body toxins and quench your thirst naturally. It also does wonders to lower your blood pressure and improve blood circulation. When your body is nutrient-starved, Kuding Tea will be its best friend. As with other teas, simply boil it in hot water for a couple of minutes. The sour taste will shock you first but it will get better with every sip.

Balut

You may want to get your hands on the infamous street food from the Philippines after a night out with your friends. Balut is rich in cysteine, which breaks down the toxins in the liver that cause hangover. Although Balut may look like it’s taken straight out of a Fear Factor Set, it tastes good once you add vinegar and salt. Once you take a sip of its hot broth, you’ll start to feel better.

Fight Your Hangover With These Asian Cures

When you wake up with an uneasy stomach and a bad taste in your mouth after a night of fun that got out of hand, you’ll know what to do. Next time, you won’t have to promise the heavens you’ll never drink alcohol again. You just have to be prepared.