When a hangover hits, your instinct is to reach for whatever might make you feel better. Maybe it is a greasy bacon and egg roll, a strong coffee, or — if you are really struggling — another beer. But not all hangover remedies are created equal, and some of the most popular choices can actually make things worse.
Understanding why certain foods and drinks irritate your already-stressed body can help you make better choices when you are feeling your worst.
Why Your Body Is So Sensitive After Drinking
Before diving into the worst offenders, it helps to understand what alcohol has done to your system overnight:
- Stomach lining irritation: Alcohol increases stomach acid production and inflames the lining of your stomach and intestines (a condition called gastritis). This is why nausea, bloating, and stomach pain are such common hangover symptoms.
- Dehydration and electrolyte loss: You have lost fluid and minerals through alcohol’s diuretic effect.
- Blood sugar instability: Alcohol disrupts glucose regulation, leaving your blood sugar low and unstable.
- Inflammation: Your immune system has been activated by the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism, particularly acetaldehyde.
With all of this going on, your digestive system is in a fragile state. Foods and drinks that are acidic, fatty, caffeinated, or sugary can tip the balance from uncomfortable to miserable.
Foods That Make Hangovers Worse
Greasy, Deep-Fried Food
The classic greasy fry-up is one of Australia’s most beloved hangover traditions, but the timing is all wrong. Eating greasy food before drinking can help slow alcohol absorption, but eating it after — when your stomach is already irritated — is a different story.
High-fat foods require more bile and digestive enzymes to break down, placing extra strain on a system that is already under stress. For many people, this triggers or worsens nausea, bloating, and acid reflux.
Better alternative: Toast with a thin spread of Vegemite or peanut butter. Bland carbohydrates are gentler on the stomach and help stabilise blood sugar.
Spicy Food
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chilli its heat, irritates the stomach lining — the same lining that alcohol has already inflamed. Eating spicy food with a hangover can intensify nausea, cause heartburn, and lead to stomach cramps.
While some people swear by a spicy curry to sweat out a hangover, there is no scientific basis for this claim. You cannot sweat out alcohol or its metabolites through spicy food.
Better alternative: A mild soup or broth, which provides warmth, fluid, and salt without irritating your stomach.
Citrus Fruits and Juice
Orange juice might seem like a healthy choice — and it does contain vitamin C and potassium — but its high acidity can aggravate an already irritated stomach. The citric acid in oranges, lemons, and grapefruit can worsen nausea and heartburn.
Better alternative: Coconut water provides similar electrolytes without the acidity. If you want fruit, try bananas — they are gentle on the stomach and rich in potassium.
Sugary Cereals and Pastries
When blood sugar is low, it is tempting to reach for something sweet. But highly processed, sugary foods cause a rapid blood sugar spike followed by a crash, which can leave you feeling even more tired, shaky, and irritable than before.
Better alternative: Oats or whole grain toast. These provide slow-releasing carbohydrates that stabilise blood sugar more gradually.
Dairy (for Some People)
While dairy is not universally bad during a hangover, it can be problematic if you are already feeling nauseous. Milk and cheese are rich in fat and can feel heavy in an upset stomach. Lactose intolerance, which is more common than many people realise, can also flare up when the gut is already compromised.
Better alternative: If you want something creamy, try a small serve of plain yoghurt. It is easier to digest than milk and contains probiotics that may help your gut.
Drinks That Make Hangovers Worse
Coffee
This one is controversial because caffeine can help with hangover headaches by constricting blood vessels. However, coffee is also a mild diuretic which can worsen dehydration, a stomach acid stimulant which can worsen nausea and heartburn, and an anxiety amplifier which can intensify hangxiety.
If you are a regular coffee drinker and worried about withdrawal headaches on top of your hangover, a small, weak coffee with food is reasonable. But avoid drinking it black on an empty stomach, and make sure you are also drinking plenty of water.
More Alcohol (Hair of the Dog)
The idea that drinking more alcohol cures a hangover is one of the most persistent myths in drinking culture. What actually happens is that alcohol temporarily suppresses your nervous system’s withdrawal-like response, creating the illusion of relief. But you are simply delaying and extending the hangover.
Regularly using hair of the dog can also be a warning sign of alcohol dependence. The NHMRC guidelines strongly discourage this practice.
Soft Drinks and Energy Drinks
Fizzy drinks can cause bloating and discomfort in a sensitive stomach. Energy drinks combine caffeine, sugar, and carbonation — a triple threat for a hangover. The high caffeine content can also increase heart rate and anxiety, while the sugar causes blood sugar instability.
Better alternative: Still water, coconut water, or an oral rehydration solution like Hydralyte.
Acidic Juices (Tomato, Orange, Pineapple)
While a Bloody Mary might be culturally associated with hangover recovery, tomato juice is highly acidic and can irritate the stomach. The same goes for orange and pineapple juice. Their nutritional benefits are outweighed by the discomfort they can cause in an already upset digestive system.
What About Hangover Cure Products?
Australia has seen a rise in hangover cure products — fizzy tablets, herbal supplements, and recovery drinks sold at service stations and pharmacies. While some contain useful ingredients (electrolytes, B vitamins, ginger extract), many include unnecessary additives, excessive caffeine, or unproven herbal compounds.
If you want to spend money on recovery, a pharmacy-grade oral rehydration solution is your best evidence-based option. It is specifically formulated for fluid and electrolyte replacement and has decades of clinical evidence behind it.
Quick Reference Guide
| Food/Drink | Hangover Impact | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Greasy fry-up | Worse | Strains digestion, worsens nausea |
| Spicy food | Worse | Irritates inflamed stomach lining |
| Orange juice | Worse | Highly acidic, causes heartburn |
| Sugary pastries | Worse | Blood sugar spike then crash |
| Coffee (large/black) | Worse | Diuretic, increases stomach acid |
| More alcohol | Worse | Delays recovery, risks dependence |
| Energy drinks | Worse | Caffeine + sugar + carbonation |
| Toast/crackers | Better | Gentle carbs, absorbs stomach acid |
| Bananas | Better | Potassium, gentle on stomach |
| Broth/soup | Better | Hydration, sodium, easy to digest |
| Coconut water | Better | Electrolytes without acidity |
| Hydralyte/ORS | Best | Clinically formulated rehydration |
The Bottom Line
When you are hungover, your body is dealing with inflammation, dehydration, low blood sugar, and a compromised digestive system. The best approach is to be gentle with your recovery:
- Start with bland, easy-to-digest foods
- Prioritise electrolyte replacement over plain water
- Avoid anything acidic, greasy, spicy, or heavily caffeinated until your stomach settles
- Skip the hair of the dog — it does not help and can mask warning signs
If you are regularly experiencing severe hangovers or finding yourself reaching for alcohol to manage hangover symptoms, it might be time to reflect on your drinking patterns. Speaking with a GP is a good first step.
Need support? Contact the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015 (free, confidential, 24/7) or visit DrinkWise Australia for more information.