Oh, the dreaded feeling of waking up after a night of too many cocktails. Aside from its well-known health benefits, drinking kombucha for a hangover may also be beneficial. Before reaching for a Gatorade or a little hair of the dog, let’s take a look at how this probiotic drink may help you feel better after a night of drinking.
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What Causes a Hangover?
To understand how kombucha can help a hangover, we first need to discuss a few ways that alcohol affects the body and why they make you feel poorly the day after.
- Alcohol is a diuretic and increases urination, likely causing you to become dehydrated, which causes dizziness and headaches.
- Alcohol increases the production of stomach acids and delays stomach emptying, which, in turn, can lead to nausea, vomiting, and/or stomachaches.
- Alcohol causes your blood sugar to fall, leading to dizziness, weakness, fatigue, and shakiness.
Some people may experience just one symptom, while others may experience several. Even still, other people may not feel a hangover’s effects. It varies from person to person.
Which Hangover Symptoms Can Kombucha Help?
A bottle of kombucha is good for your gut health and immune system. It can also detox the digestive system and enhance liver function, which are both necessary if you are hungover. Kombucha can help treat several symptoms of even the worst hangover, including:
Nausea
Because kombucha tea is full of probiotics, this fizzy drink can relieve nausea and stomachaches. Probiotics are directly related to a healthy gut and reduced inflammation. With less inflammation in your digestive tract, you are less likely to feel nauseous. For added support, try sipping on a ginger or mint-flavored kombucha.
Headache
Several hangover symptoms are due to dehydration, including headaches. However, kombucha is an excellent cure for headaches and migraines, whether related to dehydration or not, as headaches and migraines have been directly linked to gut health. That said, drinking kombucha regularly may help regulate migraines if you are prone to them, and it can help reduce your headache after a night of drinking.
Lack of Energy
All of the vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics in kombucha give you a natural energy boost. This gives kombucha a major benefit when compared to energy and sports drinks. What’s even better is that you don’t crash after drinking kombucha.
Toxins
The antioxidants in kombucha may help remove toxins from your digestive system. Additionally, kombucha contains vitamin C, which boosts the liver, AKA the detoxification center of the body.
Is Kombucha a Hangover Cure?
To say that kombucha can cure a hangover is a big statement. Everyone’s body reacts differently to alcohol and kombucha. However, the probiotics, electrolytes, and antioxidants in kombucha make it an excellent choice for hydration and decreasing the adverse effects of drinking alcohol.
This fermented tea may not be the end-all hangover cure, but it may help you feel better after a night of imbibing. Again, everyone is different, so because this works for others doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you.
Can Kombucha Cause a Hangover?
Kombucha’s fermentation process naturally produces small amounts of alcohol. However, you will probably not drink enough to catch a buzz, or a hangover, unless you are drinking hard kombucha.
Some side effects attributed to drinking too much kombucha may mirror those of a hangover, but generally speaking, kombucha will not cause a hangover. However, if you overdo it with hard kombucha, you may experience hangover symptoms the next day.
Are Other Fermented Foods and Drinks Good For a Hangover?
Fermented foods and beverages such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha have been shown to be excellent hangover remedies. This is due, in large part, to the B vitamins present. Alcoholic beverages tend to deplete the body of its vitamin B, making us feel less than great.
Fermented foods and drinks also contain organic acids, which can help relieve stomach pains, headaches, and nausea. Drinking too many alcoholic drinks can create an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your body, causing the infamous hangover symptoms. Kombucha and other fermented foods and drinks can help regulate your gut health, relieving your symptoms and helping you to feel better.