What to look for in a hangover smoothie

Hangovers are caused by several different factors including dehydration, inflammation and poor sleep quality. The best smoothie for a hangover should be able to replenish some of the nutrients lost from drinking alcohol, rehydrate and energize you for the day.

Obviously, no smoothie is going to “cure” your hangover. That said, if you pick the right ingredients, you may feel slightly better after drinking your smoothie.

Ideally, you need to include ingredients that are high in antioxidants to support your cells from the by-products of alcohol metabolism as well as being rich in vitamins and minerals which are good for hangovers.

So without further ado, let’s get straight into our top picks.

Ginger smoothie

Ginger is touted for its many healing properties, regardless of your ailment. Used since ancient times, ginger is the main ingredient in many cooking recipes but is also well-known for its health benefits.

One of ginger’s most notable features is its ability to reduce vomiting, ease nausea and address other digestive issues. Symptoms that are eerily similar to those experienced during a hangover.

Instead of reaching for another cocktail to ease your pain, try a delicious ginger smoothie.

Have you ever sipped ginger ale to quell a stomach ache? The same rules apply when treating a hangover. Drinks containing ginger can help soothe your stomach and reduce nausea.

The best part is, this ginger smoothie isn’t just effective but delicious as well.

RECIPE: Orange Ginger Hangover Smoothie

This hangover smoothie combines citrus and ginger to quell nausea, boost your body’s levels of potassium, protein, and vitamins C and D.
Ingredients

2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp vanilla
1 banana (fresh or frozen)
1 orange (fresh or frozen)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cold water or cold green tea

Place all of these ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth – approximately 30 seconds. Add a few cubes of ice or opt for the frozen fruit if you prefer a thicker smoothie.

Turmeric smoothie

A spice similar to ginger, turmeric is popular in Asian cuisine and found in most curry recipes. Its bitter taste is instantly recognizable.

More than just flavoring your favorite dishes, turmeric smoothies can actually help cure some of your worst hangover symptoms.

Popular for treating inflammation and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), turmeric is another smoothie ingredient that’s sure to stop you from hugging the porcelain throne.

Worried that this spice won’t taste good going down? Don’t be! This delicious hangover smoothie recipe provides the benefits of turmeric without the strong, bitter taste.

Here’s another ginger hangover smoothie option. Try this combination:

4 oz fresh ginger root
16 leaves fresh mint
Juice of 2 lemons
Water
White sugar

If you’re looking for a sweeter taste, add more sugar and lemon to help smooth out the ginger flavor without diluting the benefits.

RECIPE: Turmeric Ginger Coconut Smoothie

Talk about a hangover smoothie that packs a punch! This mixture combines some of the healthiest, most nutritious and beneficial ingredients around, guaranteeing a quick comeback.
Ingredients

Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup frozen pineapple
2 cups of coconut water
1-inch piece of turmeric
1-inch piece of ginger (skin removed)
1/2 bunch of parsley (remove stems)
1 bunch of mint
Pinch of black pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender (liquids first) and blend until smooth and lime green in color. This hangover smoothie is more savory than sweet but offers a nice balance of flavor and plenty of hangover-fighting nutrients.

Here’s another turmeric smoothie that incorporates carrots for an added vitamin boost:

5 carrots
1 apple
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1 slice of fresh ginger

Combine these ingredients using a juicer and enjoy! The best part is, this smoothie provides the healing benefits of both turmeric and ginger in one hangover elixir.

Banana smoothies

Bananas are packed with potassium and one of the most popular smoothie ingredients thanks to their thick and creamy texture. Used frozen or fresh, bananas add a ton of flavor and nutrients to whatever smoothie combination you choose.

Hangovers make you feel straight-up run down. Dehydration combined with poor sleep make it difficult to wake-up and function the next day. Although it’s common to “pass out” or fall asleep while you’re drunk, the sleep you get is often pretty poor.

Looking for a quick energy boost to kickstart your day? This delicious and nutritious banana hangover smoothie will leave you feeling alert, focused, and rejuvenated.

RECIPE: Ultimate Banana Hangover Smoothie

This hangover smoothie contains more than just bananas, but the sweet yellow fruit does take over most of the flavor. This blend offers a wide range of superfoods packed with antioxidants and essential nutrients to kick those hangover blues.
Ingredients

1 banana
1 kiwi
1 avocado
1 lemon
1 handful of fresh mint
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup of coconut milk
Water

As you can see, this hangover smoothie contains a little bit of everything from the produce aisle. The fruits provide the boost of vitamins, whereas the avocado and chia seeds are packed with proteins.

Honey helps replenish sugar levels and adds a nice hint of sweetness to the drink. Fresh mint is a delicious flavor and the creamy coconut milk helps smooth everything out.

Combine all the ingredients together in a blender and enjoy!

Citrus Fruit Smoothies

It’s no wonder that many of these smoothie recipes contain one or more citrus fruits. After all, they’re packed with high levels of vitamin C and B, calcium, potassium, folate, phosphorus, riboflavin, fiber, and the list goes on.

Citrus fruits, like oranges and lemons, are some of the most nutritious you’ll find on the fruit stand, making them the perfect addition to any hangover smoothie.

What’s even better is that you can drink plain citrus fruit juices for the same effect. A cold glass of orange juice after a heavy night of drinking can help speed along the recovery process.

If you’re looking for something that packs a punch and offers a wider range of ingredients, check out this hangover smoothie recipe.

RECIPE: Lemon Blueberry Smoothie

This hangover smoothie offers a balance of citrus fruits, vegetables, and blueberries, which are all chock-full of antioxidants perfect for expelling toxins and any lingering alcohol from your body.
Ingredients

Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 cup frozen blueberries
3 cups of spinach
1/2 banana
1/2 inch of ginger root
1/2 cup coconut water

Place all of these ingredients in a blender and hit the “on” button. It’s as simple as that!

The frozen blueberries and banana create a thick smoothie that coats your stomach and reduces nausea. Spinach is packed with nutrients to boost energy. The banana, blueberries, and lemon juice add a delicious, sweet flavor to this citrus hangover smoothie.

Prickly Pear smoothie

A less common yet equally powerful hangover smoothie ingredient, prickly pear is the fruit of a cactus plant and recognized for its ability to fight off hangover symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

This rare fruit contains high levels of polyphenols, antioxidants that protect your cells from free radicals and offer many other health benefits.

Of all the hangover smoothie ingredients listed here, prickly pear is one of the only fruits tested as a hangover remedy. One study showed the fruit’s ability to reduce inflammation also helped quell feelings of dizziness, nausea, exhaustion, and headaches.(1)

Therefore, prickly pear is arguably one of the best smoothies for a hangover. However, you will need to drink it during your night our or straight after to see any benefits.

Here’s how to add this powerhouse hangover cure to your recovery routine.

RECIPE: Prickly Pear Hangover Smoothie

The good news is, as exotic as this fruit might be, it’s readily available at most grocery and specialty stores. You can also buy and drink a pre-made prickly pear smoothie and reap its many benefits.

If you want to kick things up a notch, add fresh mint or lemon to the mixture for added flavor. For those able to get their hands on the actual fruit, there’s a certain way to peel and prepare it for the blender or juicer.

First, wear gloves – these tiny fruits aren’t called prickly for nothing! Next, hold it under running water using a fork. Cut off about 1/2 inch on either side of the fruit (top and bottom).

Make a slit in the side of the pear’s skin (no deeper than 1/4 inch). Peel away the skin and voila! You can now throw this purple fleshy fruit into your blender along with lemon, mint, and even a little ice.

Get creative and add a few other fruits or ingredients from this list to create your own unique hangover smoothie.

Try One of These Hangover Smoothies Next Time You're feeling rough! 

Hangovers suck. There’s no way around it.

Although we vow each time to “never get that drunk again”, it happens. And when it does, you reach for anything that will help the room stop spinning and restore your body to normalcy.

After you hydrate with plenty of water, reach for one of these vitamin-packed smoothies that are brimming with nutrients and antioxidants designed to purge your body of toxins and bring you back to life.

For us, the best smoothie for a hangover has to have some ginger to help settle upset stomachs and nausea.