Dec 30, 2015 By Joe Carei for The 5 min read

When celebrating with friends and family over the holidays, sometimes we tend to overdo it. And when we do, we wake up with the dreaded hangover.

Moderate alcohol consumption, one or two drinks, may actually be beneficial to you. But, excessive drinking will deplete your body of essential vitamins and minerals at a pace more than twice as fast as normal. B vitamins, Vitamin A, magnesium, potassium and sugars are those most used during drinking and what makes you feel like you fell off of a truck.

We have been told that the hair of the dog (having another drink) the next morning is the best cure. However, that is not true. When looking for the best cure, look no further than your fridge. A natural cure will beat out any bottled cure and will help you feel refreshed.

First and foremost, make sure you are hydrated. Drink water, watered down orange juice or a sports drink. Coffee is a diuretic, it may wake you up, but it will also dehydrate you. If you have to have a cup of coffee, also have other fluids. Tomato juice is as good as advertised. Coconut water is a fantastic hangover drink, each serving contains more potassium than four bananas and has natural sugars that soften the sugar shock of soda or sports drinks.

B vitamin depletion is what makes us feel like we are peeling our eyelids open. While opening your eyes, open your refrigerator door. Something as simple as eggs will help fight the body rebellion. They are chock-full of vitamin B-12 and the protein in eggs also helps stabilize the body’s sugar. Organic eggs contain more of these vitamins and protein.

The most help in the fridge lies in the vegetable and fruit drawer. Green leafy vegetables, broccoli, beets and asparagus and tomatoes contain B vitamins, vitamin C and potassium, which are essential for softening the hangover blow. Fruits such as oranges, blueberries and other berries fall in the same category. And we cannot overlook the potassium-rich banana.

There is a misconception that greasy foods will soak up alcohol and help with hangover. The alcohol is long gone from your stomach at that point, so it actually will hinder your recovery. But, foods with good fats such as avocados or salmon, with their B-6 and B-12 properties, are incredible for the hangover cure. Beans and nuts are a plus for the cure, as they are power packed with magnesium and B vitamins.

If you feel you are unable to sit and eat, or want the quick fix, the smoothie is the way to go. You can pretty much mix and match from the selection of foods listed above and blend away.

For preventative measures, when you think you may imbibe too much, stay ahead of your hangover. Eat a meal before a night of imbibing. Take an extra multivitamin or make a vegetable smoothie earlier in the day. The Koreans swear by asparagus for a pre-drink vegetable. When drinking, have a glass of water in between each drink and break out the snacks.

And obviously, the best prevention for a hangover is moderation. Make sure to drink responsibly, and if you must go out, have a designated driver.

Happy Holidays and New Year.

Hangover recipes

Mini egg bites

Cup of cooked chopped vegetables( spinach, asparagus, broccoli, etc)

Medium tomato chopped

6 eggs

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons minced onion or green onion.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk eggs, salt and pepper. Fold in rest of ingredients. Pour into nonstick mini muffin pan or regular muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. While baking, lie down with icepacks on your eyes. You can add whatever vegetables you would like to this as well as avocado, salmon, cheeses etc.

Power Smoothie

2 cups coconut water

2 cups blueberries

1 banana

1 cup spinach

1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 eggn optional

Note on Eggs: Many people feel uncomfortable using raw egg in any form. I feel you should know and trust your source of eggs, do your research before consuming any food raw.

Next Day Tacos

4 soft tortillas, warmed

½ can black beans, drained and heated

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup cooked spinach

1 ounce cheddar cheese shredded

¼ cup fresh tomato salsa

Sour cream, optional

Scramble eggs, adding salt, pepper and cumin. Cook off eggs. Divide beans into warm tortillas, top with scrambled eggs, spinach, cheese and salsa. Serve.

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Chef Joe Carei has been an award-winning chef in Fayette County nearly half of his life. The former PA Restaurateur of the Year now operates Ellie Mae’s Catering and Food Clubs. He can be reached at joe@elliemaescatering.com.