7 Russian Hangover Cures That Will Change Your Life

Arguably the most popular and best-known Russian hangover cure, pickled cucumbers normalize your sodium and water balance in the body and work miracles for an upset stomach. By eating pickled cucumbers or drinking pickle juice you can get rid of a hangover much faster.

Here’s yet another hangover remedy which involves pickled vegetables. A treasure trove of vitamin C and probiotics, Russia’s answer to sauerkraut aids an irritated digestive system and helps retain more water. Try sour cabbage with cranberries for a fast-acting cure.

Fermented milk products also help relieve digestive distress and positively affect blood sugar levels, producing a much needed energy boost. Before your next night of drinking, stock up on plain yogurt and kefir – be sure to only pick low fat ones for maximum effect.

A bowl of fatty soup such as borscht or solyanka is a guaranteed hangover cure in Russia. Rich in sodium and potassium, while at the same time gentle on your digestive system, homemade soups are a delicious way to detoxify your body. However, the king of hangover cures among soups is Armenian beef khash – thick and warm, it’ll immediately nurse you back to health. It’ll take you five to six hours to prepare khash and up to three hours to cook borscht and solyanka, so you’d better do the cooking before the imbibing.

Rich in lycopene, tomatoes soothe the inflammation in your stomach. A couple of peeled tomatoes with a dash of salt, or a glass of tomato juice are exceptionally simple, yet effective hangover remedies.

The only hair-of-the-dog hangover cure on this list is believed to have been invented by Tsar Nicholas II, which explains why it’s referred to as ‘nikolaschka‘. Sprinkle some ground coffee and confectioner’s sugar over a slice of lemon, eat the ‘snack’ in one bite, and wash it all down with a shot of vodka or brandy.

If you’ll try anything once, you can test one of these egg-based hangover cures. Packed with amino acids, eggs improve liver function and help flush out toxins. Only the truly brave can handle this one – blend together one raw egg, a tablespoon of lime juice, a dash of pepper and pinch of salt, then drink it all in one gulp. This remedy only works if taken on empty stomach. Alternatively, try this version which is slightly more pleasant to consume: squeeze the juice of one lemon and three oranges, then blend it together with one egg yolk and three tablespoons of honey – you’ll feel better in no time.