Everyone has their preferred hangover foods, whether it's fries and a burger, a bacon and egg sandwich on a bagel, or a big ole bag of chips. But as it turns out, you might be able to forego the hangover altogether if you pay special attention to what you eat before you start drinking. In a now-viral TikTok video, Neena Chandrasekaran, MD, a pulmonary critical care doctor, shares the number-one food you should eat to prevent hangovers.
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Eating cheese may help prevent a hangover.
"Eating cheese before drinking alcohol can decrease your risk of having a hangover," says Chandrasekaran (@neenziemd), to which her followers rejoiced.
One commenter said, "this is the best news ive heard all year." Another added, "NOW I understand the wine & cheese era ..." And a third wrote, "Say no more. Any excuse for more cheese."
But Chandrasekaran's advice is about much more than cheese being a universally tasty treat.
Cheese can coat the stomach.
First, she explains that cheese is high in protein, fat, and complex carbs, all of which "can coat the stomach, which decreases the absorption of alcohol." She adds that cheese can also help the body metabolize alcohol better.
As registered dietitianBlanca Garciapreviously explained to Best Life, "If there is food in the stomach, the muscle (sphincter) that pinches and separates the stomach from the small intestine closes to allow for digestion, preventing the alcohol from quickly going into the small intestine."
Based on Garcia's recommendation, you may want to enjoy your cheese with some whole-wheat bread. "The more food that is present, in your stomach, the less alcohol is absorbed," she said. "The fiber from the bread will trap some of the alcohol and prevent absorption all at once."
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Cheese can protect your liver.
Chandrasekaran next notes that eating cheese before drinking can help prevent liver damage.
To her point, a 2023 study published in the Journal of Functional Foods looked at the effects of probiotic cheese with two specific bacteria (Lactococcus lactis LB1022 and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LB1418) on alcohol metabolism. As Delicious explained, these cheeses include goat’s cheese and cheddar cheese.
The researchers found that eating such cheeses "helped speed up alcohol metabolism by boosting key liver enzymes," as Delicious shared. "It also activates important pathways that reduce fat buildup in the liver and reduce inflammation, which can happen when you drink too much."
Cheese also replenishes key nutrients.
Finally, Chandrasekaran shares that cheese is high in B vitamins and calcium, important nutrients that are depleted from the body when you're drinking.
She says calcium "helps to improve nerve and muscle function," while B vitamins "are needed for energy and metabolism."
Of course, as Chandrasekaran notes, "no alcohol is better than any alcohol." Always drink responsibly and speak to a professional if you're concerned about your alcohol intake.
