No drink cures a hangover. The best the evidence supports is a short list of drinks that make you more comfortable while your body does the real work: ginger tea for a queasy stomach, something salty and sweet to sip if you can't face food, and plain fluids because you'll feel better for drinking them. The rest of this guide sorts the drinks that are worth reaching for from the ones that only feel like they should work, and covers what to order the morning after in Amsterdam.
TL;DR
- No hangover remedy has been scientifically proven, and time is the only real cure, according to the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
- Ginger tea is the best-supported comfort drink for nausea. Water, electrolyte drinks and juice are fine for comfort, but don't expect them to shorten the hangover.
- Skip the hair of the dog, and avoid paracetamol after drinking. Coffee won't fix anything.
- Persistent symptoms, confusion, repeated vomiting or seizures need medical help, not another drink.
Table of Contents
- What a hangover drink can and can't do
- Ginger tea for nausea
- Water: necessary, but not a cure
- Electrolyte drinks, coconut water and juice
- Tomato juice: the evidence is thin
- Coffee and the hair of the dog
- A simple morning-after routine
- Hangover drinks at a glance
- What we'd order the morning after in Amsterdam
- Where to eat and drink it off
- What to avoid when you're hungover
- When a hangover is something more
- FAQ
- Sources
What a hangover drink can and can't do
It helps to be honest about the ceiling. The NIAAA states that no hangover remedy has been scientifically proven effective and that the body has to clear the toxic byproducts of alcohol metabolism by itself. That is why every drink below is framed as comfort, not cure.
A systematic review of treatments and preventives, published in Human Psychopharmacology, found that some products improved some hangover symptoms but not all of them, and called for more research. So "works" here means "takes the edge off one symptom for some people". Headache, nausea, thirst, a shaky stomach and low energy each call for a slightly different approach.
Ginger tea for nausea
Ginger is the most common answer for a reason. Sipping ginger tea may help relieve nausea, which is often the worst part of a hangover. It's warm, it's gentle, and it gives you something to do with your hands while your stomach settles.
A few practical points:
- Use real ginger where you can. Teas and ginger ales can be less concentrated than supplements, and some contain very little ginger. Fresh ginger sliced into hot water for ten minutes is stronger than most tea bags.
- Add honey or lemon if you like. They make it easier to drink. We wouldn't claim they add medical benefit.
- Sip, don't gulp. A big mug drunk fast can bring the nausea back.
- Supplements are a separate question. One physician quoted in the same article suggests 500 mg of ginger twice a day for nausea, including hangover nausea. If you take medication or have a health condition, ask a pharmacist (apotheker) before taking ginger capsules.
So the honest verdict on ginger tea: worth making, modest effect, and low risk for most people.
Water: necessary, but not a cure
Everyone says drink water. It's sensible, but the science is less tidy than the advice. A 2024 study on alcohol hangover versus dehydration found that drinking water during a hangover was not effective at relieving it. In other words, a hangover is not simply dehydration, so rehydrating doesn't switch it off.
That doesn't make water pointless. Alcohol makes you urinate more, you may have been sweating on a dance floor or in a crowded bar, and you may have vomited. Feeling thirsty is unpleasant by itself, and a glass of water is the cheapest way to fix that part. Just don't expect it to fix the headache.
A small habit that does help: keep a glass beside the bed before you sleep, and alternate water with drinks during the night. That is about comfort in the morning, not a promise that you will avoid a hangover.
Electrolyte drinks, coconut water and juice
Sports drinks, rehydration powders and coconut water dominate the top results for this topic, with the argument that alcohol drains electrolytes. The research says to lower your expectations: according to the NIAAA, studies have not found that added electrolytes affect hangover severity.
Where they still earn a place:
- Salty or sweet drinks when you can't eat. If solid food makes you gag, a drink with some sugar and salt gives you something in your stomach.
- Coconut water. Mild, slightly sweet, easy to drink cold. Treat it as a pleasant option, not a remedy.
- Orange juice and other fruit juice. Sweet, cold and familiar. The Dutch have long leaned on a glass of fresh orange juice with a hangover breakfast. The sugar and fluid are the point, and the acidity can be rough on an irritated stomach, so go slowly.
- Fresh blended smoothies. If you'd rather drink your breakfast, a blend of fruit and yogurt is easy on the stomach. You can see what a fresh smoothie order looks like when it's built around fruit, seeds and plant ingredients.
If you buy an electrolyte powder, read the label for sugar and caffeine, and don't treat it as a license to skip food and rest.
Tomato juice: the evidence is thin
Readers ask whether tomato juice helps. Some media articles claim that compounds in tomatoes speed up alcohol breakdown, but we couldn't find a solid human trial that shows it reduces a hangover, so we won't promise it.
What tomato juice does have going for it is practical: it's cold, salty if you season it, and has some sugar and fluid. If it sounds good to you, drink it. If you're nauseous, the acidity may make things worse. A virgin Bloody Mary is a reasonable way to have it in a bar, with the clear understanding that it's comfort, not medicine.
Coffee and the hair of the dog
These are the two drinks people reach for first, and the two worth thinking twice about.
Coffee. The NIAAA says plainly that coffee will not cure a hangover. It can wake you up, which is useful if you have to function, but it's also a diuretic for some people and can irritate an upset stomach. If coffee is part of your morning, have it with food and a glass of water beside it.
Hair of the dog. Another alcoholic drink the next morning may temporarily reduce symptoms, but the NIAAA warns it could prolong the malaise. You are postponing the hangover and adding to what your body has to clear. If you end up drinking again the same day, that is a reason to look at how much you're drinking, not a remedy.
Paracetamol. Painkillers are not a drink, but they're what most people take with their drink of water. The Irish Health Service Executive advises avoiding paracetamol during or after drinking because of the risk of liver damage. If you need pain relief and you're unsure, ask a pharmacist or your huisarts (GP) rather than guessing.
A simple morning-after routine
Putting the evidence together, here's a realistic order of operations:
- First, a few sips of water. Small amounts, repeated. If you vomit, wait a bit and start again.
- A mug of ginger tea. Fresh ginger if you have it. This is the one drink with a reasonable case for nausea.
- Something with sugar and salt. Juice, coconut water, a smoothie, or soup if you can manage it.
- Food when you can face it. Eggs, toast, rice, a salty broth or a proper breakfast. Eating doesn't cure a hangover, but low blood sugar makes everything feel worse.
- Rest. The only thing that actually clears alcohol's byproducts is time.
Hangover drinks at a glance
| Drink | What it may help with | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ginger tea | Nausea | Real ginger is stronger than most tea bags and ginger ales |
| Water | Thirst | Not shown to relieve a hangover by itself |
| Electrolyte drinks | Thirst, taste, some sugar and salt | Added electrolytes haven't been shown to change severity |
| Coconut water | Gentle fluid | Comfort, not a cure |
| Fruit juice or smoothie | Low blood sugar, fluid | Citrus can irritate a sore stomach |
| Tomato juice | Salty, cold, easy to drink | No solid evidence it shortens a hangover |
| Coffee | Alertness | Won't cure a hangover, can upset the stomach |
| Alcohol the next morning | Nothing lasting | May prolong the malaise |
What we'd order the morning after in Amsterdam
This is our point of view, built from running a sports bar, restaurant, café and lounge in central Amsterdam: the mornings after big nights are part of our week, and we have watched what people order when they walk in rough.
Most of them don't want a miracle. They want something cold, something warm and something filling, in that order. Here is how we'd put that together from a normal café menu:
- Start with a cold, easy drink. Water with ice, a fresh juice or a non-alcoholic option. If you're curious what's out there beyond juice, our guide to Amsterdam mocktails lists plenty of choices that feel like a treat without more alcohol.
- Ask for hot water and lemon or a ginger tea if your stomach is unsettled. Order it before the food so it has time to work.
- Then eat something proper. A cooked breakfast, eggs, a toastie or a bowl of soup gives you the carbohydrates and salt your body is asking for. We go through the options in more detail in our piece on hangover breakfast foods.
- If you're staying in, have it come to you. Staying horizontal is often the right call.
- Plan the night before. If you're still out, our drinks menu selection guide shows how to pace a night with a mix of cocktails, long drinks and non-alcoholic rounds, and our list of late-night food options in Amsterdam covers eating something before bed, which Dutch students themselves swear by.
The most useful thing we can tell guests is that the best hangover is the one you don't get. Eat before you drink, order water in between, and know when to stop.
— Leo
Where to eat and drink it off
When you're ready for the food half of the recovery, our menu runs from breakfast, soups and salads to burgers, pasta, pizza and steaks, with drinks alongside. We have three central venues in Amsterdam, so there's usually one close to where you woke up.
If you'd rather not leave the sofa, you can order through our delivery page, and when you feel human again, our lounge experiences are the relaxed way to ease back into a night out, with water, tea or a mocktail in your hand if you want a gentler round.
What to avoid when you're hungover
- More alcohol. See above: it postpones, not removes.
- Energy drinks. High caffeine on top of poor sleep and a racing heart is a bad mix. If your heart is pounding already, skip them.
- Big fizzy or very acidic drinks on a sore stomach. If you're nauseous, flat and mild beats sharp and bubbly.
- Paracetamol with alcohol still in your system. See the HSE advice above.
- Driving or cycling too early. Alcohol can still be in your system the morning after a heavy night. In Amsterdam that includes the bike, so wait until you're clearly sober.
When a hangover is something more
A normal hangover is miserable but passes within a day. The HSE advises seeking medical advice if symptoms persist, if you get hangovers often, or if you see signs of alcohol poisoning such as confusion, vomiting or seizures. Those signs are an emergency. In the Netherlands, call 112 for someone who is unresponsive, can't be woken, has a seizure or is vomiting repeatedly and can't keep fluids down. For ongoing worries about how much or how often you drink, your huisarts is the right first call.
The NIAAA is clear that the most effective way to prevent a hangover is to drink in moderation or not at all. If you find you need hangover drinks every weekend, that's information worth listening to.
FAQ
Does ginger tea really help a hangover?
It may help with nausea, which is the symptom ginger has the most support for. It won't remove a headache or shorten the hangover. Fresh ginger steeped in hot water is usually stronger than a tea bag.
What is the best drink for a hangover?
There's no single best drink, because no remedy has been proven to cure a hangover. Ginger tea for nausea, water for thirst and a juice or smoothie for a bit of sugar cover most needs. Rest and food do more than any drink.
Can tomato juice help with a hangover?
Not in any way we could confirm. Some articles claim tomato compounds help the body process alcohol, but there's no solid human evidence that it shortens a hangover. It's fine to drink if you like it, and skip it if the acidity bothers you.
Do electrolyte drinks fix a hangover?
They're unlikely to. The NIAAA says research has not found that added electrolytes change hangover severity. They can make you feel more hydrated and give you some sugar and salt, which is useful comfort.
Is it okay to have coffee with a hangover?
Yes, in moderation, but it won't cure anything. Have it with food and water, and stop if it makes your stomach or heart feel worse.
Sources
- Hangovers, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- Hangover, Health Service Executive (Ireland)
- Alcohol hangover versus dehydration revisited, PubMed
- Interventions for treatment and/or prevention of alcohol hangover, Human Psychopharmacology
- Hangover Cures: Effective Home Remedies, WebMD
- Can ginger really calm nausea, settle an upset stomach?, Business Standard