21 Wacky Hangover Cures from Around the World You Won’t Believe Exist

Some are so weird, they may keep you from getting hungover ever again.

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Poland: A glass ofย pickle juice

No longer will pickles be used exclusively to makeย the perfect sandwich. Make sure that juice is loaded up with vinegar to help quell headaches and alleviate discomfort, claim the Polish. Some even keep soured milk on hand (unpasteurized milk that has been leftย at room temperature overnight for a day or two) to do the trick. We recommend just sticking with the pickle juice.

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Japan: Umeboshi

A few of these salty, pickled plums are a go-to for many Japanese who had one too many. (And they should know; their children are the healthiest in the world.) Umeboshi are thought to improve liver function and help aid in digestion.

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Great Britain: Milk thistle

This antioxidant-filled herb is also one of our tricks to cure a hangover naturally. Milk thistle’sย effectiveness in scientific research to shield the liver from toxins has been backed up in several studies. One flavonoid, silymarin, might be a key substance in its extract that helps cure that hangover feeling. Some British tipplers swear that taking it both the night of and morning after heavy drinking can all but erase any uncomfortable symptoms.

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Canada: Canada Dry ginger ale

Maybe it’s national loyalty, but Canadians claim the fizzy stuff that was first formulated in their country works wonders to settle an upset stomach. The drink’s ingredient list, however, lacks any mention of ginger itself, which would be the most likely source of hangover help. Just don’t drink too much; soda is seriously bad for you.

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America: The Bloody Mary

Tomato juice has some of the highest concentration of lycopene in any food (which makes tomatoes one of the healthiest foods ever), and celery is loaded with restorative vitamins that might help ease the pain. Remember, though, this beloved hair-of-the-dog remedy is likely far more effective in its slightly-less-fun recipe: The Virgin Mary.

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Mongolia: Pickled sheep eyeballs

Nope, your eyesight isn’t failing you. Hungover Mongolians eat (drink?) pickled sheep eyeballs in tomato juice for the same lycopene benefits we get from a Bloody Mary. The best part about this concoction? It’s calledย the Mongolian Mary.

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Peru: Leche de Tigre

Although this translates to “tiger’s milk,” there is no dairy of any kind in this drink. This sauce is used as the base of cevicheย and consists of lime juice, onion, chilies, salt, pepper, and juices from the fish it helps marinate. Just a shot of the stuff is supposed to ease your hangover, but be warned. It’s also reportedly an aphrodisiac.

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South Africa: Ostrich egg omelet

Well, this is certainly one way to eat more eggs.ย One ostrich egg is the equivalent of a whopping 24 chicken eggs.ย Hopefully you’re not so hungover that you attempt to eat the whole thing by yourself.

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Germany: Katerfrรผhstรผck

Drunk Germans eat this “tomcat’s breakfast” to get through a rough morning after a night of alcohol-induced tomfoolery. It includes marinated herring wrapped around pickle and onion slices, also called rollmops.

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Mexico: Menudo

There are some Mexican recipes that anyone can make. Others, like menudo, require a more experienced cook, because it’s a soup made with tripe, aka cow stomach. If you can look past that main ingredientโ€”it also has a red chili pepper baseโ€”it can stimulate your sinuses and clear your muddled head.

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Scotland: Irn-Bru Soda

Scotch is Scotland’s alcoholic drink of choice, but Irn-Bru is the country’s “other national drink.” Pronounced “iron brew,” this orange soda gives you a jolt of caffeine to kick that hangover to the curb. Plus, it reportedly tastes a bit like orange Tic Tacs, and everyone likes orange Tic Tacs.

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Croatia: Burek

This pastry is more hors d’oeuvres than dessert. It’s filled with either beef or cheese, so it absorbs all that alcohol with flavors that are universally loved. If you want to try making it at home, use this recipe.

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China: Congee

Congee is a popular rice porridge and go-to comfort food not just for hungover folks, but for anyone who’s feeling under the weather. It’s easy to swallow and rehydrates while soothing your stomach.

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South Korea: Haejangguk

This dish translates โ€œsoup to chase a hangoverโ€ or literally โ€œhangover soup.” There are variations of the recipe throughout South Korea, but the basics are napa cabbage, soybean paste, and congealed ox blood, which is also referred to as blood pudding. Certainly not for the faint of heart or stomach.

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Norway: Lutefisk

Nordic countries turn to lutefisk (dried white fish treated with lye) for holiday dinners and whenever they need a post-alcohol pick-me-up. I guess they can look past the gelatinous consistency it gets through the cooking process.

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Bangladesh: Coconut water

Finally! A hangover remedy that you’ve actually heard of! Coconut water is used for the same reason in the states as it is in Bangladesh. It replenishes the electrolytes you lost at the bar and is 100 percent natural. A pro tip for next time: Coconut water is a great way to stay hydrated while you drink, so you avoid that dreaded headache altogether.

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Thailand: Pad kee mao

How appropriate is it that this dish literally means “drunken noodles?” Made of rice noodles, soy sauce, meat and/or seafood, garlic, and bean sprouts, pad see mao will definitely get you out of that hungover funk. Plus, pasta isn’t as bad for you as you probably think, so enjoy guilt-free! (OK, not completely guilt-free, but you’re hungover so we’ll have pity on you.)

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Czech Republic: Utopenci

Pickled gherkins and sausages are the basis of the ultimate Czech breakfast. (Here are more healthy breakfast ideas you can use today.) In English, “utopenci” means “drowned men,” so whoever named this dish definitely knew who their main consumers would be.

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Romania: Ciorba De Burta

Oh look, another tripe soup for you! We know you wanted more of that. Actually, tripe is a good source of protein, and the dish’s spicier ingredients (hot pepper, garlic, vinegar) take your stomach’s mind off the alcohol and let it focus on its other contents. Don’t knock tripe ’til you try it.

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Singapore: Kaya Toast

You already know how to make perfect toast. Now you can make the best drunk toast! What makes kaya toast special is its toppings: sugar, coconut jam, poached eggs, pandan leaves, and butter. You’ll probably start craving it even when you’re not hungover.

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Denmark: Reparationsbajer

The Danish are of the mindset that the remedy for too much alcohol is more alcohol. Ergo, reparationsbajer, or “recovery beer.” If this refreshing pale ale doesn’t cure your hangover, well, at least you got another drink.

Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest

Perri O. Blumberg
A former food editor at Reader's Digest, Perri Blumberg is a writer and editor based in New York City. After attending Columbia University, where she received a BA in psychology, she went on to study food at a health-supportive culinary school. Her work has appeared in O Magazine, Men's Journal, Country Living, and on Mind, Body, Green, among others.