Notorious drinking usually results in notorious hangovers. You know – the type of hangover that makes you feel like a mammoth has climbed on top of your head, your temples are about to explode any minute and you’ve thrown up just about anything but your guts. And when pharmaceuticals can’t miraculously erase such consequences of binge drinking, Slavs are left to their own devices to cope with what feels like the worst hangover in the history of mankind with… food. That’s correct – as nauseating as it may seem after a promiscuous drinking spree, Slavic people turn to food on the morning after.

Solyanka

Ask any Russian about a homemade hangover remedy and they’ll tell you that their go-to choice is solyanka. This briny soup has a plethora of variations, but it’s the salty, sour and highly nutritious contents of the soup that provide relief from the dizziness, headache and faintness while boosting energy levels. Meet, potatoes, mushrooms and other ingredients can be added as long as the base remains the same – a savory brine with pickled cucumbers and/ or cabbage, with the latter one being more efficient when swapped for its sauerkraut counterpart.

Pickled juice

Sour and salty foods or beverages are like kryptonite to hangover, so it should come to no surprise that pickled juice works like magic in most cases of hungover Slavs. There’s nothing wrong with eating the pickled cucumbers straight out of the jar, but if you think your stomach can’t handle them, simply go for the juice. Regardless of whichever spirit you chose last night, it deprived your body of its much needed electrolytes and the sodium-packed pickled juice will help restore it.

Shkembe chorba

Bulgarians are infamous for their tripe soup called shkembe chorba, which can be found all over the country in lowkey taverns and cheap diners. A noteworthy downside to this hangover cure is the fact that your drunken breath will stink even worse than before due to the highly concentrated amount of vinegar and garlic cloves in the soup.

Burek/ börek

Extremely high in carbs, the börek’s heavy dough and natural fat from oils and cheeses help the stomach process the alcohol faster while providing a short-lasting, yet effective energy boost from the carbohydrates. A piece of börek won’t fix the dehydration issue that comes after serious drinking, but it will absorb some of the toxins in your organism and will aid your weakened body’s metabolism.

Borscht

Beloved by Ukrainians, Russians, Belarussians and other Slavs, borscht is a traditional soup that unsurprisingly enough has strong antioxidant properties. It detoxifies the body, replenishes its vitamin and mineral levels, balances the sodium intake and provides a healthy dosage of liquids served in the form of a colorful veggie-packed soup with an unforgettable taste. Should you feel any hunger while being hungover, borscht is without a doubt the most palatable and easily processed meal for the task.

Ayran

This popular drink originated in the Middle East and now serves as a hangover cure for many Slavs on the Balkan Peninsula. It’s a cold and savory dairy beverage, which is basically yogurt diluted with water and seasoned with lots of salt, quite similar to its widespread cousin kefir. A glass or two of ayran in the morning after a boozy party can ease your post-drinking agonies.

MORE VODKA

It may sound foolish at first, but have you heard the maxima fight fire with fire? A popular hangover battling formula for some Slavs is to keep drinking once they’ve become hungover in order to chase the nasty aftermath of the previous night away. There is indeed some truth to it since sooner or later you’ll once again become so drunk that you’ll forget about any vomit-related impulses. It won’t help with your coordination or with your vision, but you’ll kick that headache straight to the curb… up until you start sobering up again.