I Tested This Hangover "Cure All" Drink

My bestie is a professional "foodie", which means that she's always ranting and raving about a new dish, a new donut craze, or some magical new hangover ~cure-all~ drink. Very rarely am I as excited or impressed as she is about what she's sharing with me, so when she came to me with a tall bottle of a yellowish "juice" called Switchel (that smells vaguely like salad dressing), swearing that it completely eradicates hangovers, I was like, "OK," *eyeroll*. At least once a day I read a headline in my newsfeed that swears by a hangover cure, and they're never legit. I put the bottle in my fridge and forgot about it. That is, until I was invited to a wine tasting on a work night.

I came home last night after midnight, feeling less than stellar. I had about six hours to sleep off the wine before I had to wake up, finish some work before a deadline, and present myself to the world as a functioning, professional, adult human being. From behind my collection of neglected and sad-looking produce, I retrieved the salad juice. Squinting beneath the harsh light of the fridge, I made out a few ingredients: apple cider vinegar (ah, the smell), ginger, and maple syrup.

On the front it read "CideRoad: America's Original Thirst Quencher." I immediately envisioned myself in traditional colonial fashion, white wig, tricorn hat and all, scaring away a hangover that might keep me from sorting out America in the morning. And honestly, the smell is a lot more potent than the taste. That apple cider vinegar creates quite a waft but the taste is much more mellow. It's comparable to a cold tea — a little sweet, a little lemony, with a kick of ginger to the back of your throat — the kind of good hurt that lets you know it's healthy. After a few sips it's actually enjoyable. That's the last thing I remember before waking up...

...Feeling completely, 100-percent clear-headed, un-drunk, human, and functional. I sat up slowly, waiting for the headache to strike. I cleared my throat, expecting to feel that terrible sandpaper scratch of a morning after over-indulging. I waited for the misguided craving for pizza and ice cream for breakfast. None of the usual suspects showed up. I had no trouble getting out of bed. I had no trouble organizing my day. I had no trouble eating my basic, boring well-balanced and pizza-free breakfast. I went for a run without feeling like the grim reaper was chasing me. And I started my work on-time and with no cloudy confusion that I typically find after a night out. This kombucha-ish tasting non-juice, literally and completely fought off my hangover while I made the most out of six hours of sleep.

And while I'm not one to often find myself accepting invitations to events during the week, I was very happy to find out that CideRoad is just a super basic, healthy, and not-new remedy that I can stock up on to keep just in-case. It's not some secret recipe stolen from the GOOP kitchen, it's just a drink you can buy at Whole Foods. There are three different flavors (blueberry, cherry, and original), it retails at around $3.50, and is not only a hangover cure. It's actually just a mix of hydrating and rejuvenating ingredients that together help the body absorb water. So, I can take it with me on a hike, at the beach, or in the sauna.

Now, if only someone could dig up some colonial remedy that works to get rid of that nauseating feeling you get after eating an entire pint of ice cream, I'd be set.

Images: Giphy, Kaitlyn Wylde