What is the best thing to have before drinking?

December 1, 2025 •

4 min read

Drinking on an empty stomach can cause your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to spike rapidly, leading to more intense effects. The best thing to have before drinking is a nutrient-dense meal containing protein, healthy fats, and fiber to slow absorption and prepare your body.

Quick Summary

A balanced meal with protein, healthy fats, and fiber before drinking can significantly slow alcohol absorption, helping to regulate your blood alcohol level and prevent negative side effects. Choosing the right foods can support liver function, balance electrolytes, and reduce the risk of a severe hangover the next day.

Key Points

Prioritize Protein, Fats, and Fiber: Consuming a meal rich in these macronutrients before drinking is the best strategy for slowing alcohol absorption.
Choose Slow-Digesting Foods: Foods that take longer to break down, such as oats, eggs, and salmon, create a buffer that keeps alcohol from entering the bloodstream too quickly.
Replenish Electrolytes: Alcohol acts as a diuretic, so eating foods high in potassium and magnesium, like bananas and avocados, helps balance your electrolyte levels.
Support Liver Health: Nutrient-dense foods like beets and oats contain compounds and antioxidants that can protect and support your liver's function while processing alcohol.
Stabilize Blood Sugar: Complex carbohydrates found in sweet potatoes and quinoa provide a sustained release of energy, preventing blood sugar crashes and reducing alcohol-induced food cravings.
Avoid Sugary and Salty Snacks: Refined carbs and high-salt foods can worsen blood sugar fluctuations and dehydration, increasing the risk of bloating, indigestion, and a worse hangover.

Drinking on an empty stomach allows alcohol to pass quickly from the stomach to the small intestine, where it is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream. Consuming a meal rich in specific macronutrients can create a physical buffer, slowing this process and mitigating the adverse effects of alcohol. The key is to choose foods that are digested slowly, providing sustained energy and supporting your body's detoxification processes.

Why Eating Before Drinking is Crucial

Having food in your stomach, particularly protein, fats, and fiber, is a critical step in responsible drinking. Food slows the emptying of your stomach, which in turn delays alcohol absorption. This provides your liver with more time to process the alcohol, keeping your blood alcohol level (BAL) from spiking too quickly. A more gradual increase in BAL leads to less intense intoxication and can prevent issues like nausea, dizziness, and impaired coordination. Additionally, alcohol is a diuretic, causing increased urination and depleting important nutrients like potassium and magnesium. Eating foods rich in electrolytes before drinking can help counteract this loss.

The Best Macronutrients to Focus On

Protein

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient and takes a long time to digest. By consuming a protein-rich meal, you keep your stomach full for longer, which effectively slows alcohol absorption. Good sources include eggs, salmon, Greek yogurt, and quinoa.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats, especially monounsaturated fats like those found in avocados, also take an extended period to digest. This further slows the rate at which alcohol enters your bloodstream. Salmon and nuts are other excellent sources of healthy fats.

Fiber

Fiber-rich foods add bulk to your stomach contents and slow down the digestive process. This has a similar effect to protein and fats, helping to regulate alcohol absorption. Great sources of fiber include oats, bananas, berries, sweet potatoes, and chia seeds.

Top Foods to Have Before Drinking

Here are some of the best food options to incorporate into your pre-drinking meal:

Avocado: Loaded with healthy fats and potassium to help balance electrolytes. Try it on whole-grain toast or in a salad.
Eggs: A versatile, protein-packed option that is easy on the stomach. Scrambled, boiled, or in an omelet, eggs are a perfect choice.
Oats: A fantastic source of fiber and protein that provides sustained energy. Oatmeal with fruit and nuts makes for a great pre-drink snack.
Salmon: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which may reduce alcohol-related inflammation, and high in protein.
Sweet Potatoes: High in complex carbohydrates and potassium, providing slow-release energy and preventing blood sugar spikes.
Greek Yogurt: Offers a balanced mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates that slows digestion. Top it with berries and nuts for a nutritional boost.
Berries: High in water content for hydration and packed with antioxidants to protect against cell damage.

Foods to Avoid Before Drinking

Just as important as what you should eat is what you should avoid. Certain foods can exacerbate the negative effects of alcohol.

Sugary Foods and Refined Carbs: These cause rapid blood sugar fluctuations, increasing the risk of cravings and overeating later. Avoid white bread, sugary snacks, and sodas.
Salty Snacks: Chips, pretzels, and other excessively salty foods can worsen dehydration and cause bloating and water retention.
Spicy Foods: If you are prone to indigestion or heartburn, spicy foods can irritate your stomach lining, which is already sensitive to alcohol.
Carbonated Beverages: These can cause bloating and may increase the rate of alcohol absorption in some individuals.

A Meal Comparison: The Smart Choice vs. The Risky One


Feature	Smart Pre-Drinking Meal	Risky Pre-Drinking Meal
Example Meal	Grilled Salmon with Quinoa and Roasted Asparagus	Pepperoni Pizza with a Soda
Macronutrients	High in protein, healthy fats, fiber, complex carbs.	High in refined carbs, saturated fats, salt.
Alcohol Absorption	Slowed and regulated by fiber, protein, and fat.	Absorbed quickly, leading to rapid intoxication.
Nutrient Impact	Replenishes electrolytes and provides antioxidants.	Can deplete B vitamins and lead to dehydration.
Satiety	Keeps you feeling full for longer, reducing cravings.	Less satiating, potentially leading to overeating.
Digestive Impact	Gentle on the stomach; supports liver function.	Can cause bloating, heartburn, and indigestion.
Post-Drink Feeling	Mitigates hangover symptoms like fatigue and nausea.	Increases the likelihood of severe hangover symptoms.

Conclusion: Making the Right Choice for Your Body

What you eat before drinking has a profound effect on how your body processes alcohol and how you feel afterward. Prioritizing a balanced meal rich in protein, healthy fats, and fiber is the single most effective way to slow absorption, stabilize blood sugar, and support liver function. Opt for nutrient-dense foods like eggs, avocados, oats, and salmon, while avoiding sugary, salty, and refined carbohydrates. This thoughtful approach can significantly reduce the immediate negative effects of alcohol and decrease your chances of a severe hangover the next day. By preparing your body with the right fuel, you can enjoy a night out more safely and with greater control. For more in-depth nutritional advice, consult resources like the Healthline article on the best foods to eat before drinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

While fatty foods do slow alcohol absorption, very greasy and unhealthy fats are not recommended. They can upset a sensitive stomach and increase the chances of heartburn, especially with alcohol. Focus on healthy fats found in avocados, nuts, and salmon instead.

You should aim to have a full, balanced meal at least one hour before you start drinking. This gives your digestive system time to begin processing the food, creating the protective buffer needed to slow alcohol absorption.

On an empty stomach, alcohol is absorbed much more quickly and completely into your bloodstream. This causes a rapid increase in your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), leading to immediate and intense effects, including impaired judgment and coordination, and increases your risk of alcohol poisoning.

Yes, staying hydrated is crucial. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water can help slow your pace and combat the diuretic effect of alcohol, which depletes your body of water and electrolytes, contributing to hangovers.

Many foods help with electrolyte balance. Good choices include bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, and nuts, which are rich in potassium and magnesium.

A substantial, balanced meal is more effective than a small snack. It provides a larger, more sustained buffer against alcohol absorption. A snack is better than nothing, but a full meal is the best preparation.

Complex carbohydrates, like those in oats, quinoa, and sweet potatoes, are the best choice. They are digested slowly, providing steady energy and helping to stabilize blood sugar levels, unlike refined carbs which cause rapid spikes and crashes.