C.J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
What Are The Best Foods To Eat When You’re Sick?
Originally published: 11/26/22
Updated: 9/11/23
The onset of winter heralds the beginning of cold and flu season. Eating well can improve your immune system, and nutritious comfort food can help you feel better when you're feeling down. When that annoying illness strikes, it's always helpful to have these foods (or recipes) on hand. With that in mind, some of the best foods to eat when you’re sick are listed below.
1- Berries
Berries offer vitamin c to help you recover from illness
In addition to being the best foods for a cold, berries are a delicious and healthy snack. That's because the vitamin C in berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries helps keep you hydrated, in addition to all their other health benefits. Vitamin C is essential for healthy immune system function and also acts as an antioxidant. Blend some berries into your morning smoothie, bowl of cereal, or salad, to enjoy them the most.
2- Chicken Soup
Chicken noodle soup can comfort a cold
When they're under the weather, many people go for a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Most people find chicken noodle soup to be comforting on both a physical and emotional level, but few realize that it also provides essential minerals. Soup's broth, which is often higher in sodium, might be a good source of fluids when you're under the weather.
Plus, other ingredients, like chicken, noodles, and different vegetables, provide you with more energy and additional nutrients to make you feel better. More rotisserie chicken can be added to chicken noodle soup to increase the protein content, or why not try this chicken tortilla soup recipe for a hearty meal that will make you feel great?
3- Bananas
Bananas boost your immune system
Bananas are among the best foods for boosting your immune system since they are loaded with potassium and other potent nutrients like fiber and vitamin B6. Researchers have also discovered that the electrolytes in bananas can help combat the fatigue that comes with a cold.
If you're looking for a heart-healthy snack, try spreading some nut butter on a slice of plain banana or mixing banana slices into your bowl of oatmeal, nonfat yogurt, or unsweetened cereal. You can also throw them into your blender and blend them into a smoothie or use them to flavor baked items like pancakes, muffins, and bread.
Staying hydrated while ill is very important too! Check out our quick video tutorial on how to incorporate more hydration into your diet via our YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
4- Hot Tea
Hot tea provides you with antioxidants
Hot teas produced from green, black, white, or oolong tea leaves can be your best friend when you're sick, regardless of whether you go with a decaf or caffeinated kind. Antioxidants found in these teas can aid the body's natural defenses against harmful free radicals produced during the immune response. A sore throat can feel much better after drinking some warm tea with honey. Make a "hot toddy" by mixing in some bourbon or whiskey with cinnamon and lemon.
5- Eggs
Eggs provide your body with healthy proteins
Eggs may not be the first thing you think of eating when you have a cold, but they may be one of the best things to eat. They are full of protein, which is an essential nutrient when you are sick. And don't forget the egg yolk. A lot of the protein in an egg is in the yellow part of the egg. Egg yolks also have other nutrients that help keep you healthy, like zinc and selenium, which boost your immune system.
Hot and Sour Soup
6. Hot And Sour Soup
Hot and sour soup is another popular food for people who feel a bit under the weather, especially in East Asia. You can get it in the form of frozen Chinese food, or make it yourself if you have the inclination to do so.
Hot and sour soup has several elements that might make it beneficial. It’s spicy, which can be good for clearing mucus, and it contains plenty of vegetables, which support the immune system. It’s also fun to eat, which can cheer you up.
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C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.