Getting sick can make you feel nauseous and it can make you lose your appetite. But it’s very important to nourish your body with nutrient-dense foods when you are sick.
There are some foods that not only provide you the energy that you need when you’re not feeling the best, but they also keep you hydrated, and help you get a speedy recovery.
There isn’t any food that can truly cure a cold, or cure a sickness, but eating the right foods can help relieve the symptoms and make you feel better sooner.
So, I’m making a roundup post of the best foods to eat when you are feeling under the weather.
Best Foods To Eat When You Are Sick
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit is one of the most obvious foods to eat when you have cold and flu symptoms. They are full of vitamins, nutrients, and all of the things you need for your immune system.
You should definitely eat a variety of fruit when you are sick, but citrus fruit would definitely be the best choice – lemon, oranges, grapefruit, etc. They are foods high in vitamin C, which is super important for colds and flu since it strengthens your immune system and makes you get better a lot sooner.
You can eat them as they are, or turn them into juices.
Herbal Teas
Hot tea is something you should drink even when you’re not sick. It’s great for your body, and it has many benefits. But if you do have cold or flu symptoms, hot herbal teas are a must!
Herbal teas are great for preventing dehydration. They will help with a sore throat, they will help you stay hydrated, and can even help you if you have an upset stomach.
Mint tea and chamomile tea are great to soothe an upset stomach, and green tea and ginger tea have anti-inflammatory effects.
If you can’t drink unsweetened tea, put honey in it instead of sugar. Honey is so much better for you than processed sugars, and it’s actually good to have some honey when you have a cold! I should also add some beverages to avoid when you’re sick: alcohol and caffeine.
Ginger Ale
Speaking of beverages to drink, add ginger ale to your list. Ginger ale will help you prevent dehydration and stay hydrated throughout the day, which is important for aiding your body in its ability to flush out toxins.
Ginger ale traditionally made in the store is a carbonated and sugary drink that doesn’t contain the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that you would hope and that can be found in fruits and vegetables. What makes it good for when you’re sick is its potential to help ease nausea.
If you want a ginger ale with all the vitamins and minerals, then it is best to simply prepare it at home with fresh ginger, boiled and cooled water, whey, and cane sugar left to ferment for about a week or two. Making ginger ale in this way at home can help your beverage have probiotic properties that are healthy for the gut microbiome and immune system.
BRAT Diet
BRAT foods (or the BRAT diet) are a list of bland foods that are low fiber and bland tasting to help treat stomach and digestive issues as well as diarrhea. The name BRAT comes from an acronym that stands for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast — food our body easily digests.
Although the BRAT diet is not as recommended as it used to be, the BRAT diet is still a solid idea to follow when you’re sick. The concept is mostly highlighting the types of foods to avoid. It’s all about avoiding fried, greasy, acidic, and spicy foods as well as beverages like milk, alcohol, and caffeine.
Did you know eating spicy foods like chili peppers could potentially make your cold symptoms worse?
Soup
There’s nothing like warm homemade soup when you’re sick! There’s just something about broth that is so comforting.
Hot soup is great for sore throat, and any kind of cold and flu. It’s also easy on the stomach, so it’s great even if you have an upset stomach.
No matter what cold or flu you’re dealing with, a warm bowl of soup a day is definitely recommended. Whether it’s chicken soup, vegetable soup, or a different type, it will definitely be good for you!
It’s also a good choice when you don’t feel like eating any actual solid food (because we all know our appetite isn’t the best when we have colds and flu), but you still need to get something nourishing and comforting into your sick body.
Here are some soup recipes you’ll find super comforting when you’re not feeling great:
Easy Italian Wedding Soup
510 calories
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
- 2 cups Broth, chicken or beef – 70 calories
- ½ Carrots, whole, medium – 12.5 calories
- ½ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 8 calories
- 1 cup Leafy greens, kale, raw – 15 calories
- 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories
- 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
- 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
- 1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
- 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
- ½ cup Pasta, cooked – 100 calories
Instructions:
- Cook pasta as instructed on package.
- Dice carrots and celery.
- Add oil to pot. Stir fry beef, carrots, and celery, until beef is no longer pink, ~8 minutes, on medium heat.
- Add in broth, kale, pasta, and seasonings. Set heat to low. Simmer at least 5 minutes.
- No beef? Use chicken, fish, tofu, or beans.
Loaded Veggie Soup
374 calories
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories
- 1 Zucchini, medium – 33 calories
- ½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories
- 1 Carrots, whole, medium – 25 calories
- ½ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 8 calories
- ½ cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 25 calories
- 1 cup Broth, vegetable – 15 calories
- 2 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp) – 50 calories
- 1 Basil, dash – 0 calories
- 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions:
- This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings at once.
- Cut chicken breast into bite-size pieces. Dice celery, carrots, and onion. Chop zucchini into small pieces.
- Spray the bottom of a pot with an oil spray, cook chicken for ~5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Add in celery, carrot, onion, and spices for another ~8 minutes, until fragrant (you’ll know!).
- Add in broth, diced tomatoes, and zucchini.
- Simmer for ~10 minutes on low heat, or until desired temperature.
- Pour into a bowl, top with seasoning and Parmesan.
- No dairy? Use oil instead of the oil spray. No chicken? Use tofu or beans.
Vegetables
Just like fruit, veggies are a must when you’re sick. They will give you all the nutrients and vitamins you need, and they’re great for all common colds and flu.
Fresh salads and leafy greens are especially great when you’re not feeling great. They definitely have the most vitamins and nutrients – spinach, tomato, cucumber, lettuce, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, etc.
However, other veggies that aren’t just for salads are great as well – broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, and the list goes on and on.
Veggies are so much better for you than processed foods, always, but especially when you’re sick. You can’t get your immune system up by eating pizza!
