Best Foods and Drinks When You're Sick with Cold or Flu

Eating to Support Your Body When Sick

When you're sick with the cold, flu, or other illnesses, eating and drinking the right things can help provide your body with the nutrients it needs to help fight off infection and recover more quickly. Certain foods and beverages have properties that can soothe unpleasant symptoms like sore throats or upset stomachs, keeping you as comfortable as possible while your immune system works.

Staying Hydrated

Dehydration often accompanies sickness due to fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or lack of appetite and thirst. However, allowing yourself to become dehydrated can lead to headaches, constipation, dizziness, low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, lack of urination, dark yellow urine, dry mouth, and fatigue.

To help your body flush out toxins and provide moisture to your mucus membranes, aim to drink at least the recommended 6-8 cups of non-caffeinated fluid daily. Water, fruit juices, herbal teas, broths, sports drinks, and electrolyte solutions help replenish lost fluids and minerals like sodium and potassium.

Soothing Foods for Upset Stomachs

Vomiting and diarrhea can often occur with stomach bugs and the flu. While unpleasant, allowing your stomach to rest for a few hours before slowly easing back into eating can help. Begin with small frequent portions of bland foods over a day or two. The BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast - are great options.

Other foods that are easy on sensitive stomachs include:

• Crackers
• Oatmeal
• Boiled carrots, potatoes, or noodles
• Clear broths and soups
• Popsicles
• Jell-o

Avoid anything overly sweet, fatty, fried, spicy, or with complex textures until your nausea has subsided.

Cold and Flu Symptom Soothers

An assortment of foods have properties that can help temporarily relieve unpleasant cold and flu symptoms like sore throats, sinus congestion, body aches, and fevers.

Sore Throats

The anti-inflammatory effects and texture of foods like Popsicles, Jell-O, apple sauce, smoothies, chicken noodle soup, and throat lozenges can coat and soothe tender irritated throat tissues.

Congestion and Sinus Pressure

Hot fluids like herbal teas with honey, lemon, spices or black pepper can help loosen mucus. Broths provide hydration without an overpowering flavor. Spicy foods like chicken soup made with chili peppers open nasal passages.

Aches and Pains

Warming foods and drinks boost blood flow to painful areas of the body. Options like ginger tea, cinnamon, chili, garlic, onion, chicken soup, or vegetable soup with spices ease achy tight muscles.

Fevers

While a fever helps fight infection, very high temperatures can become dangerous. Staying hydrated and eating chilled foods helps lower core body temperature. Popsicles, Jell-o, fruit smoothies, chilled soups, and ice water are good choices.

Nutrient Dense Foods When Appetite is Low

It’s common not to feel hungry when you’re sick. However, your body needs key nutrients like protein, vitamins and minerals to support your taxed immune system.

When you need a nutrient boost aim for things that sound appetizing, are easy on your stomach, and pack a lot of nutrients in smaller servings like:

• Yogurt
• Eggs
• Oatmeal
• Soups
• Smoothies
• Nut butters
• Protein shakes

As your appetite builds up, balanced meals with vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats help replenish important nutrients.

Avoid These Things When Sick

Certain foods and drinks are best limited or avoided when you're under the weather. These can further upset sensitive stomachs, dehydrate your body, or provide little nutritional value:

• Alcohol
• Caffeinated beverages
• Very sweet or fatty foods
• Overly spicy or heavily seasoned items
• Simple carbohydrates and junk food
• Uncooked vegetables or salad
• Citrus fruits

The Importance of Nutrition and Hydration

Illness taxes your immune system's resources hard at work fighting infection and correcting functional irregularities throughout your body. Choosing nourishing foods and fluids eases unpleasant symptoms associated with being sick and provides key nutrients necessary for your systems to operate optimally.

While acute infection will still run its course, maintaining good nutrition and hydration supports and complements your body’s efforts to heal itself. Consult your doctor with any concerns over severe or prolonged symptoms.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.