Twelve Foods to Eat When You’re Feeling Sick

When you are not feeling well, chances are that food will be the last thing on your mind. This is normal and is part of being unwell. However, despite the fact that you might not fancy eating, it’s what you need to do. The vital thing to remember is that you do need to try and eat as much as you can.

The reason for this is more than just to give yourself energy.(although this is important) When you eat the right foods, packed full of the right things, you give yourself a fighting chance. This will help you to recover and get yourself back on track. Twelve Foods to Eat When You’re Feeling Sick is a good list to get you started.

What Are These Foods?

What you should be trying to eat when you’re feeling unwell?  

  1. Chicken Soup 

How often do you hear people say that they are going to indulge in a big bowl of chicken soup when they are unwell? This particular comfort food has been a go-to for generations, and rightly so. One great thing about chicken soup is that it’s comforting. It’s warm, and is going to remind you of delicious home-cooked foods just when you need them.

However, the benefits go so much deeper than this. If it’s made at home,  add a variety of vegetables. You can make sure that your soup is packed full of vitamins, minerals, protein, and even calories. This is what your body needs to fight whatever illness you have going on.  It also tastes pretty darn impressive too!

  1. Black Elderberry 

What is black elderberry? It might not be one of the most common foods that you would think to eat when you are not feeling well. There are several benefits to trying black elderberry when you are feeling under the weather. It has been used to treat illnesses for a very long time and has been proven to help in various ways.  

It is often recommended that you eat black elderberry (usually as a syrup) when you first feel yourself starting to get under the weather. This will help your body recover and will often mean that you suffer for a shorter period of time. It can also make the difference between your symptoms getting better or getting worse.  

  1. Coconut Water 

Coconut water has increased in popularity of late. While it is excellent to drink on a day-to-day basis, it can prove to be even more beneficial if you are feeling unwell. This is particularly true if you have had an illness that has meant that you have lost fluids due to vomiting, sweating, or having diarrhea.  

Not only is it good at replenishing all-important fluids, but coconut water also has some limited amounts of natural sugars. This can give your body some gentle energy when it needs it most. Much better than eating something that is full of refined sugar and much more palatable than plain water.

  1. Banana 

Fruit and vegetables, in general, are good to eat when you are feeling under the weather. Out of all of them, banana is at the top of the list. There are a number of reasons for this; one is that they are soft and easy to eat. Ideal if you have a sore throat and are finding it hard to swallow. They are also bland, so they won’t tip you over the edge if you have an upset stomach.

Not just this, but bananas are rich in nutrients and are full of fast-acting carbs too. The main one is potassium, which will help replenish the electrolytes that your body may have lost.  Bananas contain soluble fiber too, which helps to improve the health of your digestive tract. Useful if your illness has affected your stomach and left you feeling nauseous or even being sick.

  1. Garlic  

Garlic isn’t only great toasted on bread; it is actually a beneficial addition to your diet. Especially when you are feeling unwell. Garlic has been used in herbal medicines for centuries. It’s thought to be an antibacterial, antifungal , and antiviral. This means that it is ideal for supporting your body’s natural recovery abilities when you are unwell.  

It is thought that garlic will boost your immune system. Especially at a time when you need it to be on top form and can reduce the severity of your illness. Garlic also adds flavor to your dish, which means that if you find it hard to taste things due to a cold, this could be the best benefit possible.

  1. Ginger 

Another flavorsome food that you can enjoy in various ways is ginger. Just like garlic, ginger is also recommended to give you a healthy boost. It is most commonly used to treat nausea. It’s often eaten in some form by pregnant women and those undergoing treatment for cancer. You can use ginger in a variety of ways.

You can pop some in your dinner or make some ginger flavored tea. You could also buy ginger ale as a quick and easy way to help to make you feel better. That said, you must look at whether it contains natural ginger or a ginger extract. You will want natural ginger rather than a ginger flavor.

  1. Honey 

Another food that is a health powerhouse is honey. Honey is often used as a wound dressing. It effectively offers antiseptic properties to various cuts and burns. Aside from this healing power, honey is also thought to stimulate your immune system.  

Honey has been recommended as a treatment for seasonal allergies, and it is also thought to be able to help when a child has a cough (so long as they are over a year old). This is because it can coat and soothe an irritated throat and help to suppress the need to cough naturally.

  1. Spicy foods 

Spicy food is a great way to try and help treat a cold that you may have. This is because it contains capsaicin, which causes that hot, burning sensation in your mouth. It is this heat that can help you if your nose is blocked up with mucus.  

This is because it helps to break up this mucus as well as clearing out your sinus passage. Leaving you feeling clear and fresh. It has to be said that if your illness is impacting your stomach, you do not want to eat spicy foods as these can make your symptoms worse.

  1. Oatmeal 

When you are not feeling very well, you will want to eat foods that are slightly bland, but that can provide you with everything you need. This is true for something like oatmeal. Oatmeal is bland, but it contains calories, vitamins, and minerals, which will help your body to recover.  

Oats can also help decrease any inflammation in your gut, which can help you recover even more. You can, of course, make oats even more delicious by adding honey (which also has health benefits too.) 

  1. Yogurt 

If you have an issue with your digestive tract, you will want to find something that will help to settle your stomach. Yogurt is known to contain a wide variety of good bacteria, which will improve your overall gut health, but especially when you are feeling under the weather.  

It is thought that yogurt will reduce the likelihood that you are going to need to take antibiotics to treat an illness. Or that you may find that you recover much quicker when you are ill.  

  1. Green leafy vegetables 

When you are ill, you are going to want to eat plenty of leafy greens. This includes vegetables such as spinach, kale, and certain types of lettuces too. These plants are known to be a great source of iron, which will help give your body what it needs to recover. They are also beneficial because they are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber too. 

Another thing about green leafy vegetables is that they contain antioxidants that will protect your cells from damage and help to fight any inflammation that may be a side-effect of your particular illness.

  1. Salmon 

We know that salmon might not be everyone’s favorite food. But, if you are a fan of fish (or you can tolerate it if you have to), then salmon is one of the best sources of protein that you can eat during times of illness. 

Not only is it easy to eat thanks to the fact that it is nice and soft, but also because it can pack a protein punch too. As well as this, salmon also contains lots of omega 3 fatty acids, which is known to help your immune system to work as hard as it can to fight any illness that you may currently be suffering from.

You may not be able to avoid being ill, but there are plenty of things you can do to help your body recover as quickly as possible. Think about what you are eating and putting into your body, and we can guarantee that you will be feeling more like yourself in no time at all.  

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Here are a few recipes for chicken soup. Another plus, they all freeze well. Plan ahead and make a batch of soup and freeze it before you get sick.

Grandma’s Chicken n’ Dumpling Soup
Home Style Chicken or Turkey Pot Pies
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup With Turkey Meatballs