And What NOT to Eat When You Have a Cold
When you’re feeling under the weather with a cold, nourishing your body with the right foods can make a big difference in how quickly you recover. While there’s no magic cure for the common cold, certain foods help boost your immune system, ease symptoms, and keep you hydrated. Eating well when sick provides comfort and gives your body the nutrients it needs to fight the illness.
So, what should you eat when you have a cold? Warm, brothy soups like chicken soup have been a go-to for centuries because they help soothe a sore throat, provide hydration, and deliver essential vitamins and minerals.
Foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, bell peppers, and strawberries, can support your immune system. Ginger and garlic, known for their anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, are also excellent additions to your diet when you’re sick.
Staying hydrated is also essential, so plenty of fluids, like herbal teas, water, and even electrolyte drinks, are crucial. In this post, we’ll explore the best foods to eat when you have a cold, providing comfort and healing so you can get back on your feet faster.
Chicken Soup
Of course, Mom’s always right. Chicken soup is one of the best things you can eat when you have a cold.
First of all, it is shown to clear congestion better than other remedies because of the amino acids and antioxidants that break down mucus and exhibit anti-inflammatory characteristics. So, you will start to feel better immediately.
Chicken soup is a source of many vitamins, minerals, and proteins from the recipe’s broth, chicken, and vegetables. The liquids and electrolytes keep you hydrated and help speed up the body’s recovery process. Lastly, it’s delicious.
What To Do With Leftover Chicken Carcass
Is Chicken Stock the Same as Chicken Broth?
Oranges (Citrus)
Oranges and other citrus fruits contain many antioxidants, and vitamin C. Vitamin C strengthens the immune system and can help prevent and fight colds.
Studies show that even a few grams of vitamin C can reduce the duration and severity of a cold. One average-sized orange has about seventy mg of vitamin C, so a few oranges a day should keep the doctor away (when you’re sick).
Try this Orange Juice (non-alcoholic) cocktail to get better on the go: Honeybell Orange Juice Cocktail Recipe. Also, try this salad recipe for when you are sick but don’t really want to eat “sick food”: Watercress Orange & Parsnip Salad Recipe.
Leafy Green Vegetables
A common theme to the “sick diet” is foods that enrich your diet with many vitamins and antioxidants. Leafy Green Vegetables are no different.
While you may not want to sit at home and munch on kale when you’re sick, these greens will help boost your immune system and fight off your cold. Studies show that they also have a lot of antibacterial properties.
Luckily, many ways to prepare leafy greens like kale and spinach make them more enjoyable to eat. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
Sautéed Baby Kale and Artichokes Recipe
Salmon
Believe it or not, a salmon dish is great to eat when you’re sick because of the nutrients found in the fish oil. It is not a myth that fish oil can help almost any tiny ailment, including the common cold. We even give it to our aging dog to help with her bones and muscles.
Specifically, this fish oil activates white blood cells and aids the immune system’s response. Add some ginger, and you have the whole cure. Even if you are not sick, add fatty fish like salmon or tuna to your diet to prevent future colds.
These dishes are easy to make, perfect for lunch or dinner, and crowd pleasers.
Pan Fried Salmon with Ginger Glaze Recipe
Grilled Salmon Steak with Lemon & Dill Recipe
Grilled Tuna with Orange and Ginger Marinade
What to Avoid Eating When You Have a Cold
Coffee and Alcohol
While most of us need a caffeine pick-me-up in the morning and a nightcap, coffee and alcohol dehydrate the body, making it hard to recover from a common cold.
Instead, swap the coffee and alcohol for some green tea in the morning and ginger tea at night. These are filled with antioxidants and can have the same energizing and calming effects when you need them.
Dairy
One of the worst parts about being sick is the congestion that comes along with it. Try to avoid dairy since it is known to increase and thicken mucus in your body and lead to more inflammation.
Luckily, there are enough alternatives today that you can still have that dessert. Just try an almond or soy milk variation of it.
Chia seed pudding using almond or coconut milk, even with a bit of cacao, is yummy – or coconut or almond milk ice cream.
Conclusions
While you’re filling your body with cold medicines and nasal sprays, remember that your diet also plays an important role in your recovery.
Try to eat foods filled with vitamins and antioxidants that keep you hydrated.
Try not to overeat and avoid eating processed foods since your body is working hard to fight this common cold.
Send this article to your friends, and if you’re lucky, they might just bring you chicken soup in bed like the old days.
If you have more suggestions for what to eat or not eat when you have a cold, please post them below in the comments area.
Thanks
