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Top 10 healthy foods for colds and flu
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Nutrition during colds and flu is very important, because by receiving the necessary nutrients and vitamins, the body will be able to fight the infection more easily.
Frozen fruit ice
Surprisingly, but true: the coldest product that can cause a sore throat can also have the opposite effect - soothe an irritated, dry and sore throat. But there is a mandatory condition - the sweet treat must be made from 100% natural fruit juice, and not just sweetened water. This will ensure the receipt of the necessary vitamins and microelements.
Turkey
When you have flu or a cold, your body needs proper, healthy nutrition to ensure a speedy recovery. Turkey, for example, is an excellent source of lean protein that will give your body energy to fight the disease.
Vegetable juice
Vegetable salads are very useful for recovery after an illness, but sometimes an exhausted person is simply unable to eat a plate of healthy salad, so instead they can drink salted vegetable juice, which will enrich the body with antioxidants that stimulate the immune system and at the same time help avoid dehydration.
Chicken broth
It is a proven fact that chicken broth is very useful for flu and colds. It not only prevents dehydration, but also has an anti-inflammatory and healing effect. And when you inhale the aroma of chicken broth, the ability of the hairs in the nasal passages to protect the body from viruses and infections improves.
Garlic
If you are okay with garlic and are not allergic to it, then feel free to add it to your soup, because garlic has immunostimulating antimicrobial properties and even makes breathing easier when your nose is stuffy.
Ginger
Very useful for colds. Tea with ginger and lemon has anti-inflammatory and warming properties. Ginger can also relieve stomach pain and nausea.
Hot tea
Green tea contains more antioxidants than black tea. And if you add lemon and a spoonful of honey to a cup of tea, it can relieve a sore throat.
Bananas
Bananas are very easy to digest and are great for symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting that can occur with the flu, especially in children.
Toasts
When your stomach is having a hard time handling a large amount of food, toast is a great addition to a light chicken broth and is a convenient meal for your body that is struggling with illness.
Fermented milk drinks
When appetite returns to normal after an illness, the body needs nutrients, the source of which can be liquid fermented milk products. Preference should be given to those drinks that contain a minimum of sugar and more protein.