What to Eat (and Drink) When You Have the Flu - Article Health

What to eat when you don't feel like eating anything
When you’ve got the flu, the only true cure is rest and time—there’s no food or drink that will magically make your symptoms go away. But making sure you’re staying hydrated and eating nutrient-rich foods can help ensure you don’t feel any worse than you already do and may help ease your discomfort and get you back on your feet faster.

Electrolyte beverages
“Staying hydrated is the most important thing when you have the flu, especially if you’re running a fever and sweating, or you’re having trouble keeping food down,” says Denver-based nutritionist Jessica Crandall, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Making sure you’re drinking water is the simplest solution, she says, but adding an electrolyte-rich sports drink or coconut water to your rotation can help guarantee you’re replenishing sodium and potassium as well as fluids.

Chicken noodle soup
Chicken noodle soup’s reputation as a go-to cold-and-flu food is more than just clever marketing: Its salty broth can help hydrate and replace lost sodium, says Zelig, while the vegetables provide vitamins and minerals. The chicken itself provides protein, “which is important for healing and for getting your strength back when you’ve been sick,” she says.

Beans or peas
Of course, chicken’s not your only protein option. “Sometimes when you’re sick, you don’t want to choke down a chicken breast,” says Crandall. “In that case, getting protein in an alternative form—a protein drink, or a more palatable food source—may be a better option.”

Orange juice
You can also drink your antioxidants: Orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, which some studies suggest may help lessen the duration of colds and flu. But taking in too much might actually make you feel worse: “Your body can only absorb so much vitamin C at once, and if you have too much it can cause gastrointestinal issues,” says Crandall.

Beef
Another nutrient you want to get plenty of while you’re sick is zinc: Studies show that the mineral helps fight infection by regulating the immune system and that taking zinc supplements may reduce the duration of the common cold. Getting zinc from food sources may also be helpful, says Crandall, although there’s less research in this area.

Ginger
Foods or drinks made with ginger may also relieve stomach problems associated with the flu, says Zelig. Research suggests the root is anti-inflammatory and is effective against nausea—although most studies have involved motion sickness or pregnancy, not the flu.


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