
The 15 Best Foods to Eat When You’re Sick
- Chicken soup. Chicken soup has been a go-to for sickness for generations — and for good reason. ...
- Broths. Like chicken soup, broths are excellent sources of fluid and electrolytes that can be helpful when you’re sick.
- Garlic. ...
- Coconut water. ...
- Hot tea. ...
- Honey. ...
- Ginger. ...
- Spicy foods. ...
- Bananas. ...
- Oatmeal. ...
What foods are most likely to make people sick?
These Are the Foods Most Likely to Get You Sick, According to the CDC
- Chicken, beef, turkey, and pork. ...
- Vegetables and fruits. ...
- Raw milk and cheese. ...
- Eggs. ...
- Raw shellfish and seafood. ...
- Sprouts: Warm and humid growing conditions for things like alfalfa and bean sprouts also lend themselves to perfect growing conditions for salmonella, E. ...
What is the best food for Sick?
Method 1 of 3: Nursing a Sick Hamster
- Look for signs that your hamster is ill. If you spot behavior that is different from the norm, monitor the hamster even more closely.
- Keep him warm. There may be situations where you hamster just feels unwell. ...
- Check for dehydration. If he is not eating or drinking, or if he has wet tail, he will quickly become dehydrated.
- Drip fluids to him. ...
How to find out which foods are making you sick?
What you can do
- Tell your doctor about GI symptoms you believe could result from a food intolerance, and ask about testing for a food sensitivity or allergy.
- Follow your doctor’s advice about an elimination diet, and learn which foods you can eat and how much you can consume.
- Keep a food journal and carefully document which foods you eat and how you react to them.
What foods do you eat when you are sick?
The 15 Best Foods to Eat When You’re Sick
- Chicken soup. Chicken soup has been a go-to for sickness for generations — and for good reason. ...
- Broths. Like chicken soup, broths are excellent sources of fluid and electrolytes that can be helpful when you’re sick.
- Garlic. ...
- Coconut water. ...
- Hot tea. ...
- Honey. ...
- Ginger. ...
- Spicy foods. ...
- Bananas. ...
- Oatmeal. ...

What should you not eat when sick?
Foods to avoid when you have the fluCaffeinated drinks and alcohol. Between elevated temperatures and increased sweating, dehydration is something to be cautious of when you have a fever. ... Greasy foods. ... Hard to digest grains. ... Sugary food or drinks.
What do you give a sick person?
A Sick Day Gift Box: Our Best PicksCandles (try these homemade beeswax candles)Fresh flowers, a succulent, or an air plant.Rose oil and rosewater spray.Vitamins.Juice.Throat-soothing candies.A jar or two of homemade soup.Some simple crackers.More items...•
What to eat when you are sick and have no appetite?
Experts Say These Are The Best Foods To Eat When You're Sick & Have No AppetiteA Bowl Of Soup Will Replenish Your Body With Electrolytes. Giphy. ... Smoothies Offer Nutrients And Hydration. Giphy. ... Probiotics In Yogurt Will Strengthen Your Immune System. Giphy. ... Hot Tea. Giphy.
What is a good care package for sick people?
What to Put in a Care Package for a Sick FriendRecords, tapes, or books. ... Gourmet popcorn or toppings. ... Candles or incense. ... Hair accessories. ... Sweats. ... A journal. ... Basic care items.
How do you cheer up a sick person?
Ways To Cheer Someone Up When They're Not Feeling WellLet Them Know You're Thinking of Them. There's nothing worse than sitting in bed, bored and alone when you're sick. ... Make a Goodie Bag. ... Cook Dinner. ... Help With the House. ... Take the Kids for the Evening. ... Attend a Doctor Visit Together.
What should I eat if I have no appetite and Covid?
Due to decreased appetite, now is not the time to restrict calories. Eat nutrient-dense foods. Drink fruit juice, milk or other calorie-containing beverages. Double or triple the portion sizes of added fats and oils (butter, margarine, cream cheese, sour cream, and avocado).
Is pasta good when your sick?
The flu occasionally causes stomach upset, leading to nausea and diarrhea, so you may be tempted to stick to bland foods like pasta and rice. This is a good idea, but be mindful of how your tum handles it. "You want to stick to easy to digest foods like simple [or] refined carbohydrates," Vavrek says.
Can you eat eggs when sick?
Yet you need protein to maintain your strength, whether you're sick or perfectly healthy. No worries! Fulfilling your protein quota is made easier with eggs, which are much easier to digest and cook. Eggs have zinc, a mineral found in many cold medicines and remedies.
What to eat when your gut is sick?
Here’s what to eat and drink when your gut is sick: Anything on the BRAT diet. Mom was right. Eat a diet that follows the acronym, BRAT – bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Most people suffering from diarrhea can tolerate a few of these simple foods. Bland foods.
What to eat if you're having a hard time drinking?
Try foods like ice cream, popsicles, Jell-O and pudding. Fruit. Fresh fruit contains many important vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your body needs – even when you’re not sick!
What is the process of food moving through your body?
Diarrhea is when food is moving too quickly through your body. You’ll want to focus on eating foods that can slow that process down, which means choosing foods that contain soluble fiber. This type of fiber acts as a thickening agent and adds form to the stool to help slow it down.
How to get rid of nausea from eating ginger?
Dry foods. Try nibbling on a few pieces of dry foods every couple of hours when you’re battling nausea.
What to eat when you're pregnant?
Try pretzels, dry cereal, toast or plain crackers like saltines. Cold foods & foods with little odor. Because smells can trigger nausea (especially in pregnancy), cold foods might be a good choice. Try Jell-O, ice cream, frozen fruit, yogurt or popsicles. Even sucking on an ice cube is a good way to replenish fluids.
What to eat when you have a swollen thigh?
But bland doesn’t mean you can’t add protein or veggies into the mix if you’re feeling up for it! Try eating rice and baked chicken breast or cheese and crackers.
What to do when you get the flu?
Instead, stock up on food now to have on hand in case you or someone in your house gets sick. Canned soup.
What to eat when you're sick?
Bananas. Bananas are a great food to eat when you’re sick. They’re soft and bland but rich in nutrients and fast-acting carbs. The potassium in bananas can help replenish your electrolyte stores as well, since potassium is one of the key electrolytes your body needs ( 34.
What is the best food to eat when you're sick?
Oatmeal. Like bananas, oatmeal is bland and easy to eat but also provides calories, vitamins, and minerals you need when you’re sick. One study in rats found that beta-glucan, a type of fiber in oats, helped decrease inflammation in the gut.
What foods cause a burning sensation?
Spicy foods. Spicy foods like chili peppers contain capsaicin, which causes a hot, burning sensation when touched. In high enough concentrations, capsaicin can have a desensitizing effect. It’s often used in pain-relieving gels and patches ( 29.
How to use fresh ginger?
Use fresh ginger in cooking, brew some ginger tea, or pick up some ginger ale from the store to get these benefits. Just make sure that whatever you’re using contains real ginger or ginger extract, not just ginger flavor. 8. Spicy foods.
How to recover from a sick person?
Resting, staying hydrated, and getting proper nutrition are some of the most important things you can do to feel better and recover faster when sick. Fortunately, many foods have benefits that go beyond providing your body with nutrients.
What is the best drink to drink when you're sick?
Coconut water is an ideal beverage to sip on when you’re sick. It’s rich in electrolytes, which need to be replenished along with fluids when you’re vomiting, sweating, having diarrhea, or running a fever ( 11#N#Trusted Source#N#).
Is broth good for you?
Like chicken soup, broths are excellent sources of fluid and electrolytes that can be helpful when you’re sick. When hot, they may also help relieve sinus congestion. They’re full of flavor and rich in a variety of nutrients while still being easy on your digestive system ( 6. Trusted Source.
What to eat when sick?
Let’s find out what is good to eat when you are sick. 10. Hot Tea. Some of the best comfort food when sick is the simplest kind of food. The first few items in our list fit that category perfectly, including tried-and-true hot tea. Used for millennia as a soothing drink, tea acts as a natural decongestant.
What is the number one comfort food when you're sick?
And the number one comfort food for when you’re sick? No surprise from us: it’s chicken soup. You can read all about why chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food when sick. But we’ll stick with the summary here.
What is the best food for an upset stomach?
Ginger. Ginger is a natural treatment for upset stomachs. So comfort foods featuring ginger can provide extra solace for women suffering morning sickness or for people going through cancer treatments. Ginger acts like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals, but it does it all by its natural self.
What is a BRAT diet?
You may have heard a healthcare provider (or maybe even Mom) talk about the BRAT diet. That’s short for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast – all carbohydrate-rich, easy-to-stomach, and easy-to-digest foods. Bananas pack a lot of nutrients and healthy calories into a not-too-sweet package.
What is the best tea for colds?
Hibiscus and Echinacea teas also have been shown to shorten the length of cold and flu symptoms. Tea is a soothing drink on a hectic day or a cozy treat to curl up with near a fire—and hot tea starts off our list of what is good to eat when you are sick.
Is garlic a good antiviral?
A medicinal herb, garlic is antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal (dare we say with anti-vampire properties, too?). This wonder bulb stimulates the immune system and has been proven to help fight sick days and ward them off, too.
Does oatmeal help with inflammation?
Its fiber (specifically beta-glucan) helps improve blood sugar control and reduces inflammation in the gut. You can get the benefits of oatmeal cooked traditionally, as well as an ingredient in other recipes. To keep your focus on health benefits, replace sugary sweeteners with honey or fruit.
Why do we need to make sure we are getting plenty of fluids?
No matter what, make sure you’re getting plenty of fluids because hydration is the key to bouncing back from an illness. You can easily get dehydrated from sweating and producing lots of mucus, and you need to make plenty of urine to clear the waste from your immune system.
Does chicken soup help with sickness?
Bottom line: Chicken soup will help you stay hydrated, which is important, and may have a soothing effect that can both help speed up your recovery and make you feel better too. Other starting players: The best part about some of the other foods to prevent sickness is that you can throw them into your soup.
What to eat when sick?
When you're sick, doctors advise you consume protein. But a diet heavy in protein requires the balance of fruit and vegetables. For a quick fruit salad, cut up any fruit into bite sized chunks (or use a melon baller if you're feeling fancy) and pour in a can of tinned fruit.
What is the best soup for someone who is sick?
Just about everyone knows chicken soup as one of the best foods for someone ill, but really, any kind of soup can do: beef, vegetable, tomato, hot and sour, chicken noodle. However, if like me, you're all alone, soup is hardly one of the easiest things to make from scratch.
How to make oatmeal for nausea?
Basic oatmeal recipe. 1 cup quick oats or rolled oats (take longer to cook) 3 - 4 cups cold water (more if you like it creamy, less if you like it thick) Place ingredients in a pot.
Can you eat dry toast if you are coeliac?
It is usually recommended that the sick nibble on dry toast to absorb excess stomach acids. Obviously if you're a coeliac, regular wheat based bread is out of the question. Nonetheless, gluten free breads and crackers will offer the same effect.
Is porridge good for a sore throat?
Due to its liquid consistency, it goes down easy for anyone with a sore throat, easily digested and keeps tummies warm longer.
Why do people need to be fed?
Why does a person need help being fed? A person may need to be fed or have help during mealtimes if he has certain health problems. These may include injury or surgery on an arm or hand, blindness, or a stroke.
How to teach a child to eat?
Feeding devices, such as special spoons or a syringe. Feed the person: Sit in a chair close to the person. Tell him what food is on the plate. Describe how it is prepared if he has vision problems. Ask the person which food he wants to eat first.
How to make a kid hungry?
Ask him if he would like to listen to his favorite music. Arrange for a family member or friend to visit with him during his meal. Give him 5 to 6 small meals during the day instead of 3 big meals. Offer him healthy snacks, such as fruit or cheese, if he gets hungry between meals.
How to help a baby sleepy?
Wash the person's hands or help him wash his hands if needed. Help him sit upright as much as possible. If allowed, help him into a chair or raise the head of the bed. Put pillows behind his back for comfort and support. Place items needed for feeding within easy reach: Over-bed table. Meal tray.
How to test how much food a person can swallow?
You may want to test how much the person can swallow by first giving him a small amount of water with a spoon. Put a small amount of food on the tip of the spoon. If he tends to choke, add a little water or other liquid on the spoon. This will help him swallow the food. Allow the person to eat at his own pace.
How to stop a dog from eating?
Allow the person to eat at his own pace. Give him time to chew his food completely. Watch his throat to make sure he has swallowed all of his food. Ask if he is ready for more food before you feed it to him. Stop feeding the person if he tells or shows you he has had enough.
Why does the amount of food a person eat change?
The amount of food a person eats may change if he needs to stay in bed most of the time. He may need to eat smaller meals more often. He may need to eat when he takes certain medicines. He may also need to follow a special diet if he has certain medical conditions.
What foods can help with anemia?
Blood boosters: Anaemia can make people tired, weak and breathless. Prevent it with an iron-rich diet. Lamb, beef and dark poultry meat are great. Vegetarians can get iron from leafy green vegetables like spinach, dried apricots and raisins and fortified breakfast cereals.
What to do if your loved one is struggling to eat?
It’s important to see a doctor or dentist if your loved one is struggling to eat, but while you’re waiting for assessment or treatment try soft foods like stews, soups, ice-cream, custards and yogurt.
What to do when someone isn't eating?
When someone you love isn’t eating it’s easy to fall into the trap of plying them with fast foods and sugary snacks, just to encourage them to eat something. There’s nothing wrong with a little of what you fancy, but too many cakes, biscuits and boiled sweets may satisfy their hunger without providing much nutritional goodness. Instead opt for a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and veg, whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats and dairy to maintain wellbeing and fight off disease:
Why is food important?
Food can be a source of joy as well as providing the fuel our organs and tissues need to survive. As we get older, disease, dementia and depression can suppress the appetite, making it a challenge to finish meals and nourish our bodies.
