Five Foods That Fight the Flu
Influenza is a common disorder that is highly contagious. The flu occurs when a virus enters your respiratory systemand affects you for roughly two weeks.
Influenza is a common disorder that is highly contagious. The flu occurs when a virus enters your respiratory systemand affects you for roughly two weeks. Proper nutrition during a bout with the flu can help to limit the severity and duration of the illness, which helps to prevent the flu from escalating into pneumonia. Around 35,000 people die yearly from the flu, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Fruit
Eating fruits during a bout of the flu helps your body stay hydrated, which is important as the flu often causes fever and dehydration. An orange, loaded with vitamin C, is a helpful fruit to eat while fighting the flu. Vitamin C helps strengthen your immune system to ward off viruses, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Peanut Butter
Foods that contain zinc help to boost the performance of your immune system. Peanut butter contains zinc, notes Meals Matter. When you're ill and don't feel like cooking, peanut butter is an easy option. Spread it on bread, crackers or fruit. Eating peanut butter during the flu will help your body start to recover from the infection.
Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is also helpful to eat when you have the flu, notes researchers at the University of Nebraska medical Center. They found that chicken soup had anti-inflammatory properties and that the combined ingredients in the soup showed medicinal activity against colds and flu. Chicken soup will help keep the throat moist and will help flush out the mucus that causes congestion in the respiratory system during the flu. Home-made chicken soup is healthier than commercial canned soups that contain too much salt. Cooking some chicken soup and freezing it before flu and cold season arrives helps you be prepared to eat nutritiously, even when feeling ill.
Yogurt
Yogurt is a helpful food when the flu strikes. The probiotics in yogurt help your immune perform optimally. The yogurt label should say it contains "live active culture," notes Meals Matter. Yogurt is easy to eat even experiencing flu symptoms. If you add some pureed fruit to the yogurt you will add some vitamin C to the meal.
Garlic
Garlic helps your body to quell infections. Thus is it a helpful food to eat while sick with the flu. Flatten the garlic cloves to release the juice. Then add the garlic to soup, salad, or spread it on toast. You may also wish to roast a head of garlic wrapped in a piece to tin foil for a half hour to create a soft spread to place on bread.