What you eat when you’re sick depends on your symptoms. For example, if you experience diarrhea and vomiting, a light diet (including bread, cooked vegetables, eggs, and soup) may be ideal in the short term. Conversely, high-fiber foods like fruits and whole grains can help relieve constipation.
If you’re sick, it’s also important to know which foods may prolong or worsen your symptoms. Read on to find out which foods can relieve your symptoms and which foods you should avoid.
1. Roast Chicken or Skinless Turkey
If you have diarrhea or an upset stomach, you may not have an appetite. Don’t fast, try to eat bland foods like lean meat. Your body digests bland foods easily, so they don’t irritate your stomach. For example, try eating a small amount of grilled chicken or skinless turkey.
2. Legumes
When you drink enough fluids, high-fiber foods can help relieve constipation by softening stools. Legumes, including black beans, kidney beans, and soybeans, are sources of fiber.
Dried beans are also a source of magnesium, which helps relieve body and muscle pain. Some evidence suggests that magnesium can reduce inflammation, which often causes pain when an infection occurs.
3. Cereals and Oatmeal
If you have constipation, choose whole-grain oatmeal and bran cereal. These grains contain fiber, which helps regulate bowel movements. Just remember to drink plenty of fluids while eating high-fiber foods like oatmeal. Fluids can help relieve constipation by making stool easier to pass. For example, prune juice is a high-fiber drink that helps soften stools.
4. Coffee, Tea, and Water
Some evidence suggests that small doses of caffeine may relieve some migraines but trigger others. A review published in 2020 found that there was not enough evidence to show whether caffeine could treat migraines. Researchers recommend not drinking more than 200 milligrams (mg) of alcohol per day, which is two cups of coffee.
For other ailments, choose tea over coffee. If you have a runny nose, drinking warm green tea may not slow down the drips, but a soothing tea may help you feel better. Ginger tea soothes an upset stomach. Ginger contains anti-inflammatory properties that can relieve nausea.
Although it is not food, if you are losing a lot of fluids due to diarrhea or vomiting, remember to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Drinking water also prevents the throat from drying out, which can worsen the pain. Experts recommend drinking eight to ten glasses of fluids a day, mostly water. Your fluid needs may depend on your activity level, environment, health and weight.
5. Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are part of a light diet, so you may be able to tolerate them if you experience diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Remember to eat more often and less than usual. Chewing eggs slowly can help reduce pressure on your stomach. Hard-boiled eggs are also soft and may be prone to sore throats.
6. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are a source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help reduce inflammation, which is a sign that your body is moving away from infections like a cold or flu. One of the most common symptoms of inflammation is pain, such as body aches or earache. Some evidence suggests that omega-3s can also relieve skin problems, such as itching, which can be an allergy symptom.
Fatty fish include:
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Salmon
- Sardine
- Tuna
If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s recommended that you consume 8 to 12 ounces of fish per week and choose fish that is lower in mercury.
7. Fruits and Vegetables
Some fruits and cooked vegetables can easily cause stomach upset. For example, applesauce, bananas, and potatoes provide essential nutrients that may be lost in case of diarrhea or vomiting. Applesauce is a source of potassium and vitamin C, but contains less fiber than apples with skin. Bananas and potatoes also contain potassium. If you have a sore throat, baked potatoes or mashed potatoes are also soft enough to eat.
If you experience diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting, be wary of certain fiber-rich fruits. Apples, especially apples, berries, pears, and plums with skin, are better suited for treating constipation.
An in vitro study published in 2018 (in the laboratory rather than in humans) found that polyphenols, or plant compounds, in leafy greens could reduce the inflammation that causes pain when sick. Leafy greens include arugula, beets, kale, and kale.
8. Golden Milk
Golden milk is a traditional hot drink in India made from turmeric (a spice) and milk that may help reduce cold and flu symptoms. The infection can irritate and inflame the blood vessels in the nose, causing difficulty breathing. Warm drinks such as golden milk can relieve nasal congestion. People also traditionally drink golden milk to relieve sore throats and reduce fever.
Studies have found that curcumin has antioxidant properties that can fight infection-causing bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Curcumin is a pigment that gives turmeric its bright yellow-orange color. Research the brand of turmeric powder you choose, as some turmeric powders are found to be high in lead globally.
9. Hard Candies or Lozenges
If you have a sore throat, certain foods can cover your throat and relieve the pain. Try keeping your throat moist with hard candy or lozenges. For example, hard candies made with ginger may help reduce cold symptoms, including a sore throat.
10. Low-Fat or Fat-Free Yogurt
Yogurt is a source of probiotics or bacteria that support gut health. Probiotics may relieve diarrhea a day faster than other treatments.
If you have diarrhea or an upset stomach, choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products, including yogurt. If your body is not able to digest lactose, Greek yogurt can be an alternative to traditional yogurt.
11. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are rich in fiber, which helps relieve and prevent constipation. Chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts are also sources of omega-3s, which can help reduce inflammation if you have body aches, earaches, or itching.
12. Popsicles
If you’re losing a lot of fluid due to diarrhea or vomiting, it’s crucial to prevent dehydration. Eating watery foods, such as popsicles, can help keep you hydrated. Choose popsicles that don’t contain fruit chunks, pulp, or yogurt.
13. Refined White Flour
Feeling nauseous can make all foods sound unappealing, but the right foods can relieve symptoms by calming stomach acid. For example, bread, biscuits, and pasta made with fine white flour can soothe an upset stomach. White rice is low in fiber, mild in taste, high in starch, and easy to digest.
White rice and toast are part of the BRAT diet, which also includes bananas and applesauce. Experts have previously suggested that following a BRAT diet can help treat diarrhea and stomach upset. Studies have found that long-term use of the BRAT diet can be harmful because it lacks essential nutrients such as fiber, protein, minerals, and vitamins.
Instead, make sure you’re eating balanced, healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins by making short-term adjustments to your BRAT diet. For example, try pairing toast with foods that won’t irritate your stomach, such as clear broth or consommé, oatmeal, or crackers.
14. Soup
If you have diarrhea or vomiting, broth and clear soup can help you stay hydrated. The sodium in salted broths and soups balances fluid levels.
You can relieve your earache with foods that relieve congestion, which is usually caused by an upper respiratory infection. Clear broth and chicken broth help dissolve mucus in the nasal passages. If you have a sore throat, soft cream soup is also acceptable.
15. Tofu
If you follow a plant-based diet, tofu is part of a light diet and can be used as an alternative to grilled chicken or turkey and fatty fish. Tofu has a soft texture and is easy to digest if not cooked with spices.
Foods to Avoid
Some foods can help relieve some of the symptoms when you’re sick, but they can trigger or worsen others. For example, high-fiber foods can help treat constipation but may worsen diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting and vice versa.
Knowing which foods to avoid when you’re sick can help you feel better. You may want to avoid the following foods to help shorten the recovery process:
- Body aches: Drinks that dehydrate the body, especially alcohol and caffeine, can exacerbate body pain. Processed foods may exacerbate inflammation.
- Diarrhea: Sugar-free candy, chewing gum and other products that contain sorbitol or other sugar alcohols may trigger or worsen diarrhea in some people. Your body is less able to absorb sugar alcohols, which may lead to laxative effects.
- Headaches and migraines: Aged cheese containing tyramine may increase blood pressure, which can trigger migraines. Your body metabolizes MSG, which is commonly found in sauces and soy sauces, to glutamate. This excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain may worsen headaches. Other foods to avoid include lots of caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and red wine.
- Runny nose: Dairy products may thicken phlegm and trigger mucus production. Spicy foods and sugar may cause a runny nose immediately.
- Sore throat: Avoid hard, coarse foods like cereal, nuts, and potato chips, which can irritate a sore throat. The acidic juices in many fruits and vegetables, along with their juices and lemonades, may also aggravate sore throats.
- Upset stomach: Caffeine, full-fat dairy products, and fried and greasy foods may worsen nausea and increase diarrhea if you’re not feeling well.
