What is your go to soup for when you are not feeling well? For me it is homemade chicken noodle soup! I like to make a big batch after I purchase a rotisserie chicken and add veggies of my choice, garlic and then freeze a few bags so I have it on hand in case I feel like I am getting sick. I do NOT like to cook when under the weather! However, I wanted to share with you other soups and reasons why they would be good for you!
Let’s begin by understanding the difference between a cold and the flu! Although a cold and the flu are both respiratory illnesses with similar symptoms, they are caused by different viruses and vary in severity. The flu is typically more severe, with an abrupt onset of symptoms, while a cold is milder and develops gradually. Both colds and the flu can lead to complications, especially in young children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions. Common to both: runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, and fatigue. More common in colds: Mild fever, Sneezing, and Body aches.
- More common in flu is high fever, Sudden onset of symptoms, Severe body aches and chills, Nausea and vomiting, Headache, Muscle weakness
- More common in colds: Mild fever, Sneezing, and Body aches Colds: Usually lasts 7-10 days. Flu: Can last 1-2 weeks, with symptoms lasting longer in some cases.
Treatment for Both;
Rest, plenty of fluids, and over-the-counter medications (e.g., decongestants, pain relievers) and SOUP!
A warm bowl of soup can be a comforting and hydrating remedy during cold and flu season. Soups that contain specific immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory ingredients are especially beneficial.
Healing Chicken Soup
The classic favorite offers more than comfort.
- Benefits: Chicken contains zinc, which supports the immune system, and the broth provides crucial hydration. A warm, steamy broth can also help clear nasal congestion and soothe a sore throat.
- Immune-boosting add-ins: Enhance your chicken soup by incorporating potent ingredients:
- Garlic: Has natural antiviral and antibacterial properties.
- Ginger: Reduces inflammation.
- Star anise: Contains antiviral compounds.
- Turmeric: Provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
Soothing Ginger Soup
Ginger is a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps with digestion and nausea.
- Ginger and scallion broth: A simple boiled broth with ginger and scallions can help induce a light sweat, which is a traditional remedy for colds.
- Carrot ginger soup: This recipe combines the immune-boosting properties of ginger with the vitamin A from carrots. It can be made with coconut milk for a creamy, soothing texture.
- Nutrient-rich Miso Soup
- Miso, a fermented soybean paste, supports your immune system and digestive health.
- Benefits: Miso soup is an excellent way to replenish electrolytes if you have been sweating from a fever. Fermented foods like miso are also good for the gut microbiome, which affects overall immune function.
- Immune-boosting add-ins:
- Mushrooms (especially shiitake): Known to strengthen the immune system.
- Veggies: Add carrots and leafy greens like bok choy or spinach for a dose of vitamins and nutrients.
- Garlic and ginger: Adding these aromatics further increases the soup’s flu-fighting properties.
Harvest Vegetable Soup
- Hearty vegetable soups are made with a variety of heart-healthy veggies and a whole garden’s worth of herbs. This is a great healthy soup for colds, and healthy food is the best fighter against the fatigue that accompanies illness.
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy and delicious, this is the perfect soup to eat while curled up in bed and recuperating with plenty of fluids, movies or music, and a cozy blanket. But butternut squash also has a secret identity as a superfood-it contains cucurbitacins, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps viruses and bacteria. Plus, butternut squash contains a high amount of vitamin C to give your immune system an extra boost.
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Another good sick day soup is creamy tomato basil. In addition to being a great comfort food on a rainy day, this tomato soup recipe is packed with numerous antioxidants, plant compounds, vitamins, and minerals that, in addition to boosting immunity, promote healthy skin and vision, improve bone health, and may even reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Detoxifying vegetable soups
- A soup packed with vegetables provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to strengthen your body.
- Immune-boosting kale and bean soup: Features vegetables like onion, garlic, and carrots, plus a healthy dose of turmeric for its anti-inflammatory effects.
- Turmeric detox veggie soup: A flavorful vegan soup with ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, carrots, leeks, and bok choy that are known to aid in immune function.
- Anti-inflammatory pureed soups
- For a soothing, easy-to-eat option, pureed soups are an ideal choice, especially for a sore throat.
- Turmeric and ginger roasted carrot soup: Roasting the carrots brings out their natural sweetness, which pairs well with the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric and ginger.
- Carrot, sweet potato, and ginger soup: This flavorful and colorful soup provides a boost of antioxidants and phytonutrients. The ginger is particularly good for soothing a sore throat.
This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional.
