What to eat when you have the flu – the best and worst foods for helping you beat influenza
THE flu, short for influenza, is different from the common cold but both are respiratory illnesses caused by viruses.
The flu is much worse than a cold, but they share many symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, blocked or sunny nose and a sore throat.
What is the flu?
The flu is an infectious viral illness spread by coughs and sneezes, with symptoms usually appearing three days after infection.
Fever, muscle ache and fatigue all accompany the flu, and while you may get better after a week you may feel tired for longer after that.
Flu symptoms include a sudden fever, diarrhoea or tummy pain, nausea and being sick, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, coughing sore throat and a headache.
What foods should I eat?
You usually have a fever when battling the flu, so it’s important to stay hydrated and drink lots of water to replace any fluids you may lose through sweating.
While your appetite may be suppressed, you should try and take in as many nutrients as possible to help fight the infection.
Calcium and vitamin D are two key supplements you should ensure to take.
Protein is also key in helping your body repair and can boost your immune system.
Adults are recommended to have 50g a day anyway, so ensure you stock up on protein-rich foods such as lean meat, fish, poultry, dairy, pulses, eggs nuts and seeds.
Protein-rich foods are also high in other useful vitamins, such as B6 and B12, which both work towards a healthy immune system.
B6 can also be found in foods such as potatoes, spinach, cereal grains and turkey, while milk, meat and fish are especially high in B12.
A diet with high levels of zinc is encouraged to help fight off infections, with pumpkin seeds, spinach, lamb and beef all good sources.
Soup is a good way to get nutrients into the system quicker, and teas, such as citrus and ginger, can also help.
What food should I avoid?
When you’re sick it is often best to stick to plain foods to avoid upsetting your stomach.
Spicy food may irritate your stomach lining and may make you feel worse, even if you normally enjoy hot foods.
While sweets can be a source of comfort when you’re ill, their high sugar content can actually suppress your immune system, not good when you’re fighting an infection.
Fatty and processed foods often have little nutritional content, and can be harder to digest when compared to sources of protein.
Burgers, chips, kebabs, takeaways and microwave meals may not be the best thing to aid recovery.
Eating these types of food can cause stomach upset if your digestion is already hindered by the flu.
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