When feeling unwell, preparing food is often overwhelming, making delivery a practical necessity. Nutrition during illness shifts from complex, balanced meals to gentle sustenance that supports recovery. Selecting easy-to-order items that are soothing and easy to digest ensures your body receives necessary energy and nutrients without causing further distress. This careful selection helps manage symptoms and promotes comfort while you rest.
Prioritizing Hydration and Electrolytes
Maintaining fluid balance is important for recovery, as fever, sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea can rapidly deplete the body’s water stores. Fluid replenishment is a priority because dehydration can exacerbate symptoms and slow the immune response.
Clear broths, such as chicken or vegetable, deliver fluid and sodium, a key electrolyte lost during illness. Low-sugar electrolyte solutions are also readily available to restore the balance of sodium, potassium, and chloride, which are essential for proper nerve and muscle function.
Warm beverages provide comfort and help soothe irritated mucous membranes. Herbal teas like ginger or peppermint can ease mild nausea. Sip fluids frequently in small amounts rather than consuming large quantities at once, especially if you feel nauseous.
Foods for Respiratory Symptoms
When dealing with congestion or a sore throat, warm, easily swallowed foods are best. Chicken soup is a classic choice; its warmth helps loosen thick mucus. The ingredients in chicken soup have also been shown to possess mild anti-inflammatory properties.
For a scratchy throat or persistent cough, honey is a natural demulcent that coats the throat, providing temporary relief. Honey can be stirred into a warm beverage like herbal tea. Adding spices such as ginger or cayenne pepper to broth-based soup can help open nasal passages by temporarily thinning mucus.
When appetite is low, focus on energy-dense, soft foods that require minimal effort. Plain mashed potatoes offer easily digestible carbohydrates for energy. Smoothies made with soft fruits like bananas can provide vitamins and hydration without irritating a sore throat.
Foods for Digestive Upset
If symptoms involve the digestive system, such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea, focus on bland, low-fiber options. The goal is to minimize stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract to allow it to rest and recover.
The BRAT diet components—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast—are the foundation of this approach. Bananas provide potassium, an electrolyte often lost with diarrhea. Plain white rice and dry toast are low-residue carbohydrates that are gentle on the stomach and may help bind loose stools.
Applesauce contains pectin, a soluble fiber that absorbs excess fluid in the gut. Simple, cooked starches like plain oatmeal or boiled potatoes are also excellent choices for gentle energy. Consume these bland foods in small, frequent amounts to prevent overloading a sensitive stomach.
Items to Avoid When Feeling Sick
Certain foods and drinks can actively hinder recovery by increasing inflammation or worsening dehydration, and these should be avoided. High-fat or greasy foods, such as fried items or fatty cuts of meat, should be skipped. Fat takes longer to digest, which can exacerbate nausea and may trigger acid reflux or diarrhea.
Highly sugary items, including sodas, fruit juices, and refined sweets, are problematic. Excess sugar can draw fluid into the intestines, potentially worsening diarrhea, and may temporarily suppress immune function. High-caffeine beverages like strong coffee increase fluid loss, accelerating dehydration.
Dairy can temporarily thicken mucus, making congestion feel worse for some people with respiratory symptoms. Highly acidic foods, such as citrus juices, can also irritate an already sore throat. Alcohol must be avoided completely as it acts as a diuretic, further contributing to dehydration.