7 Foods Guaranteed to Help You Combat the Flu

Broccoli

Since we’re talking about green veggies, here’s another superfood that fights off the flu: broccoli.

A single cup (91 grams) of broccoli provides you with 70% of your Daily Value for calcium along with iron, manganese, potassium and folate. All of these nutrients are essential as your body is trying to cure the illness – and they may also ease the symptoms as the flu progresses.

You can enjoy broccoli by roasting it or you can steam it to preserve all the nutritional benefits.

Oatmeal

Aside from being one of the most nutritious cereals on the planet, oatmeal also makes the perfect ingredient for a soothing, delicious hot bowl filled with your favorite toppings.

This cereal is an excellent source of vitamin E, which is renowned for boosting the immunity. Furthermore, oatmeal contains plenty of polyphenol antioxidants and beta-glucan fiber, both of which help your body fight off disease.

Not into oatmeal? My delicious oatmeal smoothie recipe right here can help you enjoy its health benefits in a sweet, healthy way!

Foods to avoid

Just as there are so many beneficial foods to consume during the flu, there are also some bad guys that do more harm than good. While you’re struggling with this illness, make sure to avoid the following:

• Although it may cheer you up temporarily, alcohol can lower the immune system and lead to dehydration alarmingly quickly.
• Whether we talk about plain coffee, black tea or soda, all of these beverages can also lead to dehydration as they increase your urination frequency – not to mention their sugar intake.
• Hard/jagged foods. Chips, crackers and other snacks with a hard texture can affect your sore throat even more and might even lead to cough.
• Processed meals. Almost every processed food out there lacks nutrients, which is exactly what you’d need in case of a flu. The healing process takes plenty of energy, vitamins and macronutrients, which is why you need to make up for this deficiency with whole foods.

Overall, staying hydrated and eating nutritious foods are the most important steps to help your body heal and recover from the flu.

Need more health and nutrition tips? Our posts below may help:

• 3 Common Foods That May Give You Heartburn (And Why)
• Got A Fever? Bring It Down at Home with These Remedies
• Aloe Vera Is a Hidden Treasure! Here Are 7 Smart Ways to Use It

Which remedies are you using to treat the flu? Share your health tips in the comment section and we’ll drop a secret trick in return!