When you are unwell, your diet is one of the most critical factors that define how quickly you can recover. It should be one of your top priorities during these rough patches. Through many studies, nutritionists have deducted the best combinations of food to ensure you get all the nutrients you need to get back to 100% as soon as possible.

One method is known as the BRAT method, something heavily researched by the Cleveland Clinic. BRAT is an acronym that stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These foods are especially easy to digest, so even if your digestive system isn’t at its best, nutrients will still be easy to derive from BRAT. Bananas have sugars, fiber, and potassium, Rice has vitamins and minerals, while applesauce has Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and healthy carbohydrates. Finally, there is toast. Toast is better than plain bread for a few reasons. Toasted bread is healthier to digest, helps relieve your nausea, and has a lower glycemic index, which basically means that it won’t raise your blood sugar that much. These four foods combined can help your body spend energy on fixing itself rather than digesting junk food and microplastics.

Next is the most popular choice, chicken noodle soup. Soup in general is extremely beneficial for you, whether you are sick or not. It hydrates you, none of the nutrients are lost, and you can put whatever you want. Chicken noodle soup has a few obvious ingredients, such as chicken and noodles. But other ingredients, such as green beans, corn, onion, celery, and spinach add Vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium, potassium, folate, and iron. Most soups are healthy, and normally very easy to tell whether it is healthy or not. Water and broth-based soups are the healthiest, while cream-based ones tend to be a bit less healthy.

Finally, all spicy foods are beneficial for recovery. As I’ve explained in previous Blogs and Fast Facts, capsaicin is the compound that makes food spicy. Other than the basic benefits of spicy food, such as clearing your nose, making you sweat out toxins, and more, capsaicin is also able to relieve congestion, itching, and surprisingly, pain! Spicy foods may seem to be initially causing the pain, but it numbs your body in many areas and can help in reducing coughing and vomiting. Don’t push yourself too far over your limit and you should be fine.

Eating food is important for any living being, but when you’re unwell, the stakes are higher than ever. Remember to follow these tips and drink lots of water!

Sources:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-foods-to-eat-when-youre-sick/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-best-foods-when-sick
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/photo-stories/does-toasting-the-bread-change-its-nutritional-value/photostory/64745262.cms?picid=64745276