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Fight the flu with nutrient dense foods

Tara Stark
By Tara Stark
January 11th, 2010

Many vitamins and minerals play a role in the body’s immune response, so eating a varied nutrient dense diet can be a good line of defense against getting sick. But what should you eat if you get the flu? Most of the time, people’s appetite lessens when they have a flu, especially if they experience fever and nausea. This may be where the expression “feed a cold and starve a fever” came from.

According to the researchers at Dietitians of Canada, starving a fever isn’t the best advice. A fever is produced by our own immune system in order to fight off a viral infection and there is no evidence that “starving a fever” by eating less food reduces a fever.

The immune system needs vitamins and minerals to work its best. If we stop eating, the immune system doesn’t work as well. Try eating smaller meals and snacks more often when you are down with a flu. Things like broth based soups, whole grain toast and smoothies can be soothing and provide some good nutrients. Fluids are also important, especially if the body is heating up with a fever. Try some one hundred percent juice mixed with soda water or a small amount of ginger ale. Drink plenty of herbal teas, hot water with lemon or plain water.

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