When you’re feeling sick, the right foods can ease symptoms, keep you hydrated, and help your body recover faster. What you should reach for depends on what’s bothering you, whether that’s nausea, a sore throat, congestion, or a general lack of appetite. The common thread: simple, easy-to-digest foods in small amounts, with plenty of fluids.
If You’re Nauseous or Have an Upset Stomach
You’ve probably heard of the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It’s a fine starting point for the first day or two of a stomach bug, food poisoning, or traveler’s diarrhea. But there’s no reason to limit yourself to just those four foods. Brothy soups, oatmeal, boiled potatoes, crackers, and plain dry cereal are equally gentle on your stomach. The goal is bland, low-fat foods that won’t trigger more nausea or cramping.
Once your stomach starts to settle, add back more nutritious options: cooked squash, carrots, skinless chicken or turkey, fish, eggs, and avocado. These are still easy to digest but give your body the protein and nutrients it needs to actually recover. Sticking with only bananas and toast for days on end can leave you short on calories and key vitamins right when your body needs them most.
Ginger is one of the most effective natural remedies for nausea. Its active compounds, gingerols and shogaols, work directly on the digestive tract. Clinical studies on pregnancy-related nausea typically use about 1,000 mg per day (roughly a half-teaspoon of ground ginger), and the FDA considers up to 4 grams daily to be safe. You don’t need supplements to get this benefit. Ginger tea, ginger chews, or even flat ginger ale with real ginger can help take the edge off.
Peppermint is another option worth trying, especially if bloating or cramping is part of your discomfort. Peppermint relaxes the smooth muscle in your digestive tract by blocking calcium channels in muscle cells, which reduces spasms and slows overactive contractions. A cup of peppermint tea after eating can ease that tight, overfull feeling even when you’ve barely eaten anything.
If You Have a Cold or the Flu
Chicken soup really does help, and not just because it’s comforting. Lab research has shown that chicken soup inhibits the movement of certain white blood cells that drive inflammation in your upper airways. That anti-inflammatory effect can reduce the congestion, stuffiness, and sore throat that come with a respiratory infection. Both the chicken and the vegetables in the soup contributed to this effect individually, so homemade versions with plenty of vegetables may offer the most benefit.
Beyond soup, focus on foods that are warm, soft, and easy to eat when your energy is low. Scrambled eggs, mashed sweet potatoes, and oatmeal with honey all fit the bill. If your appetite has disappeared entirely, even just sipping on warm broth gives you fluid, sodium, and a small amount of protein.
One thing you don’t need to worry about: dairy. The idea that milk increases mucus production during a cold is a persistent myth, but clinical evidence doesn’t support it. When milk mixes with saliva, it creates a slightly thick coating in the mouth and throat that some people mistake for extra phlegm. Studies, including ones in children with asthma (who are often told to avoid milk when sick), found no difference in mucus or respiratory symptoms between dairy milk and soy milk. If yogurt or a glass of milk sounds good to you, go ahead.
If Your Throat Hurts
Honey is surprisingly effective for soothing a sore throat and calming a cough. In a clinical trial comparing honey to a common over-the-counter cough suppressant in children, honey performed just as well for reducing cough frequency and improving sleep. The cough suppressant, notably, didn’t outperform no treatment at all, while honey did. About two teaspoons (10 mL) before bed is the amount used in the study. Stir it into warm water or tea, or take it straight.
Cold or soft foods can also help numb throat pain. Smoothies, frozen fruit bars, applesauce, and mashed bananas all go down easily without irritating inflamed tissue. Avoid anything crunchy, acidic, or spicy until the soreness fades.
Staying Hydrated When You’re Sick
Dehydration is one of the biggest risks when you’re not feeling well, especially with vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. Water alone isn’t always enough because your body loses electrolytes (sodium and potassium) along with fluid. The key to rehydration is the right balance of sodium and glucose, which work together to pull water into your intestinal cells. Research on oral rehydration solutions has found that the optimal sodium-to-glucose ratio is around 0.73, with sodium in the range of 45 to 60 milliequivalents per liter and glucose between 80 and 110 millimoles per liter.
You don’t need to do that math yourself. Drinks like Pedialyte and similar electrolyte solutions are formulated to hit these targets. Coconut water, diluted fruit juice with a pinch of salt, or clear broth also work well. Sports drinks are an option but tend to contain more sugar than is ideal for absorption. Sip steadily throughout the day rather than trying to drink large amounts at once, which can trigger more nausea.
Eating When You Have No Appetite
Illness often kills your appetite entirely. Forcing yourself to eat a full meal will likely make you feel worse. Instead, aim for five or six very small meals or snacks throughout the day. Even a few bites every couple of hours keeps your blood sugar stable and gives your body something to work with. When symptoms are at their worst, liquids count: broth, smoothies, and diluted juice all provide calories and nutrients without requiring much effort from your digestive system.
As your appetite starts to return, ease back into solid food gradually. Start with soft, bland options and work your way toward your normal diet over a couple of days. There’s no rush. Pushing too much food too fast, especially fatty or heavily seasoned meals, can send you right back to square one.
Restoring Your Gut After Illness
If you’ve had a stomach bug or taken antibiotics, your gut bacteria take a hit. Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt with live active cultures, kefir, and fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, miso) can help repopulate your digestive tract. The two probiotic strains with the strongest evidence for preventing antibiotic-related diarrhea are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Saccharomyces boulardii. In studies of children taking antibiotics, those who also received one of these probiotics developed diarrhea at less than half the rate of those who didn’t.
Look for yogurts or supplements that list specific strain names on the label, not just “contains live cultures.” Generic probiotics may or may not contain the strains that have actually been tested. Starting probiotics alongside antibiotics, rather than waiting until after you finish the course, appears to offer the most protection.