{"id":32544,"date":"2022-11-29T21:19:05","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T21:19:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=32544"},"modified":"2023-01-05T18:23:54","modified_gmt":"2023-01-05T18:23:54","slug":"best-soup-when-sick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/best-soup-when-sick\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Soups to Cozy Up with When You\u2019re Sick"},"content":{"rendered":"

Feeling under the weather? Soups are a comforting way to provide your immune system<\/a> with the nutrients it needs to help you heal. An RD shares the best coups to eat when sick.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

When you\u2019re feeling under the weather, a warm bowl of soup is just the thing you need. It\u2019s not just because the warm broth feels cozy and comforting, soup really can give your immune system and boost and deliver several important nutrients into your system. However, many store-bought or restaurant soups have less-than-ideal nutrition labels and ingredients: They\u2019re often high in sodium and added sugars and use unhealthy fats or oils.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Fortunately, it\u2019s easy to whip up a cozy soup in your own kitchen with healthy, healing, whole-food ingredients you can find easily at the store.<\/p>\n\n\n

Read on to learn why soup should be your go-to option when you\u2019re sick, plus our favorite immune-boosting ingredients to toss into your at-home soups. And for those who need to make a comforting bowl of soup ASAP, we included three soup recipes to try when you need a pick-me-up.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Why Is Soup Good for You When You\u2019re Sick?<\/h2>\n\n\n

Soups are an excellent option for nourishing the body when you\u2019re sick. Soups provide hydration, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and macronutrients to help you sustain energy and fight off illness more effectively. Being able to get adequate nutrition while you\u2019re sick is key to healing faster and decreasing the severity of your illness.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

The right combination of ingredients can help soothe your sore throat, keep you properly hydrated, calm your gut, and reduce inflammation<\/a>. Inflammation in the body makes your immune system\u2019s job much more difficult, which is why it\u2019s important to reduce inflammation when you\u2019re sick so you can help your body rid itself of whatever you\u2019re fighting more effectively. By choosing the right ingredients for your soup, you can provide your body with high doses of nutrients that help ward off inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n

Another reason why soup has been a go-to sick day remedy for ages? It also tends to be easier to get down (and keep down) compared to other foods when you\u2019re feeling unwell.<\/p>\n\n\n

Soups are also convenient\u2014you can prepare them with items you likely already have on hand.\u00a0 Think: Broth, vegetables, herbs, garlic, onions, that can of perfectly good black beans you\u2019ve been ignoring at the back of your pantry\u2013and so on. Your produce doesn\u2019t have to be fresh, either. You can use frozen<\/a> or canned veggies and legumes<\/a> and still reap all of the health benefits<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

But the best part about soups is you can get a lot of nutrition into them compared to other foods. Rather than losing vital nutrients in the cooking process, soups retain the nutrients of the ingredients you\u2019re using in a flavorful, warming meal. There is also some data showing that consuming hot foods or beverages<\/a> may help provide relief<\/a> from symptoms like congestion, cough, sneezing, or sore throat\u2014although these may be due to a placebo effect. (Still, we\u2019ll take it!)<\/p>\n\n\n

Plus, ingredients used in soups often contain combinations of vitamins and minerals that function in a complementary way (meaning one nutrient enhances or is needed to facilitate the absorption of the other). For example, vitamin A needs fat to be absorbed well, and coconut milk is a great source of fat. Turmeric is not absorbed well on its own, but add some black pepper, and turmeric\u2019s absorption is increased by a whopping 2,000 percent<\/a>!<\/p>\n\n\n

The Best Immune-Boosting Soup Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n

If you\u2019re wondering what sort of ingredients will specifically help support a healthy immune response when you\u2019re under the weather, look no further. Here are some delicious additions you can include in your next soup-making session.<\/p>\n\n\n

Garlic<\/h3>\n\n\n

A powerful anti-inflammatory, garlic is a staple in soup recipes both for its flavor profile and its many health benefits. One specific compound in garlic called allicin<\/a> has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.<\/p>\n\n\n

Compounds found in garlic can enhance the functioning of the immune system<\/a> by stimulating different types of cells that attack the bugs that make you sick. Consuming garlic regularly can help prevent these illnesses<\/a> from making you sick as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Turmeric<\/h3>\n\n\n

Turmeric is a well-known anti-inflammatory root. It\u2019s a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories\u2014and it can be especially healing for the gut. It may also have some antiviral <\/a>properties<\/a> (perfect for flu season or prepping for holiday travel).<\/p>\n\n\n

Due to its low bioavailability (read: its ability to be absorbed into the body), it\u2019s important to sprinkle some black pepper in when you add turmeric, as this greatly increases its absorption.<\/p>\n\n\n

Ginger<\/h3>\n\n\n

While it\u2019s more widely known for the calming effects it has on your stomach, ginger and turmeric come from the same family of plants and have similar benefits.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Ginger contains several dozen anti-inflammatory compounds<\/a>, all of which help your body fight off illness and chronic disease, especially when it\u2019s consumed regularly over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

This means including ginger in soups could help not only with an upset stomach or nausea but also help keep your immune system strong while you\u2019re fighting illness.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Carrot<\/h3>\n\n\n

You may not be surprised to find carrots on this list (given they\u2019re a staple ingredient in chicken noodle soup). That\u2019s because they are high in vitamin A, which is important for a healthy immune response.<\/p>\n\n\n

They also contain fiber<\/a>, which is needed for a healthy gut. A healthy gut is key to a strong immune response. (And important for a soup-heavy diet, as it will work to keep your system regular.)<\/p>\n\n\n

Bone Broth<\/h3>\n\n\n

Wellness influencers everywhere sing the praises of bone broth, and with good reason. Using bone broth in soups rather than your typical beef, chicken, or vegetable broth is a great way to level them up.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Bone broth made from the bones of beef, chicken, or pork contains a compound called glycine, which helps heal the gut. In fact, it\u2019s one of the most healing items you can add to your soup recipes because it\u2019s rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein\u2014all of which you need to heal.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Celery<\/h3>\n\n\n

Celery used to be somewhat of an unsung hero that simply added its unique flavor to the base of many soup recipes. However, in recent years it has gained more notoriety for its health benefits (hello, celery juice).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

According to a few studies<\/a>, celery is considered a superfood<\/a> due to it being a source of powerful antioxidants<\/a> like vitamin C, flavones, flavonols, beta-carotene, and manganese. These compounds help the body decrease and prevent inflammation that can occur in response to illness\u2014which helps you recover faster.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Our Favorite Soup for When You\u2019re Sick<\/h2>\n\n\n

Want to get in on soup SZN but not sure where to start? Here are three of our favorite soups for when you\u2019re sick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\t\"best\n\t\t\t

Butternut Squash Soup with Turmeric and Sage (GF, DF, Vegan)<\/h2>\n\t\n\t\t\t

This soup is full of many of the ingredients from above and is delicious too! It\u2019s a comforting blend packed full of vitamins, minerals, and compounds to help you heal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\n\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
PREP
15 minutes<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
COOK
45 minutes<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
SERVES
3<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

INGREDIENTS<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t