What Chinese food is good for when you're sick? A guide to comforting, healing meals

October 25, 2025 •

4 min read

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), congee, or rice porridge, has been used as a healing food for illness since at least 200 AD. This long-standing tradition informs what Chinese food is good for when you're sick, focusing on easily digestible, nourishing, and warm foods to support the body's recovery.

Quick Summary

Warm, easily digestible Chinese dishes like congee, steamed eggs, and chicken soup with ginger are ideal when you are sick. These nutrient-dense foods aid hydration and immune function during recovery.

Key Points

Congee is a staple: This rice porridge is easy to digest, hydrating, and a go-to Chinese remedy for illness.
Soups are key for hydration: Broth-based soups like Chinese chicken or egg drop soup provide essential fluids and nutrients.
Ginger is a hero ingredient: Widely used to combat nausea, reduce inflammation, and alleviate cold symptoms.
Opt for steaming: Cooking methods like steaming, for fish or eggs, are gentle on the digestive system and preserve nutrients.
Avoid heavy, greasy foods: Fried and sugary dishes can be hard to digest and should be avoided during recovery.
TCM principles guide choices: Following traditional Chinese medicine, foods are often selected based on whether symptoms are 'hot' or 'cold'.
Lean protein is important: Chicken or fish provides necessary protein for recovery without adding strain to the body.

Congee: The Ultimate Comfort Food for Illness

Congee, also known as jook in Cantonese, is a rice porridge cooked with a high water-to-rice ratio until it reaches a soft, creamy, and easily digestible consistency. It is a quintessential Chinese sick-day food, celebrated for its ability to soothe the stomach, replenish fluids, and provide sustained energy when a full meal is too taxing on the body. Its simple nature makes it a perfect vessel for adding ingredients that have additional therapeutic benefits.

Some common congee additions when sick include:

Fresh ginger: Adds warmth and helps combat nausea.
Shredded chicken: Provides a boost of protein for muscle recovery without being heavy.
Scallions: Often added as a garnish to help clear congestion.
Dried shiitake mushrooms: Offer extra vitamins, minerals, and a savory, umami flavor.
White pepper and sesame oil: Used for seasoning to stimulate appetite.

Nutrient-Rich Soups for Recovery

Beyond congee, a variety of Chinese soups offer warmth and nourishment that can be particularly beneficial when you're unwell. Broth-based soups are excellent for maintaining hydration and can be packed with immune-boosting ingredients.

Chinese Chicken Soup (Jinqian Ji)

More than just a comfort food, traditional Chinese chicken soup is simmered with medicinal herbs and ingredients to create a potent healing broth. This version often includes ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties, dates for vitamins, and white fungus to soothe respiratory issues. The lean protein from the chicken supports the body's immune system, while the warm broth helps soothe a sore throat and clear congestion.

Egg Drop Soup and Hot and Sour Soup

For a lighter option, egg drop soup is a low-calorie, high-protein broth made with ribbons of cooked egg. It is extremely gentle on the stomach and easy to eat when you have a sore throat. Hot and sour soup, containing ingredients like ginger, tofu, and mushrooms, can help with congestion due to its warming, spicy properties. However, the hot and sour flavors might be too strong for a very sensitive stomach.

Steamed Dishes for Gentle Digestion

Steaming is a primary cooking method in Chinese cuisine that requires little oil, making it an excellent choice for a delicate digestive system. Steamed dishes retain more nutrients and are easier for the body to process.

Steamed Egg Custard (Jī Dàn Gēng)

This silky, savory custard is made from a simple mixture of eggs and water. Its pudding-like texture makes it incredibly easy to swallow and digest, especially when dealing with nausea or loss of appetite. Steamed egg custard provides a good dose of protein and can be flavored mildly with scallions or a drop of sesame oil.

Steamed Fish with Ginger

For a more substantial, yet still gentle, meal, steamed fish is a great option. Fish is a source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and when steamed with ginger and scallions, it is flavorful without being greasy. The steaming process ensures the fish stays moist and tender, and the ginger provides anti-inflammatory benefits.

Comparison of Chinese Sick-Day Foods


Dish	Best For	Key Ingredients	Benefits
Congee (Rice Porridge)	Upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss	Rice, water/broth, ginger, scallions, chicken	Highly digestible, hydrating, gentle on the stomach
Chinese Chicken Soup	Cold, flu, respiratory illness	Chicken, ginger, dates, herbs, broth	Boosts immunity, soothes throat, fights viruses
Egg Drop Soup	Sore throat, general unwellness	Eggs, chicken broth, scallions	Soft texture, high protein, low calorie
Steamed Egg Custard	Nausea, vomiting, sensitive stomach	Eggs, warm water, salt	Silky smooth, high protein, extremely gentle
Steamed Fish with Ginger	Recovery, need for lean protein	Fish, ginger, scallions, soy sauce	Lean protein, anti-inflammatory, low-fat

What to Avoid When Sick

Just as important as knowing what to eat is knowing what to avoid. Heavy, greasy, and rich foods can be difficult to digest and may worsen symptoms like nausea. It is best to steer clear of fried foods, excessively sugary sauces, and dairy products, especially if you are experiencing a cold with mucus. Stick to simple, warm, and easily digestible meals to support your body’s recovery process.

Conclusion: Nourishment for a Faster Recovery

When you are sick, the right food can be a powerful tool for recovery. Chinese cuisine offers a rich tradition of medicinal and comforting dishes that are perfectly suited for nursing yourself back to health. By focusing on simple, warm, and easy-to-digest options like congee, broth-based soups, and steamed dishes, you can provide your body with the hydration, nutrients, and immune-boosting power it needs. Always listen to your body and choose foods that are most appealing and soothing to you during your illness. For more on the health benefits of Chinese cuisine, visit Nutrisense's guide to healthy dishes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Congee is a warm, watery rice porridge that is a staple Chinese comfort food for illness. It is easy to digest, provides hydration, and can be customized with healing ingredients like ginger, making it a very nourishing option for a sensitive stomach.

Broth-based soups like egg drop soup are soothing for a sore throat due to their soft texture and gentle warmth. Hot and sour soup, with ingredients like ginger, can also be beneficial by helping to clear congestion, though it should be avoided if very spicy foods irritate your throat.

No, it's best to avoid fried Chinese foods like spring rolls or General Tso's chicken when you are sick. These heavy and greasy foods can be difficult to digest and may aggravate symptoms like nausea or an upset stomach.

Ginger is a common ingredient in Chinese cooking that has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. It can help reduce nausea, soothe a sore throat, aid digestion, and may reduce cold and flu symptoms.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it depends on the type of fever. For 'wind-heat' fevers (with a sore throat and thirst), cooling foods like citrus are recommended. It's generally best to stick with light, warm fluids and avoid heavy, greasy foods.

Steamed dishes, such as steamed fish or vegetables, are a great choice when sick because the cooking method requires little to no oil. This makes them less greasy and easier for the digestive system to process, while still providing essential nutrients and protein.

Plain congee is the top recommendation for an upset stomach due to its extremely mild flavor and easy digestibility. For flavor and added benefits, you can add a few slices of fresh ginger.