What food is best for feeling sick? A guide to nourishing your body back to health

October 16, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Canadian Digestive Health Foundation, dehydration is a significant risk during illness due to symptoms like fever and vomiting. Knowing what food is best for feeling sick is crucial for replenishing fluids, electrolytes, and vital nutrients to support your body’s recovery and get you back on your feet.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines effective foods and drinks for different illness symptoms, from upset stomach and nausea to sore throat and congestion, while emphasizing the importance of hydration and foods to avoid during sickness.

Key Points

Prioritize Hydration: Replenish fluids and electrolytes lost from fever or vomiting with broths, herbal teas, and plain water.
Embrace Bland Foods for Nausea: Stick to bland foods like bananas, rice, and toast (the BRAT diet) to settle an upset stomach and provide gentle nourishment.
Soothe with Warm Liquids: Hot teas with honey and warm soups can help relieve a sore throat and loosen congestion.
Boost Immunity with Nutrients: Choose nutrient-dense foods rich in Vitamin C, Zinc, and probiotics, such as yogurt, berries, and lean proteins, to support your immune system.
Avoid Irritants: Steer clear of greasy, spicy, or excessively sugary foods and drinks like alcohol and caffeine that can worsen symptoms and cause digestive discomfort.
Listen to Your Body: When you have little appetite, eat what you can tolerate in small, frequent portions. It's better to eat something than nothing at all.
Consult a Professional: For persistent symptoms, severe dehydration, or chronic illness, consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

The Importance of Nutrition When You're Sick

When your body is fighting an illness, it requires more energy and nutrients to fuel the immune response. A balanced, thoughtful approach to diet can significantly aid the recovery process. While a decreased appetite is common, ignoring nutritional needs can prolong your sickness. The right foods can soothe symptoms, prevent dehydration, and provide the building blocks your body needs to heal effectively. Focus on easily digestible, nutrient-dense options and prioritize staying hydrated above all else.

Hydration: The Foundation of Recovery

One of the most critical aspects of recovery is maintaining proper hydration, especially if you have a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. These conditions can rapidly deplete your body of fluids and electrolytes. The best fluids are those that replenish these lost stores without adding excess sugar or caffeine.

Water: The simplest and most effective way to stay hydrated. Sip regularly throughout the day.
Broths (Chicken or Vegetable): Excellent for providing fluids and electrolytes. Warm broths also offer a natural decongestant effect.
Coconut Water: Rich in electrolytes, making it a great choice for rehydration, especially with fever or vomiting.
Herbal Teas: Chamomile, peppermint, and ginger teas can be soothing. Adding a spoonful of honey can help a sore throat, but remember not to give honey to infants under 12 months.
Electrolyte Drinks: Commercial electrolyte solutions or sports drinks can be helpful for replacing lost salts and minerals, but be mindful of high sugar content.

Soothing an Upset Stomach and Nausea

When nausea and stomach upset strike, bland, gentle foods are your best allies. The goal is to provide some sustenance without irritating your sensitive digestive system. The well-known BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) is a solid starting point for short-term recovery, though it lacks complete nutrition for extended periods.

Ginger: Known for its anti-nausea effects, ginger can be consumed as tea, ginger ale (with real ginger), or in candies.
Bland Carbohydrates: Saltine crackers, plain toast, and white rice are easy to digest and can help absorb stomach acid.
Bananas: Soft, bland, and a good source of potassium to replenish lost electrolytes.
Applesauce: Easy to digest and contains pectin, which can help with diarrhea.
Plain Yogurt: Look for options with live and active cultures (probiotics) to support gut health.
Mashed Potatoes: Plain mashed potatoes are soft, easy to eat, and offer comforting calories.

Easing a Sore Throat and Congestion

For respiratory illnesses, focusing on foods that are gentle on the throat and can help clear nasal passages is key.

Warm Soups and Broths: The warmth is soothing, and the steam can help loosen mucus.
Honey: As mentioned, mixing honey into warm tea or water can coat the throat and reduce coughing.
Soft and Moist Foods: Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, and cooked vegetables are easy to swallow without causing irritation.
Ice Pops and Gelatin: The cold can help numb a sore throat and provide hydration.
Spicy Foods (with caution): For some, chili peppers containing capsaicin can help clear congestion, but they should be avoided if you have an upset stomach.

Foods to Support Immune Function

While sick, your body is working hard, so providing it with immune-supporting nutrients is crucial.

Fruits and Vegetables: A wide variety of colorful produce provides antioxidants, including Vitamin C and carotenoids, which support immune cell function. Examples include berries, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes.
Lean Protein: Foods like skinless chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs provide the protein needed to build and repair body tissues and produce antibodies.
Garlic: Known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic can be added to soups or other dishes.
Probiotics: In addition to yogurt, fermented foods like kefir can support gut health, where a large portion of the immune system resides.

A Comparison of Foods for Different Symptoms


Symptom	Best Foods & Liquids	Worst Foods & Liquids
Nausea / Upset Stomach	Bland carbs (crackers, toast), ginger, bananas, broths, plain yogurt, cold liquids	Greasy, fried, spicy, or fatty foods, strong-smelling foods, acidic citrus fruits, high sugar, caffeine
Sore Throat / Cough	Warm teas with honey, soft foods (soups, mashed potatoes, oatmeal), popsicles, ice cream, herbal tea	Crunchy or hard foods (chips, nuts), acidic fruits (oranges, tomatoes for some), spicy foods
Fever / Dehydration	Water, broths, coconut water, electrolyte drinks, high-water content fruit (melon, berries)	Caffeinated beverages, alcohol, sugary drinks
Congestion	Hot tea, chicken soup, warm broths, spicy foods (use with caution), pineapple	Dairy products (can thicken mucus for some)

Foods and Drinks to Avoid When Sick

Just as certain foods help, others can hinder your recovery. To avoid worsening symptoms and prolonging your illness, it's wise to limit or eliminate the following from your diet while sick:

Greasy and Fried Foods: These are difficult to digest and can aggravate an upset stomach.
Excessively Sugary Foods and Drinks: High sugar intake can cause inflammation and potentially suppress the immune system.
Alcohol and Caffeine: Both are diuretics that contribute to dehydration, which is the opposite of what your body needs.
Spicy Foods: While they can help congestion, they can also upset a sensitive stomach.
High-Fiber Foods (for stomach bugs): Foods like whole grains and raw vegetables can be hard to digest during the initial stages of a stomach bug.

Consult your doctor for specific advice and if symptoms persist. More information on managing symptoms can be found at health resources like the Mayo Clinic Health System.

Conclusion

Making conscious dietary choices when feeling sick is a simple yet powerful way to support your body's healing process. The right nourishment, from hydrating broths to soothing ginger and nutrient-rich fruits, can directly impact your recovery speed and comfort. By prioritizing bland, easy-to-digest foods and avoiding irritating options, you can help your immune system do its job more efficiently and get back to feeling your best as quickly as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. While its bland, easily digestible foods can help with initial bouts of diarrhea and nausea, it is not recommended for prolonged use as it lacks sufficient nutrients. It is best used for a day or two before gradually reintroducing other foods.

Spicy foods, particularly those containing capsaicin like chili peppers, can help clear nasal passages for some people. However, they can also irritate an upset stomach or worsen a sore throat, so it is important to proceed with caution.

Illness can lead to dehydration through fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature, flush out toxins, and thins mucus, which can relieve congestion. Fluids like water, broths, and electrolyte drinks are essential for recovery.

Dairy is generally okay, but some individuals find it can thicken mucus and worsen congestion, especially with respiratory illnesses. If you notice this effect, try alternatives like almond or oat milk. Plain yogurt with live cultures is often tolerated well and can be beneficial for gut health.

To support your immune system, focus on foods rich in Vitamin C (citrus fruits, berries), Zinc (lean meats, nuts), and probiotics (yogurt, kefir). Lean protein from chicken or fish also provides essential building blocks for immune cells.

It depends on the symptom. Warm liquids like tea and soup are excellent for soothing a sore throat and clearing congestion. However, if you are nauseous, some find that cold foods like ice pops, yogurt, or gelatin are easier to tolerate due to less strong odors.

Sugary drinks can worsen inflammation and may suppress immune function. While they may offer a temporary energy boost, it is more beneficial to opt for low-sugar electrolyte drinks or natural sources of fluids to support your body's healing process.