Feb 20, 2014 3 min read

Last week I missed writing my article due to the flu, so this week I decided I would write about foods that serve a purpose to helping your symptoms and getting you on the road to recovery.

A few of the basics that everyone loves would be chicken noodle soup, hot tea with honey or even popsicles. But did you know these foods actually help your body rebuild due to their ingredients and not just because they taste good?

For instance, most people eat popsicles because they soothe a sore throat. But they actually do more than that. They help keep you hydrated which can thin mucus and relieve congestion. Be sure to look for the 100 percent juice popsicles with low sugar.

Chicken soup is the most popular. Most people think the veggies and warm broth are what help your symptoms, but studies have found that it has mild anti-inflammatory effects as well as the ability to improve cilia, the tiny hair like parts of the nasal passage that protect the body from bacteria and viruses.

Different teas like oolong, green and black tea offer disease-fighting antioxidants, and the steam can help loosen mucus, and by adding honey and lemon, tea aids in soothing a sore throat.

Try giving fresh ginger a try in your tea. Ginger can help with nausea or a stomach ache. It can also help with inflammation.

Some fruits like berries can also provide antioxidants as well as carbs for energy. Bananas are great as well. They are easy on the stomach for nausea or diarrhea symptoms. Bananas, rice, toast and applesauce are what most doctors recommend when recovering from a stomach flu. Supplemental drinks are great for restoring nutrients, but I would look for lactose free drinks. They are easier on your stomach.

Next are oily fish like salmon, tuna and mackerel, which are all high in Omega 3 fatty acids and can lower inflammation. Studies have been run on garlic consumption and found that people got colds less often with regular garlic consumption versus those who had very little. Fennel and anise seeds are natural expectorants and can help clear chest congestion and sooth coughs.

Last, but not least, are your citrus fruits which are loaded with Vitamin C. It has been found that loading up on Vitamin C when symptoms start to appear can reduce a cold duration by 24-36 hours.

I hope everyone learned some new foods to try when they are ill.

As delicious as chicken noodle soup is, it can get boring really quick.

So keep a variety of these foods on hand when symptoms start to appear.

Eric Durst is the executive chef of The Firehouse Restaurant & Pub in Dunbar Township.