From khichdi to rasam, there are a number of dishes Indian households keep handy when someone comes down with the flu. With specific kinds of food bringing relief for different flu symptoms, make sure you choose the right recipe to make recovery easier.

Get Enough Proteins To Maintain Energy

Dealing with fatigue is a common problem with the flu. Eating protein-rich foods ensures that you stay strong and produce enough antibodies necessary for dealing with the flu virus. You can drink chicken soup, or try Kashmiri mutton shorba (flavoured with whole spices, garam masala, garlic, ginger, and saunf). Vegetarians can eat osaman, a watery dal with jaggery, kokum, tempered with hing, mustard, curry leaf, cumin, and sliced mooli. Nuts and seeds are another option to look at as well.

Drink Fluids To Stay Hydrated

Dehydration is a common symptom of the flu. It needs to be treated so that the body can continue filtering out harmful substances. Furthermore, sickness-fighting proteins move around the body through its fluids, so being hydrated is important for becoming healthy again. You can try the garlic-dal based miriyala pappu chaaru of Andhra Pradesh, or besan seera —a sweet drink made with besan cooked in ghee, sugar, and water.

Treat An Inflamed Throat With Soothing Concoctions

Honey and black pepper are a hand-me-down recipe that helps with sore throats. You can also drink honey with a bit of ginger and turmeric. Haldi dhoodh, or turmeric and hot milk is another classic recipe for calming down throat infection. While honey has inflammation-reducing properties, turmeric has strong antibacterial properties which help kill the bacteria in the throat.

Stop A Runny Nose With Antibacterial Ingredients

Try kulithachi pithi, a Konkani curry made from horsegram powder and garlic, along with sticky rice and ghee for treating the sniffles. Ajwain has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in anti-oxidants that can address sinus issues. Dishes with ajwain that you can try include omavalli/karpooravalli chutney of Tamil Nadu, as well as a mixture of jaggery and ajwain seeds. There’s also a version of the Konkani sol kadhi you can make with garlic and ajwain that treats both runny noses and chest congestion.

Boost Low Immunity With Key Vitamins And Minerals

While a number of vitamins and minerals help support the immune system, vitamin C and zinc are two important ingredients to keep in your diet when you’re sick. Vitamin C can be found in oranges, spinach, and other raw leafy greens. Zinc, on the other hand, can be found in eggs, meat, and whole grains like rice. You can try dishes like bhindi masala, masala chai, and spinach soup as well to bring your immunity back up.

Certain dishes have ingredients that can actually help remove flu-causing viruses and flu symptoms. However, a number of studies have found that just the belief that a homemade remedy will cure your flu can help shorten its duration. Either way, taking special care of your health and diet is vital for fighting off the flu.