When you have a hacking cough, staying hydrated is essential. Dr. Ricardo José, a respiratory medicine consultant, emphasizes the importance of sipping fluids frequently throughout the day to keep your mucous membranes moist. Immunologist Dr. Jenna Macciochi recommends adding a spoonful of raw honey—nature’s soothing antimicrobial—to a cup of thyme tea (made by steeping thyme in water) to ease irritation and support respiratory health. She also enjoys marshmallow root tea for its benefits to the mucous membranes.
Try the carrot trick by tailoring your food remedy to your cough type. For a dry, tickly cough, Dr. José suggests honey in warm lemon or peppermint tea. Another favorite of his is shredding carrots, covering them with sugar, and refrigerating them overnight to create a sweet syrup; a spoonful can coat the throat and calm an irritating cough. For a chesty cough, warm licorice root tea and foods with bromelain, like fresh pineapple, may help thin mucus.
To get the juices flowing, emeritus professor Ron Eccles recommends warm, tasty foods like tomato soup, chicken soup, or curry (such as chicken tikka bhuna) to promote salivation and mucus secretions, which soothe a cough. Sucking on a lozenge can have a similar demulcent effect and suppress the cough reflex by encouraging swallowing. Dr. Macciochi favors warm broths with garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms for their immune-supporting compounds and easy digestibility.
When you have a stinking cold, turn to turmeric. Chef Asma Khan recalls her mother giving her haldi doodh, or turmeric milk, as a child, and it remains her go-to remedy. The curcumin in turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory, and when combined with the fats in warm milk, it becomes more easily absorbed. To make it, bring a mug of full-fat milk to a boil, let it cool slightly, and stir in a teaspoon of ground turmeric. Drink it warm before bed.
Whip up a nourishing broth. Dietitian Sophie Medlin suggests soft, easy-to-eat foods like soups, ideally made with a blend of vegetables cooked in bone broth for protein and nutrients, and adding shredded roasted chicken or tofu for extra protein. Dr. José enjoys canja, a traditional Portuguese soup made with chicken, rice, garlic, and fresh mint. It provides protein for repair, gentle carbohydrates for energy, hydration from the broth, antibacterial benefits from garlic, and natural decongestion from mint.
Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Wahaca, also loves broth, particularly Asian-style with garlic, ginger, and a few grains of rice. She often roasts bones for stock, even saving bones from roast chicken dinners to create flavorful, nutrient-rich broth.
If you’re not a broth fan, Dr. Macciochi recommends warming, easy-to-digest soups with orange vegetables like pumpkin, rich in beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A that supports immune function), and spices like turmeric to help regulate inflammation.
Sip soothing teas and plenty of water, as Dr. José advises, along with warm tea with…Before bed, I have a mix of lemon peel, turmeric, and manuka honey. Lemon helps with congestion and provides vitamin C, turmeric reduces inflammation, and honey soothes the throat with its antiviral and antibacterial properties, especially manuka honey. Macciochi emphasizes staying hydrated and eating foods rich in vitamin C and zinc to boost her immune system. She often makes a citrus and ginger shot with lemon, orange, grated ginger, and a pinch of cayenne and black pepper.
When you have a nasty sore throat
Cold comfort
Medlin finds smoothies soothing, using frozen mixed berries and kefir for added gut health benefits. Eccles suggests ice cream or an ice lolly to ease throat pain and irritation. José agrees that soft ice cream can numb the throat and provide relief, while dietitian Priya Tew prefers plain Greek yogurt for its cooling and soothing effect.
Raid the tea (and booze) cupboard
Warm drinks are also popular. Medlin likes hot honey and lemon for its antiseptic honey and vitamin C from lemons, which may shorten a virus’s duration. Macciochi enjoys warm herbal tea with marshmallow root, honey, and slippery elm to coat the throat. Miers relies on hot toddies with honey and lemon for children and whisky for adults.
Stick to soft
José recommends soft foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and smoothies that are easy to swallow and don’t irritate the throat.
Sip on spices
Khan prepares a strong masala chai with fresh ginger and crushed black pepper. The tea’s warmth soothes, while ginger and pepper improve circulation, clear sinuses, and fight infection. To make it, grind four or five cardamom pods, three or four cloves, and a quarter teaspoon of black peppercorns. Add to a pan with grated ginger, one mug of full-fat milk, and half a mug of water. Stir in two teaspoons of loose black tea, bring to a boil, strain, and drink hot.
When you have the flu
Focus on fluids
Eccles notes that eating can be difficult initially, so she relies on energy drinks, coffee, and tea for a boost. Macciochi sips coconut water or electrolyte-rich herbal tea for hydration, followed by clear bone or vegetable broth with garlic, miso, and greens when she can handle it. José sticks to his staple, canja, and warm lemon tea with manuka honey, stressing that hydration is essential.
A bowl of comfort
Khan turns to khichdi for flu recovery, describing it as gentle, nourishing, and easy to digest. Made with rice, moong dal (mung beans), turmeric, and ghee, it provides fuel without straining the system. To prepare, wash half a cup of rice and half a cup of moong dal. Combine in a heavy pan with four cups of water, half a teaspoon of turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Simmer until it reaches a porridge-like consistency. In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of ghee, add half a teaspoon of cumin seeds and grated ginger, then stir into the khichdi and serve warm.
Strength-building suppers
Once you’re ready to eat, focus on regaining strength. Medlin makes a pasta bake with plenty of vegetables and protein like chicken or cheese, which is easy to reheat as your appetite returns. The more vegetables, the better, as they offer a variety of vitamins and benefits.For Eccles, the focus is on nourishing foods that build strength, like porridge and hearty meat stews made with lamb or beef, along with plenty of vegetables such as carrots, onions, or potatoes.
When you have a stomach bug, start with nothing by mouth, then stick to bland foods. Tew advises fasting initially to give the stomach a break, then gradually introducing dry, plain foods like crackers. She also recommends avoiding dairy for a few days, as it can worsen nausea and be harder to digest after an illness.
To soothe your system, Macciochi suggests stopping solid food and focusing on fluids like cooled ginger tea or plain water with a pinch of sea salt and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Dr. Emily Leeming, a scientist and dietitian, agrees that staying hydrated is key, sipping water or herbal teas, with ginger tea helping to ease nausea. Khan prefers ajwain (carom seed) tea or saunf (fennel seed) tea, both used in Ayurveda for digestion. To make either, boil a teaspoon of seeds in one and a half cups of water for five minutes, strain, and sip slowly while warm.
Once you’re past the worst, Leeming recommends eating plain foods like toast, rice, or bananas in small, frequent amounts. These are gentle on the gut, provide energy without being heavy, and offer nutrition to aid recovery. Medlin also opts for bland options such as toast, oatcakes, rice cakes, and fruit purees. Khan adds plain rice with yogurt, avoiding spices, to allow gentle healing.
To restore your gut microbiome, Leeming suggests gradually reintroducing foods like live yogurt or kefir and fiber-rich options such as oats and stewed apples. Over time, include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nuts and seeds. Medlin aims to recover gut health by incorporating plenty of plants through soups and smoothies.
When you have a splitting headache, Tom Zeller Jr. notes that cluster-headache sufferers often can’t eat during an attack. However, between episodes, he leans toward magnesium-rich foods like spinach, peanuts, and bran cereals, as some evidence suggests magnesium may help reduce attacks, though it’s not a cure.
When you’re feeling generally unwell, focus on foods that provide comfort and energy.When you’re feeling generally run down, chef Anna Jones’s cure-all “fire honey” comes into its own. She describes it as “pleasing, bright-orange sunshine in a jar.” To make it, peel the zest of a lemon and an orange, finely chop a red chili and 50g of ginger, and add everything to half a jar of good-quality, runny honey. Grate 30g of fresh turmeric into the honey (or use a tablespoon of ground turmeric) and mix well. It can be stored in your fridge for up to two weeks and help you through the whole winter. When you need a boost, “put a tablespoon in a mug and fill it with hot water. You could also add an extra slice of lemon or orange.”
Spice up your life: Miers keeps a spicy remedy on hand all winter. “I make a fire cider and keep it in the fridge,” she says. “It’s a simple ferment I learned about in Mexico, which supports gut health and is deliciously thirst-quenching. Essentially, you flavor vinegar with ginger, chili, and your favorite seasonings—I love rosemary and star anise—then sweeten with honey or agave and add sparkling water. For one 400ml jar, finely slice two jalapeño chilies, a thumb-sized piece of ginger, and another of fresh turmeric (optional). Place them in a sterilized jar with two rosemary sprigs, a cinnamon stick, two tablespoons of honey, the zest and juice of an orange, and 350ml of apple cider vinegar. Leave it in the fridge for at least a week—the health benefits peak after three weeks—and the vinegar will last for six months in the fridge.”
And once you’re feeling better: After starting to recover, Macciochi focuses on “rebuilding strength and supporting my gut—think slow-cooked stews, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kefir, and plenty of colorful plants.” José takes a similar approach. “I return to a balanced diet with a good amount of protein, such as eggs, to aid healing. If antibiotics are needed, I include probiotic foods like natural yogurt or kefir to help restore gut balance.” Meanwhile, Tew opts for soups. “I make a vegetable and lentil soup, but if you’ve had the flu and lack energy, a store-bought one would be fine,” she says.
When you have… a stinking hangover: Juice, water—then a fridge raid! For self-inflicted ailments, Miers first loads up on vitamin-rich liquids. “Celery, parsley, and apple is the green juice of choice in Mexico, and it always makes me feel better. They add cactus and pineapple—local ingredients there—but I substitute ginger for some fire and oomph. Then it’s lots of water, a good strong coffee, and when I can handle it, grilled sourdough with a fried egg, crispy chickpeas, a few leaves, a grating of good cheese, and chili oil usually does the trick—along with whatever other delicious things I have in the fridge.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about what chefs and doctors eat when theyre sick or hungover with clear and concise answers
General Beginner Questions
1 Whats the most common food doctors recommend when youre sick
A classic easytodigest option is chicken soup or bone broth It provides hydration electrolytes and nutrients without upsetting your stomach
2 Why do people always say to eat chicken soup when you have a cold
Its not just an old wives tale The warm liquid helps soothe a sore throat the steam can clear sinuses and it provides hydration and essential minerals to help your body fight the illness
3 Whats the best thing to eat for a hangover
Doctors and chefs often recommend the BRAT diet or a simple egg on toast These foods are bland and help replenish blood sugar and settle your stomach
4 Whats the first thing I should do when I wake up with a hangover
Before you eat anything drink a large glass of water or an electrolyte beverage Dehydration is a primary cause of hangover symptoms so rehydrating is the most critical step
5 Is it true you should sweat out a sickness or hangover
No this is a myth Intense exercise can dehydrate you further and weaken your immune system Rest and hydration are much more effective
Advanced Practical Questions
6 What do chefs make for themselves when theyre nauseous
Chefs often turn to ginger They might make a simple ginger tea by steeping fresh ginger slices in hot water as ginger is a proven natural remedy for nausea
7 Are there any chef secrets for a hangover breakfast
Yes Many chefs swear by a hearty breakfast burrito with eggs potatoes and a bit of avocado The carbs help with low blood sugar the protein is sustaining and the potassium in the avocado helps with hydration
8 Whats a doctors goto meal when they have an upset stomach
Doctors frequently recommend plain white rice or a baked potato These are simple carbohydrates that are easy to digest and provide energy without irritating your digestive system
