Influenza, or flu, is a common respiratory viral infection that is common and easily spreadable. It affects over 3 million United States citizens every year. Even though the flu can be deadly, modern vaccines and treatments have made it almost a 100% survival infection. While modern vaccines (i.e., the flu shot) are your best preventative flu measure, there are also natural remedies for the flu if you do contract the virus.

Here are a few different foods that can help manage flu-like symptoms:

1. Honey
One of the first recorded foods for flu is honey. Honey has many benefits when mixed with warm drinks like tea or hot water with lemon to help soothe the throat. It can even reduce coughing, which can cause a sore chest during the flu duration. Even more impressive is that honey also has been proven to have some antimicrobial properties, which can help kill some viruses and infection. It has not been proven to be a ‘treatment’ for the flu, but it can help with some of the symptoms from the viral infection. So the next time you have flu-like symptoms, drink some warm tea and honey. You won’t regret it.

2. Chicken broth or soup
Yes, your mom is right, chicken noodle soup is good for your flu-like symptoms and should be a part of diet for flu. The best part is that most of the ingredients are considered pantry staples. Using a chicken bone broth is the best way to go when making your soup base. Bone broth helps with congestion associated with the flu and can be sipped alone. The salt in chicken soup also helps with soothing a sore throat and chicken has anti-inflammatory properties. Throw in veggies like carrots, celery, and even onions and you can see why this pot of tasty goodness is also good for your health. What’s even better is that chicken noodle soup can be made in advance and will still be ready for you when stored up to 6 months in the freezer.

3. Vitamin C-rich fruits
If you want to find the best fruits to help your flu symptoms, it is fruits that are packed with vitamin C. Of course, the most common fruit we all think about with vitamin C is oranges and the rest of the citrus family. Although not sweet, lemons actually have more vitamin C than an orange, and can be added to tea or hot water. Fruits like berries, pineapple, and cantaloupe are all jammed pack with vitamin C. This is good because vitamin C has many properties like collagen production, cell rejuvenation, and yes immunity-boosting to help you get over that pesky flu.

5. Plain yogurt
While it may sound strange to some people, yogurt is also good food for people suffering from the flu. Why? Plain yogurt is usually made with ‘good’ bacteria (or probiotics) that can help your immune system and flora with fighting off viruses like the flu. Yogurt is also a good source of protein that your body does need when sick to help give it more energy to fight off the flu. So get some yogurt when you’re sick, your body will thank you for it.