Dietitians Share A Surprising Food That Can Help When You’re Sick
When you’re confined to your bed with the flu or feeling annoyed about a cough that won’t go away, you may be more intentional about incorporating health-promoting foods (the ones you can stomach, at least, when nausea is a symptom).
Some of the best foods and drinks during cold and flu season are ones that likely come to mind first, like ginger and tea.
The last thing that may come to mind is a dessert or something sweet. However, registered dietitian Dalina Soto gives her kids popsicles when they’re sick, and for a good reason. And she recommends them for kids and adults alike.
Soto isn’t the only dietitian who has something good to say about the snack’s (frankly underdiscussed) benefits.
“Diet culture tells us to avoid sugar at all costs and that sugary foods are ‘unhealthy,’ but there are plenty of situations, times, and contexts that exist where these same foods are actually supportive of our health and well-being,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Aleta Storch. (More on the physical benefits of sugar in a bit.)
Ahead, a few dietitians explain why popsicles are a great go-to food when you’re not feeling too great, as well as what kind of popsicle is best.
Popsicles provide hydration.
Getting enough water and electrolytes is always crucial, but especially when you’re sick. Staying hydrated is healing as it replenishes fluids lost through vomiting or sweating.
But let’s be real — a glass of water isn’t always the most tempting. A popsicle has a bigger pull.
“Popsicles are also very hydrating, and we need more fluid intake when we are sick to make up for the losses (mucus, diarrhea, sweat, etc.),” Storch said. “Just drinking water can get boring, and popsicles can be a great way to mix things up and provide motivation when you need to hydrate.”
While this holds true for people of all ages, it may especially be an important reminder for parents with younger kids.
“[Kids] tend not to eat or drink much, so they can get dehydrated a lot quicker than adults because they’re so small,” Soto said. “A popsicle gives them liquids and helps reduce the dehydration risk.”
Additionally, other hydrating foods include yogurt, pretzels and salmon, just to name a few.
They’re emotionally comforting.
Popsicles are obviously a comfort food for many of us. They’re sweet, tasty and child-like — and those factors matter.
“When we are sick, having access to joy and pleasure is beneficial to our emotional and our physical health,” Storch said. “The stress of worrying about the sugar content of a popsicle actually leads to more inflammation, which takes away from your immune system’s ability to fight off illness.”
Soto said her biggest concern as a mom is her child being as comfortable as possible when they’re sick. That includes emotional and physical comfort — all brought by a popsicle.
“Popsicles are either made from frozen water or juice, but [are] more fun to eat than in their liquid form,” agreed registered dietitian Beth Rosen.
They’re physically soothing.
Popsicles can provide needed physical comfort, too.
“With sickness, there’s usually a sore throat, just feeling icky, cough,” Soto said. “A cold popsicle helps with this and helps comfort and soothe these symptoms.”
Popsicles can also cool you down when you have a fever or feel hot and uncomfortable, she added.
Rosen also pointed out how popsicles can help with a dry mouth. If you’ve had to breathe through your mouth because of a stuffy nose, you may just know exactly what she means.
They have sugar, which gives your body fuel and energy.
Yep, the sugar in popsicles is a benefit to your health, according to dietitians, with Soto noting that sugar is the body’s primary source of energy.
That’s especially important when you’re sick. The last thing you may want is to eat, but your body still needs calories to function and heal (even if that means lying on the couch to recuperate).
“[You] need calories, aka energy, to fight off whatever ailment is happening,” Soto said.
That’s where popsicles come in.
“The sugar in popsicles provides energy — sugar breaks down into glucose, which is the only form of energy our brain uses — to our brain and body at a time where we might not have much energy to prepare meals and snacks,” Rosen said.
Storch added that it can be hard to eat enough food to support your body’s basic needs, let alone your immune system, when you’re sick. And popsicles can be easier to consume than more rich, chewy foods.
“Popsicles tend to be easy to eat — even with a stuffed nose, a sore throat or an iffy stomach — and they provide, at the very least, glucose, which our body can easily and quickly use for fuel,” she said.
Are ‘healthy’ popsicles the better option?
Diet culture likes to make us think we have to choose the “made from real fruit” popsicles, or ones with similar branding — but dietitians say that’s not quite the case.
To be fair, it’s true that popsicles made with fruit or yogurt have added benefits — like vitamin C for the immune system or protein for energy.
At the same time, if a popsicle without those ingredients is more palatable, affordable or accessible, there’s nothing wrong with that.
“If you enjoy popsicles made with real fruit, you get a very small added bonus of some additional nutrients, but in the grand scheme of things, this difference is negligible,” Storch said.
So really, the “best” popsicle is the one that works for you.
Soto agreed that it’s OK if that means the “unhealthier” version.
“It’s OK to enjoy things that might not give you a lot of nutrition, especially when sick,” she said. “There’s this pervasive idea that everything we eat has to be healthy, but it doesn’t have to be.”
