Best Soup For Sore Throat: Cold And Flu Fighting Season

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Indulge in this Best Soup For Sore Throat recipe. A comforting immune-boosting soup to soothe your throat and nourish you back to health.

Indulge in ultimate comfort during the cold and flu season with this Best Soup For Sore Throat recipe. A comforting soup filled with immune-boosting ingredients that will soothe your throat and nourish you back to health.

We all know the feeling and how it begins. A slightly sore and scratchy throat, a bit of a stuffy nose, perhaps a small headache or fatigue. The dreaded cold symptoms. You know a cold is coming on, so you pop vitamin C and pray it doesn’t get worse.

Having a cold or flu is no fun. Feeling tired and achy, perhaps with a fever and upset stomach, and the cold weather outside makes us, well…even colder.

That is when soothing soups come into play, and this Best Soup For Sore Throat recipe is the perfect soup to the rescue. Simple ingredients, with anti-inflammatory properties, are all designed to boost your immune system so you can get better quickly.

Why Soup When Sick?

When we are sick, we often look to soup for comfort but there is so much more to a soothing soup than comfort food. Soup is an ideal choice when we have a cold or flu for several reasons.

Hydration

Fresh broth-based soups, like a steamy cup of vegetable broth or chicken broth, help maintain hydration and are an important part of recovering from an illness, especially during the flu and cold season.

Nutrient-Rich

If made right, soups are nutritious foods and can contain an abundance of delicious flavors and nutrient-rich ingredients.

Amino acids in proteins like beans and legumes, as well as fatty acids in foods like avocadoes, nuts, and seeds are all essential for recovery when sick.

Immunity Boosting

Many of the ingredients in a hearty soup are good for the immune system and they are a great way to boost yourself into great health.

Putting ingredients like fresh ginger, lemon juice, ground turmeric, or cayenne pepper, into your soup is a great way to boost your white blood cells and help recover from viral illnesses like the flu and upper respiratory infections as well as bacterial infections like strep throat (1) (2) (3).

Easy Digestion

Soup has a soft texture and is easier to digest than more solid food, which can be helpful during an illness when your appetite is suppressed.

Soothing and Comforting

While a warm bowl of soup soothes a sore throat, a delicious soup is also comforting and helps to alleviate nasal congestion, which promotes a sense of well-being.

Best Soup For Sore Throat Ingredients

Shallots

Part of the allium family, like onions, garlic, and leeks. Shallots are highly nutritious with antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties.

Garlic Cloves

Another part of the allium family with strong antioxidant properties.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers are part of the nightshade family and are widely used in culinary dishes to add spice and heat to dishes. Recent studies are looking at chili peppers as an antioxidant that may help with cancer and obesity (4).

Broccoli

Broccoli is part of the cruciferous family and is rich in sulforaphane which is a potent antiviral compound that exhibits powerful antiviral properties.

Low-sodium tamari

Tamari is a Japanese gluten-free soy sauce, rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Rice wine vinegar

Rice wine vinegar is a type of vinegar that is made from fermented rice, and it can help keep blood sugar in line after a carbohydrate-rich meal. However, more research needs to be done to determine if vinegar can be used to support those with diabetes or prediabetes (5).

Ginger root

Ginger root comes from a plant and is commonly used as a spice for cooking. Ginger also contains antioxidants to help manage colds and flu.

Turmeric root

Turmeric root comes from a flowering plant and is a common spice in the culinary world. Turmeric contains a chemical called curcumin, which is an antioxidant believed to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Cilantro

Cilantro is an herb used in cooking, and it is also known as coriander. Most commonly the leaves are called cilantro and the seeds of the plant are called coriander seeds. Cilantro is also rich in antioxidants.

Udon noodles

Udon noodles are made from whole wheat flour, rich in fiber, and commonly used in Japanese cuisine.

Nutritional yeast

Nutritional yeast is deactivated yeast commonly used by vegans and vegetarians for its cheesy flavor. Nutritional yeast is gluten, soy, and sugar-free, and is also a good source of B vitamins.

Optional ingredients to consider

Here are some optional ingredients you may want to consider adding to this easy soup recipe.

• bok choy – a Chinese cabbage rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, iron, and potassium.
• leafy greens – such as arugula, kale, or Swiss chard are loaded with nutrients. Leafy greens are truly a superfood.
• sweet potatoes – rich in fiber and antioxidants, and with anti-inflammatory properties.
• fennel bulbs – contains potassium, magnesium, and other powerful antioxidant nutrients.
• lemon zest – not only does lemon zest bring brightness to this soup but it is also a great source of antioxidants including calcium, vitamin C, and vitamin D.
• Dried herbs – do not be shy about adding additional dried herbs to this wonderful soup. Herbs of all kinds are rich in antioxidants that can help you feel better in no time.

How To Make The Best Soup For Sore Throat

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Thinly slice the shallots and garlic and set aside.
2. Finely chop the chile pepper and set aside.
3. Wash a cut up the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces and set aside.
4. Fill the medium pot with filtered water, and place on the stove on medium-high heat to boil.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the large soup pot on the stove at medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of water and allow to heat.
2. Add the shallots, garlic, and chile pepper to the soup pot, and sauté until they are starting to get translucent and tender (approx. 2-3 minutes).
3. Add the ground ginger and turmeric and stir to combine. NOTE: Stir quickly for approximately 1 minute to prevent burning.
4. Add the broccoli and sauté until they are just starting to soften (approx. 5 minutes).
5. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and 8 cups of filtered water. Bring to a gentle boil and then lower the heat to simmer for approximately 5-10 minutes.
6. While the soup is simmering, add the noodles to the medium pot of boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 4 minutes.
7. After 4 minutes, drain and rinse the noodles to remove the excess starch.
8. Add the noodles to the soup mixture, turn off the heat, and allow the soup and noodles to meld in flavor.

SERVING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Divide the noodles into 4 soup bowls. Ladle the broccoli and broth over the noodles in each bowl evenly.
2. Sprinkle the fresh cilantro over the top in each bowl.
3. If desired, add a pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, and nutritional yeast.
4. ENJOY!

The Best Soup For Sore Throat Recipe Notes

If you cannot find shallots, feel free to use 1/2 yellow onion, quartered, and thinly sliced.

Mushrooms are a great addition to this soup! If you do use mushrooms, then just use 1 medium broccoli head and 1 1/2-2 cups of mushrooms thinly sliced.

NOTE: Add the mushrooms after you have quickly sauteed the shallots, garlic, and chile peppers. Sauté until the mushrooms are thoroughly cooked and browning. This brings out their flavor best. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe instructions.

If you prefer to use a different vegetable, other than broccoli, you can although I highly recommend you stick with broccoli for its nutritional value.

I recommend using a low-sodium soy sauce. Regular soy sauce is loaded with sodium and the low-sodium kind tastes just as great.

If you are on a gluten-free diet, you can use a gluten-free soy sauce, like tamari, as well as buckwheat noodles instead of udon noodles.

Feel free to switch out your fresh herbs if you wish. Dill, chives, and fresh parsley are all wonderful options.

How To Store

This soup will store well in the fridge for approximately 3-5 days as long as it is stored in an airtight container. For soups, I like to use large mason jars for storage.

If you think it will be a long time before you finish all of this soup, then it is best to store any remaining in the freezer. This soup will last for approximately 4-6 months in the freezer as long as it is stored in a freezer-safe container.

More healthy recipes, and caregiver support for you to enjoy

Let’s Connect

I hope you try making this delicious and nutrient-dense Best Soup For Sore Throat Recipe, and I hope you share it with your friends and family too.

Also, please consider giving this healthy recipe 5 stars and comment below. Let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you!

References

1. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ginger-shot-benefits
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9738113/
3. https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/foods-boost-immune-system
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839052/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

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