What should you eat when you are infected with Influenza A (sore throat, headache, runny nose, eye pain, photophobia)?

chinacdc.cn | Updated: 2023-03-24

Influenza is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the influenza virus. It occurs frequently in spring and winter, spreads rapidly, has a high incidence rate and a short epidemic period, resulting in easy outbreaks. Among them, the influenza A virus is the main pathogen of human influenza, and is prone to mutation.

The main symptoms of influenza A include nasal congestion, a runny nose, cough, fever, headache, diarrhea and muscle soreness. Experts in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and clinical medicine have come up with a series of dietary recommendations based on common clinical symptoms of patients to help with a better recovery.

These dietary recommendations are also applicable to norovirus patients who suffer from similar symptoms.

Sore Throat

Water chestnut and sugarcane drink

Ingredients: 5 water chestnuts, 250g of sugarcane, 300g of turnip, and 3 slices of ginger.

Cooking method: Chop the water chestnuts, sugarcane and carrots into pieces, add ginger and add some water to boil for 30 minutes.

Taking method: Drink it when it’s warm.

Function: Helps produce saliva and quench thirst.

Suitable for: Dry throat and mouth.

Loofah and oyster soup

Ingredients: 450g of loofah, 150g of oyster meat.

Cooking method: Peel, wash and cut the loofah into slices; blanch the oyster meat in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then cut it into thin slices; heat some oil and then stir fry the oyster slices; add cooking wine, bring to a boil over a medium heat, add the loofah slices, scallions, and chopped ginger, and bring the mixture to a boil — add salt, monosodium glutamate, thicken with wet starch, sprinkle with sesame oil, and mix well.

Taking method: Drink the soup and eat the meat.

Function: Clears away heat and toxins, and helps produce saliva and quench thirst.

Suitable for: Thirst and dry throats caused by fever, easy irritation.

Stewed lean meat with olives

Ingredients: 200g of lean pork, 2-3 green olives, 2-3 ginger slices, salt.

Cooking method: Clean all ingredients, cut lean pork into pieces, put the above ingredients into a pot, boil over a high heat, and then change to a low heat, simmer for 2 hours, and add an appropriate amount of refined salt.

Taking method: Drink the soup and eat the meat.

Function: Clears away heat and toxins, helps produce saliva and quench thirst.

Suitable for: Sore throat accompanied by dry and bitter mouth.

Headache

Mulberry leaf and mint drink

Ingredients: 10g of mulberry leaf, 5g of mint (dried), 5g of broadleaf holly leaf and an appropriate amount of crystal sugar.

Cooking method: Put mulberry leaves, mint and broadleaf holly leaves in a cup, before soaking them in boiling water and adding a suitable amount of crystal sugar.

Taking method: Drink it (substitute for tea).

Function: Clears away heat, ands keep your head clear.

Suitable for: Headache, fever, thirst and sore throat.

Almond and black bean soup

Ingredients: 5g each of perilla leaf, sweet almond, bitter almond, 3g of dried tangerine or orange peel, 30g of poria cocos, 3 Chinese dates, 60g of black beans, 2 scallions roots, 10g of ginger.

Cooking method: Place the above ingredients (excluding perilla leaves) in a pot, add some water, bring to a boil over high heat, and simmer for 120 minutes over low heat until the beans are soft. Add perilla leaves and a little salt, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Taking method: Drink it when it’s warm.

Function: Expels wind and disperses cold.

Suitable for: Muscle soreness, weakness, runny nose.

Japonica rice congee

Ingredients: 50-100g of japonica rice, 10g of scallion, 10g of light fermented soybeans, 3-5 slices of ginger.

Cooking method: Boil the japonica rice into a congee, and then add scallion, light bean drum and ginger into the boil.

Taking method: Take it while it’s warm.

Function: Relieves external symptoms, dispels wind and disperses cold.

Suitable for: Chill headache, cough and runny nose.

Runny nose, eye pain and photophobia

Angelica dahurica scallion and astragalus drink

Ingredients: 5g of angelica dahurica, 10-15g of astragalus, 4 small chunks of scallion whites, 3-5 slices of ginger.

Cooking method: Put the above ingredients into a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and cook for about 30 minutes.

Taking method: Drink it (substitute for tea).

Function: Dispels cold, strengthens the exterior.

Suitable for: Nasal congestion and runny noses caused by wind and cold.

Chinese wolfberry and chrysanthemum tea

Ingredients: 10g of Chinese wolfberries, 5g of chrysanthemum.

Cooking method: Soak in boiling water.

Taking method: Drink it (substitute for tea).

Function: Nourishes the liver and brightens the eyes.

Suitable for: Eye pain, photophobia, eye dryness.

Mulberry leaf and pig liver soup

Ingredients: 10g mulberry leaves, 100g pig liver, oil, salt, monosodium glutamate, scallion, ginger.

Cooking method: Wash the mulberry leaves and put them into a tea bag; wash the pig liver and cut it into thin slices. Add oil, chopped scallions and ginger to the pot, stir fry, and add some water; add pork liver slices, boil on a high heat, add mulberry leaves, boil for 10 minutes, and then add salt.

Taking method: Eat the pig liver and drink the soup once a day.

Function: Nourishes the liver and brightens the eyes.

Suitable for: Swollen and watery eyes caused by influenza A.