The #1 Snack to Eat When You're Sick, According to a Dietitian

We can all agree that being sick is no fun. Undesirable symptoms, from a sore throat to a runny nose, are downright uncomfortable and can make it difficult to eat. However, when you're sick it's important to get plenty of nutrients to help your body to heal.

While soup might be the number one meal you crave when you're sick, our favorite snack for when you're feeling under the weather is this Mango-Ginger Smoothie. This tasty snack has several soothing attributes that make it great for when you aren't feeling well.

For starters, it's flavorful and refreshing and can quite literally help cool down a sore throat. And it's fast. When you're sick, your energy levels are low, which might mean you have little-to-no motivation to cook. This smoothie comes together in just 10 minutes and requires minimal clean up, so you can focus on resting.

This smoothie is also super hydrating, thanks to the ice, carrot juice and frozen mango chunks that go into it. When you're sick, a fever, vomiting or diarrhea can cause you to lose fluids. It's important to stay hydrated, so you body has what it needs to function and fight off the infection. Staying hydrated can also help break up mucus.

Additionally, this smoothie boasts immune supporting ingredients, like mango and carrot. They're both high in vitamin C, which helps support a healthy immune function and quells inflammation—a classic cold symptom.

This smoothie also contains a surprise ingredient that does your body good—lentils. Lentils provide a boost of zinc (with about 25% of your Daily Value per cup), a mineral that might be the best thing for shortening your cold or flu. Plus, lentils also add protein, which is important to help your body heal itself. It might seem odd to add this ingredient in, but trust us—you don't even notice them! You could of course swap in another protein if the just isn't for you. Try yogurt, a nut butter or silken tofu.

Last but certainly not least, ingredients like honey and ginger contain potent anti-inflammatory compounds and may help alleviate cold and flu symptoms.

The next time you aren't feeling well, don't skip on snack time. Our delicious Mango-Ginger Smoothie is the perfect thing to help tide you over until your next bowl of soup. Try it to help cool down a scratchy throat and give yourself a much-needed nutrition boost.