If you or someone in your household have yet to catch this season's flu or one of the many colds going around, you know it's coming. While we all just want to crawl into bed and cover up until it goes away, it's seriously important to get your vitamins and keep up your strength when fighting off these nasty bugs. Soup is always a great warm-up in the winter weather, and many of them contain cold and flu elixirs that will make you feel better in no time. So either stock up at your grocery store or have a soup-making weekend and freeze enough to thaw out when you find yourself sniffling and coughing.
Here are the best soups for your health the next time you're knocked down with a cold or, worse, the flu. Pick it up, whip it up, or ask a kind soul to deliver these 7 soups to your door.
- Chicken Soup — It's a cliche because it works. Chicken soup has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties as well as acting as an immune booster. Plus, it's yummy.
- Matzo Ball Soup — It's not called "The Jewish Penicillin" for nothing. Matzo ball soup is also from chicken stock and is similar in effect to your basic chicken coup. What makes it rock is that it comes with that delicious ball of goodness as a bonus.
- Cream of Tomato Soup — Chock-full of vitamin C, tomato soup is also a winter warmer-upper. You can whip up a delicious dairy-free recipe to keep your mucus factor down. If you're feeling really ambitious, pair it with a grilled cheese sandwich for the full comfort food effect.
- Oxtail Stew — More common in other cultures than the U.S., this rich flavorful soup is a winter favorite and a unique way to warm up while getting the antibiotic effect of the onions and garlic. You'll definitely fill up on this substantial meal.
- Hot and Sour Soup — Call up your local Chinese restaurant or make up a batch of this perfect blend of your favorite chicken soup Chinese style that includes chili and ginger to really clear out those sinuses.
- Butternut Squash Soup — Vitamin-rich and seriously delicious, this soup will make you happy, even at your snottiest. Again, consider a non-dairy version for the best effect on your sinuses.
- Garlic and Kale Soup — Get the powerhouse of vitamins from kale and add the antibiotics of garlic and you might have the perfect healthy soup for the season. In fact, you might want to consider this as a daily preventative until the spring thaw.
