Broth-based soups are not only good for the soul but good for your immune system. Loaded with vegetables & fibre, these soups also play a big role in maintaining a healthy body. Highly nutritious, low calorie with no unhealthy saturated fats, broth based soups with an assortment of grains & vegetables will keep up your strength while fighting off nasty colds & flus. If bones are included a good bone broth is rich in minerals to support the immune system with collagen & glutamine helping to heal your gut lining & reduce gut inflammation.

So what are the best winter soups to beat those colds & flus?

Chicken soup – has been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties & boosts immunity. It also contains cysteine, an amino acid which can thin the mucous in your lungs so you can expel the mucous easier.

Tomato soup – packed full of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium & iron as well as Vitamin K, this is a nutrient powerhouse. Make sure you look for a dairy-free recipe which will help keep mucous down when ill.

Hot & sour soup– chicken soup Chinese style will clear out your sinuses with a good dose of chilli & garlic. These spices will trigger a sudden release of watery fluids in your mouth, throat & lungs, which will help thin down the respiratory mucus so it’s easier to expel.

Garlic & kale soup – immune-boosting combination with antibiotic effects from the garlic with a huge dose of vitamins from kale.

For best results from your immune-boosting soup make it fresh as processed, canned soups will not work as well as a slow-cooked homemade version. Make sure to cook a double batch so you can store in the freezer so if the flu strikes you down you have a soup ready to go!