Old-Fashioned Food Remedies That Really Work

By Sarah Richards
August 14, 2015
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No more rolling your eyes at old-school remedies—these foods have plenty of health cred.
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Kitchen remedies

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So as it turns out, Grandma really did know best. You know those foods she was always urging you to eat, to build strong bones or tame a cold? Recent research has shown that many of them actually work just the way she said they would.

Here are three of our favorites. Eat up!

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Prunes

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They're good for regularity and your bones. In one recent study, women who ate 10 dried plums a day had significantly higher bone density than women who ate dried apples.

Related: Best and Worst Foods for Digestion

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Chicken soup

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This folk favorite is a legit cold and flu remedy: Research shows it acts as an anti-inflammatory, inhibiting the white blood cells that are active during a cold or flu and irritate the nasal passages, sinuses and throat.

Related: Foods That Fight Colds

Related video: Chicken Noodle Soup With Spinach

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Nutritional yeast

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True to its name, this topping is chock-full of protein and B-complex vitamins. It also contains the trace element chromium, which helps balance blood sugar levels, says Andrew Litchy, a naturopathic doctor in Minnesota. Sprinkle some nutritional yeast on popcorn or salads, stir it into marinara sauce or serve it on top of salmon.

Related: Best Foods for Every Vitamin and Mineral

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