When You Have a Cold: 5 Best Foods to Eat and 3 to Avoid

When you have a cold, the best foods to eat are those that provide vitamins, minerals, and moisture to support your immune system. Prioritize nutrient-rich foods like chicken soup, tea, citrus fruits, and berries.

While there's no "magic" food that can cure a cold, certain foods can support your immune system and ease symptoms.

When you have a cold, the best foods to eat are those that provide vitamins, minerals, and moisture to support your immune system. Prioritize nutrient-rich foods like chicken soup, tea, citrus fruits, and berries.

To recover quickly, you should avoid foods that can increase inflammation and dehydration, such as sweets, foods high in saturated fat, and alcohol.

A balanced diet and regular rest are important factors in restoring health.

Here is a list of the best foods and those to avoid when you have a cold.

5 best foods for colds

1. Chicken soup

Chicken soup has long been a go-to dish for sick days.

This dish helps reduce inflammation, clears congestion, and hydrates the body. Plus, chicken soup provides emotional comfort, which is important when you’re feeling down.

If you don't like chicken, you can substitute it with other nutritious soups like vegetable soup or bean soup.

A little tip is that if you add garlic to your soup, you will further enhance its antibacterial properties thanks to garlic's antiviral properties.

2. Tea

Hot tea, especially herbal teas, can help soothe a sore throat and relieve nasal congestion.

Tea also contains polyphenols, natural compounds in plants that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Green tea and ginger tea are popular choices due to their immune-boosting properties.

3. Honey

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Adding honey to tea not only makes it sweeter, but it also helps relieve coughs.

A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that honey may be more effective at relieving nighttime coughs than over-the-counter cough syrups.

In particular, Manuka honey stands out for its powerful antibacterial properties.

A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that honey may be more effective at relieving nighttime coughs than over-the-counter cough syrups. (Source: Vietnam+)

4. Oranges and tangerines

Oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, an essential nutrient for the immune system.

These fruits also help provide moisture to the body, which is very important when you have a cold.

Eating these fruits will help boost your immune response and keep your body hydrated while you recover.

5. Berries

Berries like blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries contain anthocyanins, plant compounds that have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and immune-boosting effects.

These fruits are powerful sources of antioxidants, which help the body fight off disease-causing agents.

Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, kumquats and other citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, an essential nutrient for the immune system. (Source: Vietnam+)

3 foods to avoid when you have a cold

Candy, sweet drinks or foods with added sugar

Sugar can increase inflammation in the body. This has been shown to weaken the body's immune system, reducing the effectiveness of white blood cells in fighting infections.

Fast food and foods containing saturated fat

Saturated fats can increase inflammation in the body and slow down the healing process.

Fried foods, fatty cheeses, whole milk, and processed meats should be limited when you have a cold.

Instead, choose foods that contain healthy fats from sources like nuts, avocados, and vegetable oils.

Alcohol

Alcohol can increase inflammation in your body, cause dehydration, and weaken your immune system, making it harder for you to recover.

Therefore, experts recommend that you should avoid drinking alcohol when you have a cold and only return to alcohol when your body feels healthy and ready./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/khi-bi-cam-lanh-5-mon-an-tot-nhat-va-3-mon-an-nen-tranh-post1012393.vnp