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Foods to Eat When You Have a Cold

The common cold and its associated misery is something that most of us are very familiar with. The highly contagious nature of this virus means that it is almost impossible to avoid unless we hibernate for the months of winter and avoid all human contact. The normal symptoms of coughing, sneezing, sore throat, congested airways, runny nose and fever can sometimes seem to hang around for ever leaving us feeling weak and rather sorry for ourselves. Eating may not always be the first thing on our minds but certain foods will help to soothe, alleviate and accelerate our healing and our body’s ability to fight off the infection.

Keeping Hydrated

Perhaps even more important than what we eat will be what we drink. We are more prone to dehydration when we have a high temperature and replacing lost fluids is essential to give our body a greater chance to fight off the virus.

Additionally, drinking hot liquids will help to dilute the mucous secretions which are responsible for congestion in the chest, throat and nasal passage.

What to Drink When You a Have Cold?

Water – try and avoid cold water which may exacerbate the mucous condition.

Green Tea – Green tea contains many health boosting properties including the presence of flavanoids which act as natural anti-inflammatory.

Fruit/Herbal Teas and Fruit Juice – pick juices high in vitamin C which will help to enhance the immune system. Many herbal teas have properties which will both ease the passage of your cold and help to accelerate recovery.

Broth Based Soups – it would appear that the old fashioned healing claims for chicken noodle soup during a cold may have some basis in fact although exactly how this works isn’t clear. The warm liquid will help to de-congest blocked airways and chicken contains an essential amino acid which has antiviral properties.

What are the Best Foods to Eat When You Have a Cold?

Foods Containing Vitamin C: Food and drinks that are high in vitamin C can be beneficial during a cold. The body uses vitamin C to bolster the immune system. Vitamin C can be found in many fruits and is particularly high in papaya, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit and melon. Vegetables such as kale and cauliflower also offer high vitamin C content. Rose hip fruit tea is also high in vitamin C.

Foods Containing Flavanoid: Bioflavanoid or flavanoid is a substance found in certain plants, most commonly in high colored fruit and vegetables. It is a natural anti-inflammatory so will help to ease cold symptoms and it also aids the body in absorbing vitamin C. Apples, cranberries, cherries, oranges and grapes all contain such flavanoids.

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is said to aid in liver detoxification and cleansing. As the liver plays an important role in the body’s immunity processes then eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice may help to shorten the cold’s duration.

Mushrooms: Some people claim that mushrooms of the oriental variety such as Shiitake are powerful immune system boosters.

Foods Containing Lysine: Chicken, soy bean, kidney bean, lentils, chickpeas and Parmesan cheese all contain lysine, one of the essential amino acids which has antiviral properties. Essential amino acids mean those that the body cannot manufacture internally but need to be part of the diet.

Honey: Honey is one of nature’s health foods and can be of great comfort during a cold for easing a sore throat and reducing coughing fits which add to the throat inflammation.

Spicy Foods: Many people swear by hot and spicy foods during a cold which contain curry powder, chilli, hot mustard or cayenne, claiming that it helps to unblock congestion and clear sinuses.

Foods to Avoid Eating During Cold

In many cases it is as much about avoiding certain foods as it is about eating the right ones during a cold. It is sensible to avoid heavy foods containing dense protein (red meats), complex carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes, bread) and fats which use up a great deal of the body’s resources in order to digest them. Although escaping catching a cold may be difficult, eating or avoiding certain foods will certainly help to ease the passage of a cold and may help to shorten its viral presence in the body.

This article on what to eat while having a cold has been written by expert author ‘Deneice Arthurton‘.