There are literally hundreds of viruses that can cause a common cold. Not surprisingly, most of us have to deal with anywhere between 2-4 infections every year. While a common cold is usually non-threatening, it can be annoying, to say the least. Your energy levels plummet, you feel miserable, you struggle to simply catch a breath, and you lose your appetite. You probably wish you could just curl up and sleep it off. Unfortunately, hibernation is not an option, nor is starving that fever or cold. In fact, adequate nutrition and hydration become even more important for fighting the infection and hastening recovery. So, while food may be the last thing on your mind at this time, you should make an effort to include these foods in any common cold diet.
10 Foods to Fight the Common Cold
1. Ginger
Ginger has long been a staple ingredient in herbal and traditional medicine around the world. Often used in common cold remedies, there’s growing evidence for its therapeutic properties. Most of these properties can be attributed to the presence of compounds like gingerols and shaogals in the herb. Their antioxidant effect bolsters immune function, helping fight infections. At the same time, the compounds also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve cold and flu symptoms like soreness of the throat. Researchers in Taiwan found that ginger may help fight some types of viral infections that affect the respiratory tract. Fresh ginger is generally more effective at fighting an infection or providing cold relief. You can either chew on some freshly chopped ginger or sip on some ginger tea.
2. Garlic
Forget about the vampire repelling clichés and the risk of foul breath. While there’s no consensus on how effective garlic may be for specific conditions, almost every expert agrees on the fact that it offers a variety of health benefits. These benefits are linked to the primary bioactive compound in garlic, called allicin. Research suggests that garlic can help fight infections because of potent antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. When dealing with common cold and conditions like the flu, garlic also helps through its stimulatory effect on the immune system. Studies that have looked specifically at the efficacy of garlic as a common cold remedy have also been encouraging. Researchers found that during a 3 month period individuals consuming garlic had a 63% reduction in cases of the common cold. The duration for recovery was also reduced. If chewing on a clove is just not your thing, simply add crushed garlic to foods like broths or try taking a garlic supplement.
3. Cinnamon
Once considered an exotic spice, cinnamon is now regarded as the second most popular culinary spice in the United States. It has also been widely used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, from the common cold to arthritis. While there’s a lot more research needed to support specific claims, there is evidence for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Common cold remedies that use cinnamon may, therefore, offer some relief from symptoms and could hasten recovery. Herbalists believe that cinnamon can relieve pain and reduce inflammation and recommend its use as a herbal tea with honey.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is another popular spice that is widely used in South East Asian folk medicine, including Ayurveda. Research over the years has helped highlight many of the health benefits of turmeric, which are generally ascribed to curcumin, a polyphenolic compound. It is best known for its anti-inflammatory properties but is also believed to exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. This makes turmeric a valuable ingredient when you’re dealing with most kinds of viral infections, common cold included. Traditionally, turmeric has been used to prepare ‘golden milk’, wherein a teaspoon of the powder is added to a glass of hot milk. This, of course, is not an option if you’re lactose intolerant. You can instead add turmeric to your diet by simply garnishing your food with the crushed spice.
5. Chicken
Chicken may not sound like much of a common cold remedy, but it can be more helpful than you think. Of course, the way you consume your chicken matters, so stick with the soup and ditch the fried chicken for now. There is some evidence that chicken soup can provide relief from common cold symptoms because of mild anti-inflammatory properties. Chicken is also a great source of nutrition to boost immunity, as it is rich in protein and vitamin B-6. B-6 plays an important role in the absorption of B-12 and red blood cell production. It also gives you other nutrients like chondroitin, selenium, zinc, and iron, which play some role in healthy immune function.
6. Almonds
Almonds are regarded by many as a superfood and they’ve become increasingly popular as a heart and brain healthy food. Nutritionally dense, almonds can do a lot more than improve heart or brain health. They are packed with healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, and niacin, providing you with nutrients essential for strong immunity. A study that appeared in Immunology Letters now hints at a more direct role for almonds in fighting common cold infections. These researchers found that almond skins may contain compounds that have a stimulatory effect on immune response. Apparently, consuming almonds improves the ability of white blood cells to detect and suppress a range of viruses – that includes strains of the common cold virus.
7. Tomatoes
When we talk about strengthening immunity to fight infections, the first thing that comes to mind is vitamin C. That in turn makes you think of oranges, lemons, and other citric fruits. With their high concentration of vitamin C, tomatoes are a great alternative to citric fruits, however, especially if you worry about throat irritation caused by citric fruit juices. Although the role of vitamin C is often exaggerated in popular culture, it does play an important role in the healthy function of phagocytes and t-cells; these cells play an important role in immune function, fighting against disease-causing pathogens.
8. Chili Peppers
The heat or spiciness of chili peppers owes to its active ingredient – capsaicin. While there is extensive ongoing research into possible therapeutic applications of capsaicin in the management of various ailments, especially for pain relief, we still don’t know enough. Spicy foods like black pepper and chili peppers are often thought to be helpful in dealing with colds and congestion by loosening up mucus. While you can try using chili peppers to deal with the common cold, the relief may only be temporary. In the short term, capsaicin works like a decongestant and expectorant. It may provide relief from symptoms of congestion and could make it easier to expel phlegm.
9. Blueberries
Blueberries are commonly described as a superfood and they’ve earned their reputation. While no food can work like magic to cure your cold, blueberries do pack a punch and they taste great! Nutritionally dense and low in calories, blueberries are rich in vitamins K and C, manganese, and fiber, among other nutrients. They are also regarded as being one of the best dietary sources of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Studies show that the regular intake of blueberries can significantly increase protection against the common cold, strengthening immune function and reducing inflammation.
10. Dark Chocolate
Whether you’re fighting fit or down with a cold, there’s probably never a time when you don’t crave chocolate. So, this should come as quite a relief. To fight that cold, however, you need to focus on dark chocolate, not the sugar loaded milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has a higher cacao content, which also means it has a higher concentration of theobromine. Theobromine is an antioxidant from the cacao plant that is thought to help deal with a common cold infection. As pointed out in a study that appeared in Frontiers in Pharmacology, theobromine could help to suppress some symptoms like coughing, but we still have a lot more to learn about its efficacy and dosages.
Dealing with viral infections like the common cold can be incredibly frustrating, as your go-to antibiotics can offer no relief. That’s what makes nutrition so important. After all, your immune system becomes your best bet for both cold prevention and treatment. In addition to the foods mentioned above, you should focus on balanced nutrition, including foods from every nutritional group. Try adding more chicken and bone broths to your meals for their powerful nutrition and to increase hydration. If you find no relief from the symptoms despite your best efforts or if they persist for several days, make sure to consult your health care provider, as you might dealing with something more serious than the common cold.
10 Essential Foods That Help Fight Common Cold
March 15, 2019
Health, Lifestyle
No Comments
Jennifer Cervantez
There are literally hundreds of viruses that can cause a common cold. Not surprisingly, most of us have to deal with anywhere between 2-4 infections every year. While a common cold is usually non-threatening, it can be annoying, to say the least. Your energy levels plummet, you feel miserable, you struggle to simply catch a breath, and you lose your appetite. You probably wish you could just curl up and sleep it off. Unfortunately, hibernation is not an option, nor is starving that fever or cold. In fact, adequate nutrition and hydration become even more important for fighting the infection and hastening recovery. So, while food may be the last thing on your mind at this time, you should make an effort to include these foods in any common cold diet.
10 Foods to Fight the Common Cold
1. Ginger
Ginger has long been a staple ingredient in herbal and traditional medicine around the world. Often used in common cold remedies, there’s growing evidence for its therapeutic properties. Most of these properties can be attributed to the presence of compounds like gingerols and shaogals in the herb. Their antioxidant effect bolsters immune function, helping fight infections. At the same time, the compounds also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve cold and flu symptoms like soreness of the throat. Researchers in Taiwan found that ginger may help fight some types of viral infections that affect the respiratory tract. Fresh ginger is generally more effective at fighting an infection or providing cold relief. You can either chew on some freshly chopped ginger or sip on some ginger tea.
2. Garlic
Forget about the vampire repelling clichés and the risk of foul breath. While there’s no consensus on how effective garlic may be for specific conditions, almost every expert agrees on the fact that it offers a variety of health benefits. These benefits are linked to the primary bioactive compound in garlic, called allicin. Research suggests that garlic can help fight infections because of potent antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. When dealing with common cold and conditions like the flu, garlic also helps through its stimulatory effect on the immune system. Studies that have looked specifically at the efficacy of garlic as a common cold remedy have also been encouraging. Researchers found that during a 3 month period individuals consuming garlic had a 63% reduction in cases of the common cold. The duration for recovery was also reduced. If chewing on a clove is just not your thing, simply add crushed garlic to foods like broths or try taking a garlic supplement.
3. Cinnamon
Once considered an exotic spice, cinnamon is now regarded as the second most popular culinary spice in the United States. It has also been widely used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments, from the common cold to arthritis. While there’s a lot more research needed to support specific claims, there is evidence for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Common cold remedies that use cinnamon may, therefore, offer some relief from symptoms and could hasten recovery. Herbalists believe that cinnamon can relieve pain and reduce inflammation and recommend its use as a herbal tea with honey.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is another popular spice that is widely used in South East Asian folk medicine, including Ayurveda. Research over the years has helped highlight many of the health benefits of turmeric, which are generally ascribed to curcumin, a polyphenolic compound. It is best known for its anti-inflammatory properties but is also believed to exhibit antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activity. This makes turmeric a valuable ingredient when you’re dealing with most kinds of viral infections, common cold included. Traditionally, turmeric has been used to prepare ‘golden milk’, wherein a teaspoon of the powder is added to a glass of hot milk. This, of course, is not an option if you’re lactose intolerant. You can instead add turmeric to your diet by simply garnishing your food with the crushed spice.
5. Chicken
Chicken may not sound like much of a common cold remedy, but it can be more helpful than you think. Of course, the way you consume your chicken matters, so stick with the soup and ditch the fried chicken for now. There is some evidence that chicken soup can provide relief from common cold symptoms because of mild anti-inflammatory properties. Chicken is also a great source of nutrition to boost immunity, as it is rich in protein and vitamin B-6. B-6 plays an important role in the absorption of B-12 and red blood cell production. It also gives you other nutrients like chondroitin, selenium, zinc, and iron, which play some role in healthy immune function.
6. Almonds
Almonds are regarded by many as a superfood and they’ve become increasingly popular as a heart and brain healthy food. Nutritionally dense, almonds can do a lot more than improve heart or brain health. They are packed with healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, and niacin, providing you with nutrients essential for strong immunity. A study that appeared in Immunology Letters now hints at a more direct role for almonds in fighting common cold infections. These researchers found that almond skins may contain compounds that have a stimulatory effect on immune response. Apparently, consuming almonds improves the ability of white blood cells to detect and suppress a range of viruses – that includes strains of the common cold virus.
7. Tomatoes
When we talk about strengthening immunity to fight infections, the first thing that comes to mind is vitamin C. That in turn makes you think of oranges, lemons, and other citric fruits. With their high concentration of vitamin C, tomatoes are a great alternative to citric fruits, however, especially if you worry about throat irritation caused by citric fruit juices. Although the role of vitamin C is often exaggerated in popular culture, it does play an important role in the healthy function of phagocytes and t-cells; these cells play an important role in immune function, fighting against disease-causing pathogens.
8. Chili Peppers
The heat or spiciness of chili peppers owes to its active ingredient – capsaicin. While there is extensive ongoing research into possible therapeutic applications of capsaicin in the management of various ailments, especially for pain relief, we still don’t know enough. Spicy foods like black pepper and chili peppers are often thought to be helpful in dealing with colds and congestion by loosening up mucus. While you can try using chili peppers to deal with the common cold, the relief may only be temporary. In the short term, capsaicin works like a decongestant and expectorant. It may provide relief from symptoms of congestion and could make it easier to expel phlegm.
9. Blueberries
Blueberries are commonly described as a superfood and they’ve earned their reputation. While no food can work like magic to cure your cold, blueberries do pack a punch and they taste great! Nutritionally dense and low in calories, blueberries are rich in vitamins K and C, manganese, and fiber, among other nutrients. They are also regarded as being one of the best dietary sources of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Studies show that the regular intake of blueberries can significantly increase protection against the common cold, strengthening immune function and reducing inflammation.
10. Dark Chocolate
Whether you’re fighting fit or down with a cold, there’s probably never a time when you don’t crave chocolate. So, this should come as quite a relief. To fight that cold, however, you need to focus on dark chocolate, not the sugar loaded milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has a higher cacao content, which also means it has a higher concentration of theobromine. Theobromine is an antioxidant from the cacao plant that is thought to help deal with a common cold infection. As pointed out in a study that appeared in Frontiers in Pharmacology, theobromine could help to suppress some symptoms like coughing, but we still have a lot more to learn about its efficacy and dosages.
Dealing with viral infections like the common cold can be incredibly frustrating, as your go-to antibiotics can offer no relief. That’s what makes nutrition so important. After all, your immune system becomes your best bet for both cold prevention and treatment. In addition to the foods mentioned above, you should focus on balanced nutrition, including foods from every nutritional group. Try adding more chicken and bone broths to your meals for their powerful nutrition and to increase hydration. If you find no relief from the symptoms despite your best efforts or if they persist for several days, make sure to consult your health care provider, as you might dealing with something more serious than the common cold.