Cough, cough. Have you caught a cold because you got wet in the rain last night? Is your cough making you gasp, and your chest ache? Are you tired of your runny or blocked nose?
Catching cold is annoying. Feeling sick, laying in bed, and taking medicines is tiresome. Not to mention feeling the sweat trickle down your face while you still feel ice cold is gross. Do you want to cure your cold right away? Have some of the superfoods for colds and feel better instantly!
The 8 Best Superfoods For Colds
Medicine and cold syrups are effective for curing your cold, but what you eat matters the same. You may eat medicine on time, but if you’re not cutting down on your soda and caffeine intake, then your medicines won’t work. That is why you must know what superfood is healthier for your cold and eating what food will be ideal for getting you back on your feet soon.
That’s why we offer below 8 of the best superfoods for colds. They improve your immune systems and fight off all the sickness from your body. Stock these superfoods in your pantry, and be sure to have them the next time you catch a cold.
1. Chicken Soup
Chicken noodle soup- the name of the dish alone can make you nostalgic and fill your body with warmth, right? Imagining your mother or your grandma preparing a steaming bowl of chicken soup and you finishing it right away- oh, the memories. But the soup is more than soul food. It’s a remedy for decreasing your cold as well.
The soup guides your white blood cells to stick to places that get weak during your cold. These cells fight off the virus and hence, help you recover quicker. As the chicken simmers in the broth on low heat for a couple of hours, it releases more than its juices and flavors. The chicken also releases cysteine- a type of amino acid that works its magic in healing your sickness.
The soup plays numerous roles. On the one hand, the liquid consistency helps your body hydrate- another crucial element that we’ll discuss later. On the other hand, the vegetables and the chicken supply your body with nutrients that reenergizes you.
If you don’t feel like cooking the soup, order it!
- Campbell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soul Microwavable Bowl(ASIN: B0029TJTLG)
- Progresso Traditional Soup, Chicken Noodle(ASIN: B0041T8O90)
- Mike’s Mighty Good Craft Ramen, Chicken Ramen Soup(ASIN: B07FXZKPLS)
2. Ginger
Ginger is a natural supplement that boosts your immune system. It has been the star of natural remedies due to its healing and medicinal properties. Ginger offers numerous benefits- from lowering down your nausea to improving your metabolism. More than those, it’s exceptional at curing your cold and flu as well.
The vegetable urges your body to sweat. The more you sweat during your cold, the more your body releases the bad toxins hiding within it. The issue, though, is that you must stay hydrated as well. Because you sweat a lot, your body might lose its moisture that can prolong your illness. No one wants that.
An ideal tip is that you drink ginger teas. They are hot, which helps with your throat ache, and they have ginger that makes you sweat. Lastly, they contain water to maintain your water level. Numerous problems, one solution! If you think the tea is a bit bitter, add a spoonful of honey or squeeze some lemon juice. An easy fix that doesn’t take more than a few minutes.
Some of the ways to help you consume ginger are:
- Healthworks Ginger powder, Ground, Raw, All-Natural(ASIN: B01HV2A680)
- Organic Grated Ginger, Made in Fiji(ASIN: B06WWM98DK)
- Instant Ginger Honey Crystals Family Value Pack(ASIN: B0845ZYLKL)
3. Garlic
Ginger and garlic go hand in hand- in almost every case, anyways. Next on our list of superfoods for colds is, thus, garlic, another ancient remedy famous for its healthy features. Garlic works on your immunity and offers you protection against numerous diseases.
Sure, the vegetable causes your breath to smell, but look at the bright side. This antibiotic and antibacterial richness is loaded with vitamin B6, C, and manganese. They drive your illness away and ensure it doesn’t return for a long time.
There are several ways you can eat garlic if you can’t munch on it raw. You can add chopped garlic to your fresh salad or marinate your meat with it before cooking or baking it. Try grilling garlic cloves and then eating the mushy garlic with some toast sprinkled with olive oil. They make quite a fancy treat as well.
Here are some suggestions for your help:
- Elephant Garlic By Christopher Ranch(ASIN: B0199AYDOK)
- Christopher Ranch Crushed Garlic(ASIN: B071D73LQ7)
- Spice World Minced Squeeze Garlic California Grown(ASIN: B0051C3MY8)
4. Fatty Fish
Fish that are filled with omega 3 fatty acids are the best cure for your cold. Salmon, Tuna, Atlantic Herring, and Mackerel are some of the healthiest superfoods for colds. They rejuvenate your body and offer the highest fill of fatty acids that you can get from fish consumption.
These fatty fish- salmon in particular- have a high quantity of zinc in them that boosts your immune system. Eating fatty fish as soon as you feel ill helps you overcome your cold within a day or two. The fish are also famous for their anti-inflammation properties. You should include fatty fish like tuna and salmon in your everyday balanced diet.
You can stock your pantry with canned tuna, grill some mackerel, and bake salmon. A baked buttery salmon with asparagus and garlic on the side is wholesome and revitalizing. And when you have got a cold and flu, you need to eat everything nutritious that powers your body up!
To address a common query: yes, you may eat fish oil supplements. However, they aren’t as effective for your cold and immunity in general as eating fish is. But don’t worry, we’ll list down some ways you can store fatty fish in your freezer:
- Chicken Of The Sea Premium Skinless & Boneless Pink Salmon(ASIN: B003RWVFEI)
- Safe Catch Canned Wild Albacore Tuna Fish No Salt Added, Gluten-Free(ASIN: B01FUXLCXA)
- Season Mackerel In Water, Skinless & Boneless Fillets(ASIN: B000HDL16C)
5. Bone Broth
As you lay sick in bed, does your mind ever think, “How to get rid of flu and cold fast?” Bone broth is an excellent remedy that washes away all the illness from every inch of your body.
The dish is a liquid soup prepared after you simmer the bones for many hours. An overnight simmering makes the perfect bone broth. The more you allow the bones to simmer, the more you can extract the minerals from the bones.
As the bones cook in the broth, they let out all their potassium, magnesium, and calcium. As you sip this flavorful and heavenly soup, your body gets an immediate recharge of energy.
Bone broths are even good for your joints and muscles. The broth offers glucosamine that eases your joint and muscle aches. That’s why, apart from catching a cold, you should try to drink bone broth once in a while. It’s an immunity booster that helps you with your longevity as well.
Here are some of the ingredients you might need to prepare this hearty broth:
- Kettle And Fire Miso Bone Broth Soup, Gluten Free, High In Protein And Collagen(ASIN: B07PHPGF2C)
- Bare Bones, Beef Bone Broth Classic(ASIN: B077GHL7FS)
- Orrington Farms Beef Flavored Broth Base & Seasoning(ASIN: B008NOID2W)
6. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the top superfoods for colds. It contains antioxidants that improve your body’s defense system against cold and flu. When you catch a cold, microbes start clogging your respiratory tract. That is why you face trouble in breathing and swallowing. Turmeric assists your body produce more mucus that washes those microbes away from your body.
The aromatic spice is an ancient organic remedy that cures cough and congestion. Milk with turmeric powder is the best liquid to sip before you fall asleep. It kills the cold symptoms overnight, and you get to wake up feeling refreshed and a lot better.
Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice that also helps you relieve your cold pains. A sore throat, headache, and chest pains are common in flu and cold. But they leave your body feeling tired, irritated, and sore. Eating turmeric powder or turmeric roots during your cold fights away all these body pains.
You can have turmeric in tea as well. Some slices of turmeric roots in your ginger or green tea work their charms to vitalize your body. Are you in need of some tremendous turmeric tips? Here are some suggestions that can help:
- Frontier Co-op Turmeric Root Cut & Sifted, Organic, Non-Irradiated(ASIN: B07K2YBGWC)
- Turmeric Powder, 2 Pounds- Ground Turmeric Root, Raw, Vegan(ASIN: B01L9D5NC6)
- Buddha Teas Organic Turmeric Ginger Tea, Caffeine Free(ASIN: B00DLN2RGS)
7. Teas With Low Caffeine
When you get sick, the main element is to remain hydrated. During your cold, your body tends to lose its hydration faster. But have no fears. You can keep your water level high and thriving. Drinking water every half an hour works, yes. But we suggest that you notch up your tea consumption to fight off your cold better.
Just a heads up: caffeine is not good for colds, and tea does contain caffeine. That’s why teas with low or no caffeine in them are superfoods for colds. Teas like calm Buddhas or green teas and lemongrass teas are amazing for cold. They relax your body and offer calming vibes to soothe your throat aches as well.
Hot caffeine-free teas feel like a blessing for your irritated throat. They even work to relieve your congestion and boost your immunity. Don’t add sugar to your tea, though. Sugar promotes your cold instead of curing it. If your tea feels bland, feel free to squeeze some lemon juice or add honey. Honey and lemon are the ideal organic flavors you can add to your beverages to make them tastier to drink.
Here are some recommendations for your caffeine-free tea collection:
- The Republic Of Tea, The Peoples Green Tea(ASIN: B0024SJ2LE)
- Teatulia Organic Lemongrass Tea + Bay Leaf Herbal Blend, Caffeine-Free(ASIN: B076WXBKDV)
- Stash Tea Bags Variety Pack- Herbal And Decaf Assorted Teas(ASIN: B07S93X3PD)
8. Blueberries
Blueberries are your instant suppliers of vitamins. They offer antioxidants to your body that keep your body away from cold and flu attacks. If you catch flu and cold frequently, that highlights your weak immune system. A lack of strong and healthy white blood cells makes you weak against viral and bacteria attacks.
That’s why you must include blueberries in your daily food intake. From blueberry fruit salads for breakfasts to blueberry snacks for lunch and dessert, there are numerous variations. Make your snacks even more nutrition-packed by mixing blueberries with other superfoods for colds. For instance, you can make blueberry oatmeal balls or have blueberries as a dessert after your dinner of baked salmon with vegetables.
The cherry on top: blueberries are one of the healthiest fruits to munch on. They are superfoods for weight loss as well. So, you can bite along these nectar-filled sweets without fretting over gaining inches!
Below are some products to increase your blueberry consumption:
- Kirkland: Whole Dried Blueberries(ASIN: B00IQBHZP8)
- Organic Blueberry Powder, Non-GMO, Unsulfured, Raw, Vegan(ASIN: B093FXBGX5)
- Dalfour Wild Blueberry Conserves(ASIN: B00KPSNGA8)
Our Final Thoughts
Improving your immunity is the best way to not only cure your diseases but avoid catching a disease in the future as well. How do you work on your immune system? Easy- by managing your diet. Plan your balanced diet schedule and eat healthy food that is loaded with nutrients.
We’ve discussed the top 8 superfoods for colds. Make sure to include them in your diet during your cold. They will help you recover from your cold and even bring back the healthy flush in your skin too.
Say goodbye to your cold and flu, and welcome your healthy and fit body and skin back!