Boost Your Immunity: 6 Foods to Help Fight Off a Cold and Recipes That Include Them

When you’re ill and appetite is low, nourishing soups can nurture you back to health.

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Eating certain foods when you have a cold can relieve symptoms, enhance immunity, and speed up recovery, while other foods may aggravate the condition and delay recovery time. Cai Yifang, a nutritionist at Taiwan’s Keyi Nutrition Consulting Center, recently shared nutritional tips for colds on NTDTV’s “Health 1+1“ program.

Cai said that in the early stages of cold, special attention to proper hydration, vitamin intake, and choosing appropriate anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances in our diet is needed. However, as many people have a poor appetite during a cold, she suggested that certain vegetables, protein-rich meats, and other ingredients prepared as a hot soup may help supplement nutritional needs.

6 Must-Eats to Counter Cold Symptoms

For proper food selection during a cold, Cai recommends the following six foods to help the body recover:

1. Green Onions

Green onions are rich in a variety of phytochemicals, such as sulfur-bearing compounds like allicin and alliin, and flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, which have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. These help boost immune function and relieve cold symptoms.

2. Onions

Onions are rich in quercetin and organic sulfides, which significantly benefit immune regulation, reduce infection and inflammatory reactions, and relieve pain.

3. Garlic

Like onions and green onions, garlic is rich in flavonoids and organic sulfides. It is also rich in trace minerals, vitamin C, and a variety of phytochemicals that produce the garlic flavor, such as allicin and alliin, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunity-enhancing effects. In addition, the polysaccharides in garlic can promote the growth of intestinal probiotics, thereby enhancing immune system functionalities.

Studies have shown that garlic can enhance the immune system function by regulating cytokine secretion, immunoglobulin production, phagocytosis, and macrophage activation. Garlic also appears to enhance the functioning of the immune system by stimulating certain cell types, such as macrophages, lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells, and eosinophils, via mechanisms like modulation of cytokine secretion, immunoglobulin production, phagocytosis, and macrophage activation.

Although raw garlic contains more beneficial substances than cooked garlic, it may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, especially during a cold when the stomach is weak. Therefore, Cai recommends cooking garlic briefly to reduce irritation and retain its beneficial contents as much as possible.

4. Ginger

Ginger contains chemical substances such as gingerol, shogaol, and zingiberene, which have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral effects and help relieve and prevent colds. Research shows that fresh ginger can inhibit respiratory syncytial viruses and help prevent serious infections caused by them.

5. Radish

Radish is rich in a variety of phytochemicals, including flavonoids and organic sulfides, which can prevent oxidative stress and support immune function. Radish can also inhibit the formation of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

6. Oysters

Oysters are rich in zinc, selenium, other minerals, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Together, these help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines and maintain the balance of intestinal flora. Studies have found oyster consumption may enhance immunity by modulating the gut microbiota and boosting arginine biosynthesis pathways.

5 Types of Soups to Speed Up Recovery

Cai recommended five soups that are good for consumption during colds to help speed up recovery:

1. Green Onion Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts or thighs
• 5-6 green onions (white portions chopped)
• 2-3 slices of ginger
• 1 liter of water
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a pot, add the chicken and ginger slices to the water.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 30-40 minutes.
3. Add the chopped white parts of the green onions and continue simmering for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Season with salt to taste and serve hot.

The white portion of green onions contains more sulfides than its green counterpart, which has better antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Mixed with chicken, it can effectively supplement protein and help boost immunity. This hot soup can promote blood circulation and induce sweating to dispel the cold.

2. Garlic Pork Ribs Soup

Ingredients:

• 500 grams pork ribs
• 6 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 10–12 red dates
• 15–20 wolfberries
• 1 liter water
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water for a few minutes, then drain.
2. In a pot, add the ribs, garlic, red dates, wolfberries, and water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1.5-2 hours.
4. Season with salt and serve hot.

Garlic cooked with pork ribs, red dates, and wolfberries can supplement vitamin A and help maintain the health of the respiratory mucosa. Red dates are rich in vitamin A and a variety of biologically active substances like polyphenols and polysaccharides, which bring antiviral and anti-inflammatory benefits.

3. Radish and Pork Ribs Soup

Ingredients:

• 500 grams pork ribs
• 1 large white radish (peeled and cut into pieces)
• 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
• 1 liter of water
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water and drain.
2. In a pot, combine the pork ribs, radish, corn, and water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1.5 hours.
4. Season with salt and serve hot.

Radish can help relieve cough and reduce phlegm. Adding corn to the ingredients enhances the sweetness and flavor of the soup.

4. Onion, Seaweed, and Egg Drop Soup 

Ingredients:

• 2 purple onions (sliced)
• 50 grams dried seaweed (soaked)
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 1 liter of water
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of white pepper

Instructions:

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil and add the sliced onions.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes until the onions soften.
3. Add the soaked seaweed and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
4. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs to create egg ribbons.
5. Season with salt and white pepper, and serve hot.

The quercetin in purple onions can inhibit the initial stage of viral infection and reduce inflammation caused by infection.

5. Ginger and Oyster Soup 

Ingredients:

• 200 grams fresh oysters
• 2–3 slices of ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 liter of water
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. In a pot, bring water to a boil with ginger slices.
2. Add oysters and cook for 3–5 minutes until they are tender.
3. Season with salt and black pepper, and serve hot.

The ginger here can effectively relieve throat inflammation. Black pepper and oysters are added to the soup to help replenish the zinc and Omega-3 fatty acids the immune system needs.

These soups can help boost the immune system and alleviate cold symptoms, speeding up recovery during cold and flu season.

3 Types of Drinks to Supplement Nutrition

If you have a poor appetite when you have a cold, in addition to the above-mentioned types of soups, Cai also recommended the following light and handy drinks:

1. Fruit Juices 

When you have a cold, your body is deprived of nutrients, including sugar. Increased sugar intake can quickly provide the energy that the body needs. However, fruit juices that are too sweet may increase nasal discharge and make phlegm thicker, which may trigger a cough. Therefore, it is best to dilute them with water before drinking to avoid irritation in the respiratory tract.

2. Energy Drinks 

Energy drinks can quickly replenish energy, but if they are too sweet, they also need to be diluted with water.

3. Green Smoothie

Green smoothies are preferable to fruit juices and energy drinks because you can choose the ingredients that enhance immunity, such as blackberries, blueberries, and other berries, or vegetables, such as kale and spinach, that are rich in vitamins C, E, and various phytochemicals. Adding ingredients like cheese or soy milk can also provide probiotics and protein, making your green latte a nutritious and well-rounded drink.

5 Types of Foods to Avoid

Since the stomach and intestines are less strong when you have a cold, Cai recommends avoiding the following foods:

1. Raw and cold foods: This is particularly the case for raw and cold foods with high bacteria content, such as sashimi.

2. Spicy and greasy foods: Spicy foods can irritate the digestive tract.

3. Foods produce gas or ferment: This includes carbonated drinks or foods that tend to cause flatulence, such as sweet potatoes and broccoli.

4. High-fat foods: Fatty meat will aggravate gastrointestinal discomfort and should be avoided.

4. High-fiber foods: Foods like celery, grains, burdock, and bamboo shoots will increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. You must wait until your gastrointestinal condition improves before resuming eating them gradually.

Incorporating these immune-boosting foods, soups, and drinks into your diet can help alleviate cold symptoms and promote a quicker recovery. However, it’s essential to avoid certain foods that may exacerbate symptoms. By following these nutritional tips, you can support your body in its battle against illness and feel better faster.