Our immune system is the shield of our body, protecting us from various diseases and aiding in quick recovery from common cold and fever. A good immune system is built through the regular intake of healthy diets, good sleep, exercises, stress control, and good hygiene. S0 I have selected Top Foods To Fight Flu and Fever.
The best way to get the most immune-boosting foods into your diet is to eat a variety of different foods and beverages. That in itself will provide all of the essential nutrients that directly feed immune function. The best immune-boosting foods can be found at your grocery store; extreme fad diets are not necessary.
Top Foods List
Here, we will explore some proven foods and drinks that support our immune system and help us recover quickly from the common cold and flu.
1. Citrus fruits
Citrus fruts are one of the best vitamin C-rich foods, which improve our immune system and save us from colds and fevers. Citrus fruits such as:
- Oranges
- Kumkuats
- Lemons
- Grapefruits
- Limes
- Pomelos
- Mandarins
- Tangerines
Citrus has a high level of antioxidants, vitamin C, and natural electrolytes. Consuming them regularly may help you prevent colds and flu. You can also drink juices of these fruits or add them to teas or warm water with honey, which will boost your immune health, ease the symptoms of fever, and reduce discomfort from a cold and sore throat.
2. Honey
Honey is not only one of the best cures for cold fevers but also one of the best things that you can consume for improving your immune function and overall health. This natural cure contains several nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which can protect us from illness and speed up recovery from fever.
Honey’s antibacterial properties also aid in reducing the symptoms of fever and flu:
Reduce irritain in a sore throat and can help soothe a sore throat.
Its natural sugar reduces tiredness during illness and gives you more energy.
Reduce coughing and help loosen mucus from the lungs.
3. Ginger and garlic
Ginger and garlic are two of the most popular natural remedies against cold and flu because they contain a number of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to fight the flu and lower high temperatures.
Garlic contains allicin, which in turn supports our immune system, has antibacterial benefits, and detoxifies our body. It also boosts the white blood cells that fight the cold viruses or flu. There is also data that proves garlic to be very beneficial for heart health and associated health benefits.
Ginger has antioxidant properties with magnesium, potassium, and vitamin C, all of which act against the viruses of flu and increase the pace of recovery time. With other health benefits of improving digestive health, immunity-boosting, alleviating pain, and promoting better health in the heart and respiratory system, this spice has been used for years in medicine.
Both ingredients have numerous health benefits, along with flu and fever relief, so you can incorporate them into your regular diet. You can simply incorporate them with cooking by making ginger tea or garlic soup and adding crushed garlic and ginger with hot water and honey. You can also take a piece of raw ginger and consume it slowly, which also helps to reduce cold symptoms and support your immune system to fight with the flu.
4. Green Tea
This is one of the drinks that you should take regularly for overall health. Green teas are rich in antioxidant and antiviral properties; they contain L-theanine, which helps to increase the production of germ-fighting compounds in our cells; these can save us from the flu and increase the recovery time from fever.
Drinking green tea regularly also makes our immune system strong, which also reduces the risk of other diseases and free radicals. Its anti-inflammatory properties also help alleviate the symptoms of colds and fevers like nasal congestion, sore throats, aches, and coughs.
You can consume 2-3 cups of green tea every day during fever for a quick recovery, but if you want to reduce the risk of flu during the cold season or any time of the year, you should try to take at least 3 to 4 cups of green tea every week. It will dramatically improve your immune function and lower the risk of several health issues.
5. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds can be an infection fighter as they contain vitamin E, zinc, and other anti-inflammatory properties. Some of the best nuts and seeds that you should take are:
- Almonds
- Chia seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Walnuts
You can easily consume nuts and seed mixes as snacks, or you can add them to your salads, baking, and smoothies. Drinks with chia seeds, honey, and lemons also aid in recovering early from the flu and also improve your immune function. Incorporating a variety of nuts alleviates the symptoms of colds and flu and also supports the immune system.
6. Turmeric
This spice has high antioxidants and antibacterial properties that can somehow reduce the risk of different diseases by increasing our immune functions. Furthermore, it is also known to have traditional remedies against a cold and fever, among others. Turmeric reduces cough, sore throat, runny nose, mucus production, and aches.
You can easily consume turmeric in several ways; some of the effective ways are:
Adding turmeric powder with hot water, honey, and lemon
Mixing turmeric powder and honey with warm milk
Gargle by mixing with warm water and salt for sore throat or pain.
Taking capsule form of turmeric, but first consult with a healthcare professional.
7. Fatty Fish
Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and B, which play a vital role to keep our immune function healthy and strong, reduce the risk of respiratory infections, and improve recovery times. These fish also help the body fight off infections effectively and reduce the symptoms of flu and fever. Some of the common fatty fish are:
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Hilsa (Ilish)
- Herring
- Trout
These fatty fish are one of the best sources of essential nutrients that support our overall immune function and health. Try to incorporate them regularly in your diet for strength of your immunity, which fights off the flu and fever.
8. Berries
Berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients that strengthen our immune system, reduce the risk of the common cold, and alleviate the symptoms of flu and fever. You can take various types of berries, such as:
Elderberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Cranberries
Adding this variety of berries alleviates the symptoms such as sore throat, nasal congestion, chills, cough, and headache. You can simply take berries as snacks and juice or add them to teas, smoothies, or baking. Consuming berries promotes fast recovery by supporting the body’s natural defences.
I would like to share what I eat to avoid common colds and fever and how I recover quickly by adding specific foods and drinks if I catch a fever.
The first things that come to mind are that I always try to drink teas such as green tea, tulsi tea, or black tea. I aim to have green tea three to five times a week, as I believe this habit strengthens my immune system. Despite frequently experiencing flu and fever, I find that consuming green tea along with other teas has significantly reduced the severity of these conditions.
I try to add honey for better benefits.
Additionally, I try to incorporate fruits like citrus fruits and berries, which also give me enough vitamins and antioxidants and keep my immune strong. I also try to take nuts and seeds in my snacks, which also give me enough nutrients for overall health, and I feel more energetic. I also try to add some fatty fish in my meals, as they have numerous health benefits that also help to fight the flu.
When dealing with flu and fever, I opt for these foods more frequently for fast recovery. For example, I try to take tea 5 to 7 times every week. Drink juices of citrus fruits, and I also make a drink by adding crushed garlic and ginger with hot water and honey; this helped me to recover my illness fast and reduce the symptoms. If I feel cough and asthma, I also drink golden milk, which you can make easily by adding some turmeric powder in warm milk; this also helps me a lot.