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You are here: Home / Diet and Nutrition / Seasonal Diet / Christmas Diet / 10 Natural Foods That Fight Colds & Flu

10 Natural Foods That Fight Colds & Flu

10 Natural Foods That Fight Colds & Flu

As the year draws to a close you are probably winding down, enjoying the festivities and preparing for your New Year celebrations. Unfortunately, the end of the year also brings with it an increased risk of contracting the common cold and the flu. These viral infections can leave you feeling weak, tired and in the worst cases completely bed ridden.

The good news is that you can protect yourself by supplying your body with the right foods. Making the correct dietary choices gives your body the fuel it needs to supercharge your immune system and fight these nasty infections. Today I will be helping you fuel up with 10 natural foods that fight colds and flu:

1) ALMONDS

A selection of almonds close up.Almonds are a healthy snack that can be eaten any time you feel a little peckish. They help fight colds by supplying your body with 4 powerful nutrients – gallocatechol (which may boost the immune system based on provisional studies), protein (which is used to create the antibodies that the immune system uses to fight disease), vitamin B2 (which keeps your immune system healthy) and vitamin E (which supports the production of bacteria killing B cells).

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Almonds:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Gallocatechol 2.59mg
Protein 23.4g
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin E 26.2mg

 

2) BEEF

Chopped cubes of beef with bell peppers.Beef is a tasty meat that can be eaten as part of a roast or mixed in with chilli peppers and mushrooms to create a highly effective, cold and flu fighting stew. It gets its immune boosting properties by being rich in iron (which supports the production of antibodies and immunity building T cells), protein, selenium (which helps the body produce antibodies) and zinc (which supports the production of various white blood cells).

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Beef:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Iron 3.1mg
Protein 28.6g
Selenium 0.02mg
Zinc 7.4mg

 

3) CHILLI PEPPERS

A group of red chilli peppers.If you are a fan of spicy foods then you will be happy to see chilli peppers on this list. These scorching vegetables can be used to create a curry or spice up any dish. They contain high levels of 4 nutrients that protect against the common cold and the flu – beta carotene (which is converted into the immune system boosting vitamin A), capsaicin (which relieves the congestion associated with colds and flu), vitamin B6 (which supports a healthy immune system) and vitamin C (which supports the production of white blood cells).

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Chilli Peppers:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Beta Carotene N/A
Capsaicin Varies by chilli pepper.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 1mg
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 144mg

 

4) GARLIC

Three cloves of garlic with some parsley.As long as you are not planning to head out later on, eating garlic is a perfect way to stop yourself contracting the common cold or the flu. If you are feeling adventurous you can eat a whole clove of garlic raw.  However, if that doesn’t sound too tasty, you can chop a clove or 2 into small pieces and add them to your cooking. The reason garlic is so effective at preventing these viral infections is because it is full of germanium (which boosts the immune system by increasing the number of antibody forming cells and  increasing the effectiveness of the immune system), protein, selenium, vitamin B1 (which strengthens the immune system), vitamin B6 and vitamin C.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Garlic:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Germanium N/A
Protein 6g
Selenium 0.01mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.2mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 1.2mg
Vitamin C (Ascrobic Acid) 31.2mg

 

5) GINGER TEA

A whole and chopped ginger plant on a white background.If you are full of cold or flu then a hot drink is exactly what you need. However, hot water alone only numbs your throat and does not deal with the actual infection.  By making that hot drink a ginger tea you get an extra protective kick. Ginger tea is loaded with the phytonutrient gingerol which boosts the immune system by stimulating the production of dermicidin (a protein that protects against invading microorganisms).

6) GREEN TEA

A glass cup of green tea.Green tea is most well known for its cancer fighting properties.  However, cancer prevention is just 1 of the many health benefits associated with drinking this hot beverage.  Provisional studies suggest that the gallocatechol and theaflavin in green tea are both very effective at keeping your body safe from the common cold and the flu.  Further studies are needed before these virus fighting properties can be confirmed but it certainly won’t do any harm to treat yourself to a cup or 2 of green tea each day.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Green Tea:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Gallocatechol 16.71mg
Theaflavin N/A

 

7) MUSHROOMS

Two button mushrooms on a white background.Mushrooms are a highly nutritious vegetable that can be added to many meals. If you are stuck for ideas, try mixing some mushrooms in with the leftover turkey from Christmas dinner to create an immune boosting casserole. In terms of nutrients, mushrooms contain high levels of selenium, the B complex vitamins B1,B2, B3, B5, B6, B9 (which work together to strengthen the immune system) and zinc. This powerful combination makes mushrooms an excellent choice for anyone who is trying to prevent a cold or the flu.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Mushrooms:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Selenium 0.01mg
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.4mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 4.1mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 2mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.1mg
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) 0.02mg
Zinc 1mg

 

8) ORANGES

A whole and chopped orange on a white background.Oranges are a juicy snack that can be eaten at any time of the day.  They are a popular choice when it comes to protecting against colds and the flu due to their high vitamin C content.  However, this is not the only ingredient that makes oranges so effective.  They are also rich in the immune boosting nutrients beta carotene, hesperidin, vitamin A, vitamin B1 and vitamin B9.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Oranges:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Beta Carotene N/A
Hesperidin 27.25mg
Vitamin A 0.062
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.084mg
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) 0.03mg
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) 53.2mg

 

9) YOGURT

Two glasses of yogurt with a selection of berries.Yogurts are an excellent cold and flu fighting food. They can be eaten on their own or if you want to double their viral fighting properties you can chop up some almonds and mix them in.  Alternatively, you can add some berries to the yogurt to create an all round health boosting snack.  In terms of nutrients, yogurts contain high levels of vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B12 and zinc. However, the main reason for their effectiveness is lactobacillus casei – a bacteria which boosts the immune system.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Yogurt:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.2mg
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) 0.58mg
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) 0.001mg
Zinc 0.89mg

 

10) TURKEY

A cooked turkey holding a sign saying "Bite Me!"Turkey is not just the traditional Christmas roast. It is also a fantastic way to keep your body safe from colds and the flu.  Turkey’s protective properties come from its impressive nutrient profile. It is packed full of protein, selenium, vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and zinc which collectively give the immune system a real kick.  So if you want to minimise your chances of contracting these viral infections make sure you take full advantage of all the Christmas dinner leftovers.

Cold & Flu Fighting Nutrients In Yogurt:

NUTRIENT AMOUNT PER 100 GRAMS (g)
Protein 30.06g
Selenium 0.032mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 7.5mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 0.56mg
Zinc 1.74mg

 

SUMMARY
If you normally suffer from the common cold or the flu during winter, try changing your diet this year. The foods listed above all contain specific cold and flu fighting nutrients which will keep you safe from these viral infections. As an added bonus, they are also rich in other vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients which will give your health a real kick. So put the Lemsip down and instead fill up on these foods that fight colds and flu.

Now I want to hear your thoughts. Do you suffer from the common cold or the flu every year? Do you have any other natural remedies to add to this list? Let me know by leaving a comment.

Filed Under: Christmas Diet, Colds & Flu, Featured, Food Tagged With: christmas common cold, Christmas Diet, christmas flu, christmas influenza, common cold, flu, Food, influenza

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