5 Foods That Fight Colds and Flu


When your nose is stuffy, and you cannot stop coughing, the simplest Rx could also be ... in your kitchen. "Certain foods are high in nutrients that boost your health," explains Kathy McManus, RD, director of the department of nutrition at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Here, five foods scientifically are proven to assist kick those cold and flu bugs.

Whole Grains
They're loaded with zinc, which is significant for maintaining a healthy system . Try whole-grain spaghetti with spaghetti sauce or rice with veggies.

Bananas
They contain vitamin B6, which helps your body fight infection. Eat your bananas sliced over whole-grain cereal and double your germ-busting power.

Cayenne Pepper
The active ingredient within the spice, capsaicin, beats congestion by thinning the mucus in your nasal passages so you'll breathe freely again. Sprinkle some in soup or on a bean burrito.

Sweet Potatoes
They're one among the simplest sources of beta-carotene (a sort of vitamin A), which your body must make enough white blood cells to repel infection. Eat them mashed or baked.

Garlic
Allicin, one among the active components in freshly crushed garlic, can zap viruses by blocking the enzymes that cause infection. Use it during a Caesar salad, pesto sauce, or guacamole.