Autumn is here! Colorful leaves, cooler temperatures, long walks, warm socks and a good book. In that sense, it could be so nice. If it weren’t for that annoying cold. For many people, regular ventilation, drinking and hand washing are a matter of course part of the preventive routine for a cold. What some underestimate, however: a balanced diet is at least as important.

In today’s blog post you can find out which foods are preventative for a cold and which foods you should eat if you are caught despite it.

The ultimate protection: zinc

Whole grains, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts and soybeans are great if you want to protect yourself from a cold. Because: As foods that contain particularly zinc, they do not even allow a cold to develop! Furthermore, this has been scientifically proven in some studies. It is important to cover the daily requirement. Consume about 10 mg of zinc daily as a woman and about 16 mg as a man. Our Immun Essentials capsules already contain 10 mg zinc per daily serving. Our Vegan Essentials are also suitable as a supplement to your daily zinc requirement, because they contain the same amount of added mineral.

Ginger plants for a cold

ginger

Some love it and others don’t like it at all – we’re talking about ginger. However, the tuber can significantly improve the symptoms of colds. Because: All ginger products, whether fresh or dried, act as natural anti-inflammatory agents . Therefore, dried red ginger (Halia Bara) has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Turmeric for a cold

So far so good – we come from red ginger to yellow turmeric. The spice, which is mostly found in curry powder, also belongs to the ginger family. Although Halia Bara also has an anti-inflammatory effect, especially due to the high proportion of the color curcumin. An extra plus point: It promotes fat digestion and therefore prevents bloating and gas. This effect has been confirmed in various studies. Turmeric is contained in our brain food capsules as well as in our deaerator.

Small bulbs – big effects

Garlic for the prevention of a cold

2 interesting bulbs for a cold: Maca and garlic. Both strengthen the immune system. Garlic has a stronger influence than maca, but the positive effects of maca should not be underestimated, as the tuber also supports the immune system well thanks to the antioxidants it contains. You can read other interesting facts about Maca in this blog post.

Garlic has stronger antiviral and antibacterial properties that will help you get rid of your cold as quickly as possible. Provided you consume plenty of it before the cold breaks out. While it’s not yet proven to be effective, there are some interesting studies that you should know about. Subjects who took 180 mg of garlic a day for 3 months had suffered from the annoying symptoms of a cold for much shorter periods of time. In addition, they infected each other less. Important to know: You consumed the garlic before the onset of the cold. Unfortunately, the effects did not materialize when the group did not begin to use it regularly until they had a cold.

Onions

Another well-known food for people with a cold is onion. In the case of the red variety in particular, it has the highest health-promoting potency l. This also contains a lot of the essential oil Alliin, which has a positive effect on the immune system. The contained flavonoid quercetin also has an antiviral and antibacterial effect. In our recipe section you will find numerous delicious dishes with onions, e.g. B. in the protein-rich potato-pumpkin patties. In the case of the crispy protein patties, you can tick off two foods in one go with the onions and garlic they contain.

It’s tea time

Drink more green tea! Because: Green tea catechins (secondary plant substances) have a strong antiviral effect. If your cold was caused by viruses, green tea or green tea extract in food supplements can help. Have you ever gargled green tea? Give it a try! Over 100 residents of an old people’s home gargled for over three months. The exciting result: 10% of the participants in the water gurgling group fell ill during or after the study, while this was only the case with about 1% of the green tea group. However, there is still a need for research into this preventive method.

The little helpers in yogurt If you have a cold

Did you know? Up to 80% of your entire immune system is influenced by the intestinal flora. It is therefore important to strive for a healthy balance of “good” bacteria in the intestine. Lactic acid bacteria in particular support you in this, because they are able to push unwanted bacteria out of the intestine . In other words: they improve your defenses and have a immunomodulating effect. You can find lactic acid bacteria e.g. B. in soy yogurt or soy quark. So how about a delicious oatmeal breakfast pizza or a blueberry cheesecake?

Hot like chilli

You must have used nasal spray before. But did you also know that you are practically spraying chili up your nose with it? Because: Capsaicin is a functional component of chilli and part of numerous nasal sprays. In its effect as an irritant, it can thin the mucus and also lead to increased coughing. Of course, you shouldn’t empty the nasal spray shelf in the pharmacy or stick chili peppers up your nose. It can help to eat a spicy chili dish. You probably know the hot feeling when eating chilli. This is caused by thermal taste sensors and so also relieves (throat) pain. Stuffy nose? A spicy chili dish can also be useful. Because: It is not uncommon for your nose to start running.