12 Foods People Reach For With a Cold or Flu, and the Evidence

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12 Foods People Reach For With a Cold or Flu, and the Evidence
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No food or supplement cures a cold or the flu. A few have modest evidence behind them: honey can ease a cough, zinc lozenges started early may shorten a cold by a day or two, and regular vitamin C slightly shortens colds in people who already take it. Most other kitchen remedies, from ginger to garlic, are comforting and safe in normal amounts but unproven. Rest, fluids and time remain the real treatment.

When your throat hurts and your nose is blocked, you may not feel like eating at all, yet many of us still reach for the same foods our parents gave us. Here are twelve of the most popular, what each is claimed to do, and what reliable reviews actually say.

What actually helps with a cold or flu

Colds are caused by viruses, so antibiotics do not help. The NHS says symptoms usually build over two to three days and most people start feeling better within one to two weeks. Rest, plenty of fluids, salt-water gargles and steam can ease symptoms, and a pharmacist can advise on paracetamol, ibuprofen or decongestants. Do not give aspirin to children under 16.

The flu is different: it tends to hit harder and faster, with fever and aching. According to the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), no complementary approach has been shown to prevent flu or relieve its symptoms. The annual flu vaccine is the best-proven protection.

Remedies with some evidence

1. Honey

Honey is the kitchen remedy with the strongest support for symptoms. Reviews of studies in children found moderate to low-quality evidence that it eases coughing better than no treatment or a placebo, and the World Health Organization lists it as an option for coughs and sore throats. Lab studies also show honey has antibacterial properties, thanks to its sugar concentration, acidity and hydrogen peroxide, but colds are viral, so that is not why it helps. Never give honey to babies under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism.

2. Zinc

Zinc lozenges have been studied since the 1980s. According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, a 2021 analysis of 28 trials found that symptoms cleared about two days sooner, and a 2024 Cochrane review found a similar reduction, though with low certainty. Benefits appear only when zinc is started within about a day of the first symptoms, and zinc does not seem to prevent colds. It can cause nausea and a bad taste, the usual adult upper limit is 40 mg a day for long-term use, and zinc nasal gels and sprays should be avoided because they have been linked to lasting loss of smell.

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C became famous as a cold remedy after Linus Pauling promoted high doses in 1970. A Cochrane review by Harri Hemilä and Elizabeth Chalker found that taking it regularly did not prevent colds in the general population but shortened them by about 8% in adults and 14% in children. Taking it only after symptoms start made no difference. Claims that vitamin C destroys every virus, including Ebola, have no scientific basis, and very high doses can cause stomach cramps and diarrhoea.

4. Vitamin D

Vitamin D matters for the immune system, and a 2010 trial in Japanese schoolchildren, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported fewer cases of influenza A in the group given vitamin D. Later research has been mixed, and NCCIH currently describes the evidence for colds and flu as insufficient. It is no substitute for flu vaccination. If you think you may be low in vitamin D, ask a doctor about a blood test.

Popular foods with little proof

5. Garlic

Garlic contains allicin, which has antimicrobial effects in the lab. A 2012 Washington State University study reportedly found a garlic compound far more potent than two antibiotics against Campylobacter bacteria in lab tests, but that tells us nothing about colds, which are viral. A 2014 evaluation found insufficient evidence that garlic prevents colds or relieves symptoms. It may also interact with blood thinners.

6. Elderberry

Elderberry syrups are widely sold for flu. Lab studies suggest compounds in the berries may interfere with viruses, but NCCIH says there is not enough evidence in people to show whether it helps. Raw or unripe berries, leaves and stems can cause nausea and vomiting, so only use properly prepared products.

7. Ginger

Ginger tea with lemon and honey is soothing, and ginger has a reasonable track record for nausea. There is little good evidence that it shortens colds, and fresh ginger is not a significant source of vitamin C despite frequent claims.

8. Turmeric

Curcumin, the main compound in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory effects in lab studies but is poorly absorbed by the body. Claims that it outperforms medicines or vaccines are not supported. No food replaces vaccination: the CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccines for young children and for older adults and people at higher risk.

9. Lemon

Lemon adds vitamin C and flavour to warm drinks, and the NHS recommends a honey and lemon drink to soothe a sore throat. There is no evidence that lemon juice weakens viruses inside the body.

10. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is tasty in a warm drink, but there is no evidence that honey and cinnamon clear a cold in a day or two. One useful fact: common cassia cinnamon contains coumarin, which can harm the liver in large amounts, and European health agencies have advised against high intakes. Ceylon cinnamon contains much less.

11. Chilli peppers

Spicy food can make your nose run and briefly feel clearer, which is why many people reach for it. There is no good evidence that chilli treats a sore throat or a cold, and it can irritate an already sore throat or stomach.

12. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is credited with everything from preventing flu to detoxing the body, but none of these claims is backed by solid research. The idea of "rebalancing" your body's pH with food is a myth, because the body controls blood pH tightly on its own. Undiluted vinegar can damage teeth and the throat, so always dilute it.

A soothing homemade cough drink

This simple mixture will not cure anything, but warm, sweet and sour drinks can make a sore throat feel better and help you stay hydrated:

  • 1 tablespoon raw honey
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Half a cup of pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (diluted in the juice)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Half a teaspoon of chilli powder, optional

Warm gently, stir and sip a few tablespoons at a time through the day. Skip the honey for babies under one, and keep hot drinks away from small children.

Salt-water gargles are another simple option. If you try a nasal rinse, use only distilled, sterile or boiled-and-cooled water, never plain tap water, because rare but serious infections have been linked to it.

Common myths about colds and flu

"Antibiotics will clear it up faster." They do not work on viruses and can cause side effects.

"Natural means safe at any dose." Zinc, vitamin C, garlic and elderberry can all cause problems at high doses or with certain medicines.

"A strong immune system means you never catch colds." Healthy adults still catch a few colds a year. Sleep, exercise, a varied diet and hand-washing help, but no single food guarantees protection.

When to see a doctor

Most colds clear up on their own. Talk to a doctor if:

  • a high temperature lasts more than three days, or is very high;
  • symptoms get worse or have not improved after about 10 days;
  • you are short of breath or have chest pain;
  • a cough lasts longer than three weeks;
  • you have a long-term condition or weakened immune system, or you are worried about a child.

Before taking supplements regularly, especially if you are pregnant, take medicines or have a health condition, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

Sources: NHS: Common cold; NCCIH: Flu and colds, in depth; NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc; Wikipedia: Vitamin C and the common cold; Wikipedia: Honey; Wikipedia: Cinnamomum cassia; CDC: Pneumococcal vaccines; original list by Karen Foster, Prevent Disease.

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