26 Christmas Unwrapped Food & Drink Natural remedies Winter is the peak season for catching a cold, but what we eat could protect or even cure us
Cold truths You’ve probably heard the saying: feed a cold and starve a fever. So is it true? Originally, the advice drew on the idea that eating generates heat, which helps to warm the body — all good when you have a cold. But there’s no scientifi c evidence to suggest either eating or avoiding food will help you get better quicker — the best advice is to be guided by your appetite. When you have a cold, dehydration dries up the mucus in the nose, throat and lungs, which can clog sinuses and respiratory tubes — so, even if you don’t feel like eating, it’s important to drink plenty of liquids. On average, in the UK an adult
can expect to catch a common cold (the world’s most common virus) between two to fi ve times a year. Prevention is always preferable and a healthy, balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals — combined with regular exercise, adequate sleep, and a positive outlook — seem to be the answer to most health issues. But it’s true, a healthy immune system can help keep colds at bay. Bear in mind a single sneeze or cough can send tiny amounts of the virus into the air to be breathed in, or linger on surfaces, such as phones and door handles, for up to two days. Fiona Hunter
Spice up your life
Vitamin D Research by Queen Mary University, London, suggests the ‘sunshine vitamin’ can help to prevent colds by boosting levels of antibiotic-like substances in the lungs. In winter, vitamin D can be obtained by eating oily fi sh and eggs.
Spicy foods Chilli, horseradish and wasabi can open sinuses and help with the congestion associated with colds. So if you’re blocked up, a curry could help — although, if your cold comes with a stomach upset, spicy foods could aggravate your symptoms.
Friendly bacteria For a diet rich in probiotic ‘friendly’ bacteria (which combat colds), try foods like yoghurt, sauerkraut and kimchi. Alternatively, onions, leeks, asparagus and bananas contain prebiotic fi bre, which encourages the growth of probiotic bacteria.
Hot lemon and honey PHOTOGRAPH: ALAMY
Tackling colds the Sri Lankan way Growing up in Sri Lanka, my parents always made us a drink called ‘kothamalli water’
(coriander water); which stems from Indian ayurvedic medicine. It was magic, driving away the hardiest of colds. The spices contain chemicals that are antibacterial, antifungal and anti- infl ammatory: coriander contains linalool, pepper contains piperine and ginger contains gingerol. It’s simple to make
— toast 150g coriander seeds and 12 black peppercorns in a pan, stirring constantly. Once the spices release their aroma, remove from the heat and add 500ml of cold water, plus fi ve fi nger-sized pieces of peeled ginger. Simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds, then strain through a sieve. Add sugar to taste and drink lukewarm. I still drink this
regularly — it tastes like a spiced tea; it clears your nose and throat and seems to ward off colds.
By Jeya Henry, director of the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre and professor at the National University of Singapore
This is an excerpt from National Geographic Traveller Food (December 2017 issue)
Saturday 3rd November 2018
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