What fruits should you eat when you have a cold? Top 10 recommended fruits and scientific basis
Among the hot health topics on the Internet recently, "diet management during colds" has become the focus, especially the choice of fruits has attracted much attention. This article combines the search data of the past 10 days to compile a list of fruits that are most suitable for consumption during colds and their scientific basis.
1. Why should you eat more fruits when you have a cold?

Fruit is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and water, which can help relieve cold symptoms and enhance immunity. The World Health Organization recommends consuming 200-400g of fruit daily during colds.
| Nutrients | function | Recommended daily amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | Enhance white blood cell activity | 100-200mg |
| zinc | Shorten the course of colds | 8-11mg |
| Moisture | Prevent dehydration | 1.5-2L |
2. Top 10 recommended fruits for colds
| Ranking | fruit | key nutrients | Efficacy | Food recommendations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | orange | Vitamin C(53mg/100g) | Relieve sore throat | 1-2 per day |
| 2 | Lemon | Flavonoids | Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory | Soak in warm water and drink |
| 3 | kiwi | Vitamin C(62mg/100g) | Enhance immunity | Peel and slice |
| 4 | apple | Pectin | Detox | Eat with skin |
| 5 | pear | dietary fiber | Moisten the lungs and relieve cough | Stewing effect is better |
| 6 | grapefruit | Vitamin A | Protect respiratory tract | Avoid taking with medications |
| 7 | strawberry | Anthocyanins | Antiviral | Wash with warm water |
| 8 | pineapple | Bromelain | Relieve congestion | Salt water soak |
| 9 | pomegranate | Tannins | Inhibit germs | Juice for drinking |
| 10 | banana | Potassium | Supplement electrolytes | Choose ripe bananas |
3. Targeted selection for different symptoms
| cold symptoms | best fruit | alternative |
|---|---|---|
| fever | Watermelon (hydration and cooling) | coconut water |
| cough | Sydney (moistens the lungs) | Loquat |
| nasal congestion | Pineapple (anti-inflammatory) | citrus |
| sore throat | Kiwi fruit (repair mucous membrane) | banana |
4. Precautions when eating
1.avoid icing: Room temperature fruits are more suitable for consumption during colds
2.control sugar: Diabetics should choose low-GI fruits such as strawberries and apples
3.drug interactions:Grapefruit affects the metabolism of various drugs
4.Allergy risk: Mango and other tropical fruits may cause allergies
5. Special tips from nutritionists
The Chinese Nutrition Society points out: "Fruit intake during a cold shouldA small amount of times, with plenty of warm water. Vitamin C supplementation is recommended through natural fruits rather than synthetic preparations because they contain synergistic plant compounds. "
The latest research (released in December 2023) shows that consuming 2 kiwis per day for 5 consecutive days can shorten the duration of cold symptoms by 19%. However, it should be noted that fruits cannot replace drug treatment. If you have a severe cold, you should seek medical treatment in time.
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