What foods you should not eat during a cold: complete list

Doctors warn: four products that can slow down your recovery from a cold. Experts from the UK explained why caffeine, alcohol, sugar, and fats are the worst allies in fighting ARIs (acute respiratory infections).

As reported by TUT.AZ, specialists strongly recommend excluding caffeinated drinks from the diet during colds and flu. According to dietitian Dana Henderson, this popular stimulant significantly disrupts sleep quality, which is a key factor for the effective functioning of the immune system and the body's fight against infections. The most important processes of tissue and system restoration in the body occur during the deep sleep phase.

The dietitian particularly noted the danger of alcohol during illness - it not only intensifies dehydration but can also significantly prolong the recovery process. Medical experts also advise avoiding products high in saturated fats and sugar: fast food, chocolate, chips, and various confectionery products. Such food activates inflammatory processes in the body, which leads to an intensification of unpleasant disease symptoms.

Family physician Neil Patel from St. Bartholomew's Hospital supplemented the recommendations, advising to avoid spicy food during illness. According to him, it has an irritating effect on the gastrointestinal tract, which is already functioning with reduced efficiency during infection, potentially causing additional discomfort.