9 Drinks That May Help To Curb Your Cold Symptoms

Tea

Dr. Rebecca Niloff simply recommends there's nothing better for a sore throat than hot tea. The warm water will reduce swelling of the glands in your throat and an added benefit is the steam that will help to break up nose congestion. Adding a little honey not only adds sweetness but also coats the throat to help with painful swallowing.

Water

Believe it or not, Dr. Niloff recommends lots of water. Water is the number one drink that doctors recommend to help cure the common cold. A constant flushing of the system might be one of the reasons why doctors love to prescribe a healthy dose of water. Another might be that constant hydration helps aid your immune system, which is working in overdrive when you have any kind of illness. 

Coconut Water

Dietician Sheela Prakash says, "Coconut water is filled with electrolytes that can help if you're dehydrated and need fluids (which you need when you're sick)." Coconut water is also easily accessible and doesn't have the added sugar of most energy and juice drinks that are found in stores.

Orange Juice

Also recommended by Dr. Niloff is orange juice. Extremely high in vitamin C, this citrus is also an antioxidant, meaning it helps to get rid of impurities in the body. Remember to naturally squeeze your orange juice to avoid an overload of unnecessary sugars.

Tomato Juice

Tomatoes are not only rich in antioxidants, which will help to replenish and flush your system in the height of a nasty cold, but they also contain lycopene. Lycopene not only helps to rebuild cells but it's been shown to help in the prevention of certain types of cancer.

Grapefruit Juice

Prakash shares that citruses are great for colds. Grapefruit is another citrus on our list that is high in vitamin C. The juice from this fruit is helpful in staving off the common cold if you're not a fan of the old-fashioned orange juice cure. The great thing about citrus juices is that you can get the benefits of them easily — simply eat a grapefruit for your morning meal or drink a glass of fresh-squeezed juice.

Red Wine

That's right — you may be getting some help from your nightly glass of red wine if you're a wine drinker with the sniffles. According to The Daily Mail, there are trace amounts of resveratrol in the drink can apparently help with dampening inflation in the nose when you're congested. 

Ginger Juice

Fox News reports that "the anti-inflammatory gingerols and shaogals in ginger root will help to relieve a sore throat quickly, and they also kill rhinoviruses, which cause colds in the first place." Ginger can be juiced to drink on the go or put in a tea that will help to soothe the throat and sinuses.

Emergen-C

The go-to water-enhancer is recommended by nutritionist Carly Feigan, who says, "Emergen-C,, buffered vitamin C packets in different flavors [are] great to ward off a cold or sore throat." Emergen-C is a small packet that can be poured into hot water to make a tea, or cold water to create a drinkable fizzy concoction. Emergen-C has 24 nutrients, including 1,000 milligrams of immune-supporting vitamin C, seven B vitamins to enhance energy naturally, and electrolytes to refuel and replenish.