Is it possible to drink coffee when you have a cold?
There is an opinion that you should not drink coffee when you have a cold. This is because caffeine increases the number of heart beats, thereby causing tachycardia. The body, weakened by viruses, experiences agitation, which makes the person feel worse.
The drink has a dehydrating effect, which is undesirable during a cold. As you know, during illness you need to drink as much fluid as possible, herbal tea or water. But on the other hand, thanks to the diuretic properties of the Brazilian potion, the human body is cleansed faster.
The grains contain chlorogenic acid, which has an antiviral effect.
This has been confirmed by recent research by scientists. During colds, you don’t need to change your habits and give up your favorite drink. It is enough to modify them slightly.
For a sore throat
Diseases caused by acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) have unpleasant complications. If you have a sore throat, drinking hot coffee is strictly prohibited. The fact is that the drink is too aggressive towards the irritated mucous membrane of the tonsils.
The taboo is imposed not only on coffee, but also on tea and any other hot drink. Cold liquid also slows down healing and increases pain. During a sore throat and irritation of the throat mucosa, it is recommended to drink only neutral drinks at room temperature:
- compote;
- not too strong tea;
- water.
Use sugar in minimal quantities, because you should let the inflamed membrane calm down. Doctors recommend frequent rinsing and spraying with special-purpose sprays.
Is it possible to drink coffee at a temperature
Colds are often accompanied by an increase in the patient's body temperature. Coffee can be consumed at temperatures up to 38 °C. When a person is ill, his condition becomes lethargic. And constant sleepiness reduces performance.
37 °C is not a critical value; coffee can not be excluded from the diet. If your body temperature rises further, you should give up your favorite drink. The reason for this is an increase in heart rate. The body's fight against viruses proceeds by destroying them due to thermal pressure. The human heart is under a lot of stress during this period, and coffee speeds up its work even more.
In order to cope with the disease, you should give up a cup of brown liquid for a while. Drinking coffee at high temperatures will only worsen the overall weakened condition and prevent the body from fighting pathogens.
When coughing
Cough is another unpleasant symptom of the disease. To treat it, it is recommended to drink coffee mixed with medicinal herbs and spices.
The drink speeds up the process of removing phlegm and mucus.
The properties of the weakly brewed “dark continent” potion are similar to green tea. But its strength should be less than that of traditional Americano.
Foods that can and should be eaten during illness
Nutrition for flu and colds implies one important rule: the sick body needs to be “unloaded” as much as possible so that all the energy is spent not on digesting food, but on fighting the disease. It is for this reason that food for a cold should be light, but balanced, so that there is no deficiency of valuable microelements - a weakened immune system does not need this at all.
So, what foods should you eat when you have a cold?
- Vegetables and fruits are a real storehouse of vitamins. You can eat them either fresh or boiled or baked. But during a period when the body is fighting a fever, it is better to give preference to thermally processed vegetables and fruits: this will reduce the amount of fiber and reduce the load on the digestive organs. Especially useful are those natural gifts that have a positive effect on the immune system. These are carrots, pumpkin, beans, beets, asparagus, garlic, onions, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, citrus fruits, apples, melons and watermelons, peaches. But doctors do not advise overusing potatoes: this root vegetable contains a lot of starch, and starch is known for being able to thicken phlegm and mucus, thereby slowing down the elimination of cough and runny nose.
- Food containing plant proteins. Protein nutrition during a cold is extremely necessary for the human body, since protein is very important for the work of leukocytes - red blood cells that fight bacteria and viruses. Studies have proven that a person who ate protein foods recovered much faster than someone who neglected such foods. Treatment will be undoubtedly successful if you saturate the body with plant protein - eating chickpeas, lentils, red beans, oat bran and nuts. Regarding the last point, doctors note: you can eat nuts during a cold, but in limited quantities, because they are high-calorie foods.
- Porridge. You need to eat cereal dishes in order to saturate your body with easily digestible carbohydrates. This will allow you to quickly get the necessary energy and achieve a feeling of fullness without overeating. Oatmeal, rice and buckwheat porridges are especially recommended during the development of colds or respiratory infections. The latter, by the way, is another source of protein.
- Healthy spices. We are talking about coriander, cinnamon and ginger. You won’t be able to eat a lot of them, and it’s not necessary. These products are most often consumed in drinks as a tasty, healing additive. Such spices effectively fight the symptoms of colds - fever, runny nose, cough and sore throat.
When you have a cold, you need to eat fractionally – 4-5 times a day in small portions. Small amounts of food are digested much easier, and thanks to short breaks, hunger does not occur.
What coffee drinks can you drink when you have the flu?
Influenza is a serious illness that has a high risk of complications. Doctors recommend using caffeine-containing drinks with extreme caution during the course of the disease.
In addition to the fact that they will not help in recovery, the caffeine included in the composition will interfere with the patient’s ability to sleep normally. Namely, in a dream, a person fights the disease and regains strength.
You should not drink coffee in its pure form when you have the flu. In order to help the body heal faster, you need to add various seasonings to the drink. Doctors' recommendations regarding the use of an invigorating potion are the same as for colds. You only need to drink brewed coffee; freeze-dried powder will not be beneficial.
Conclusion:
- You can drink coffee at temperatures up to 38 degrees if you do not have problems with your heart or blood pressure;
- At temperatures above 38 degrees, you should not drink coffee, so as not to cause tachycardia and not prevent the body from fighting the problem;
- Coffee should be natural, freshly ground, freshly brewed, not strong;
- You can add honey, cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, milk to the drink; adding alcohol is not recommended;
- Do not drink coffee instead of tea, water, fruit drinks. You can only add a cup to the total volume of liquid.
Coffee recipes for colds
Coffee for a cold can be a life-saving recipe for illness. A cup of dark brown liquid will give you energy and help get rid of illness. There are many recipes with which your favorite drink is turned into a healing potion.
What they have in common is that you should take this kind of medicine only at the very beginning of the manifestation of the disease. In the midst of illness, you need to be very careful with an invigorating drink. At the end of the severe stage of the disease, the caffeine-containing product can be returned to the diet.
Cinnamon
Confectionery seasoning has beneficial properties. It acts as an antioxidant, reduces the effect of pathogenic microbes and restores strength. You need to drink a not too strong brewed warm drink with a pinch of cinnamon.
Suitable for treating symptoms at the initial stage of the disease and during the recovery period. Coffee with spice will help cure cough and relieve sore throat. The additive is included in coffee not only during illness, but also in the daily morning “charge of energy.”
With honey and lemon
The beneficial properties of bee products and citrus have been used in medicine since time immemorial. You should brew a weak drink, add lemon and honey to the liquid at room temperature.
Coffee with honey and lemon cleanses the respiratory tract well, is good for the immune system and helps with a runny nose.
Swelling goes away if you drink a cup of healing potion. Caffeine enhances the effect of vitamin C and honey.
With cardamom
The magical properties of the spice are used to treat coughs. This seasoning contains many useful substances that have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body and immunity. In the East, cardamom is used to brew tea and add seasoning to main dishes. It is known as a tonic supplement that gives strength.
With star anise
The second name of the spice is anise. Many have known him from an early age. It is the main component of cough syrups and lozenges. It cleanses the lungs well, stimulates the release of mucus from the upper respiratory tract, and is useful for sore throat. Has a tonic effect.
With milk, cream or condensed milk
Additives in the form of milk and condensed milk serve to improve the taste and reduce the strength of the drink. The increased sugar content is beneficial in recovery from colds and flu. Fast carbohydrates instantly saturate the body with a charge of strength and vigor.
What kind of coffee can you drink at a temperature?
Do not forget that coffee is to some extent a diuretic, that is, it dehydrates the body. In any case, they should not replace the entire volume of warm drink, which is recommended at the temperature, and if you drink a cup of coffee, wash it down with a glass of clean warm water. It is better to brew weak coffee with the addition of milk or water. Here's what to add to coffee to speed up recovery:
- Honey _ Just don’t put it in hot coffee, let the drink cool. Honey calms inflammatory processes and has a healing effect on the body.
- Cinnamon . A good immune stimulant, coffee with cinnamon warms and relieves the feeling of tremors and weakness.
- Star anise . If the temperature is caused by a cold, star anise will help, as it is included in many cough syrups. Star anise will make breathing easier and relieve wheezing.
- Cardamom . Known for its anti-inflammatory effect, and is actively used in anti-cold mixtures.
When is coffee dangerous when you're sick?
It is unsafe to drink coffee if you have ARVI or fever. Doctors recommend taking the “dark continent” drink only during a mild cold. It is easy to harm a weakened body; it is much more difficult to recover. Giving up the usual amount of coffee will speed up recovery and strengthen the immune system.
A drink at room temperature in the early stages of a cold or during the recovery period will speed up the return to your normal lifestyle. Until recently, it was believed that coffee should be excluded from the diet if you have a cold. In 2021, scientists refuted this judgment. This pleased many lovers of the drink from the “dark continent”.
You need to take your favorite medicine according to the recommendations of specialists and do not increase its daily dose. In order to help yourself recover, you should drink only natural grain coffee; the instant analogue does not contain any beneficial properties.
The benefits of coffee at a temperature of about 37 degrees
At low temperatures, coffee can also be a medicine. Grains contain many biologically active substances that help fight viruses, for example, chlorogenic acid. At temperature, chlorogenic acids and flavonoids maintain the tone of the cardiovascular system, improving the supply of oxygen to internal organs, “washing out” toxins. So recovery occurs faster and the patient feels better.
Important: the therapeutic effect is observed only when using freshly ground and freshly brewed coffee, since it contains a sufficient concentration of chlorogenic acids. This does not work with instant or old ground coffee.
