Do not fight to make chicken soup: this food will withstand the cold

WASHINGTON DC. [USA]: A recent study has claimed that yogurt could be useful for those looking to get rid of colds.

When one has a runny nose and a sore throat, one tends to turn to home remedies. While we all know how hot water, herbal teas, ginger, honey and chicken soup work wonders for cough and cold cure, researchers have suggested that yogurt could be added to this list of remedies against the cold!

"As for yogurt in particular, I would say that there is little research to suggest that yogurt reduces the symptoms of colds," said Mickey Rubin, vice president of nutrition research at the National Council of Health. Dairy industry.

"There are certain things (in yogurt) that we can indicate that, in theory, would be beneficial," added Rubin.

Yogurt is full of probiotics that can help boost immunity, CNN said, citing dietician Kristi L. King.

Studies on probiotics have shown promising results in terms of reducing the duration and intensity of cold. However, specific benefits can only be attributed to the strains actually studied, which do not necessarily exist in plain, unsupplemented yogurt, according to Rubin.

Conventional yogurt contains Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, both of which are an integral part of the yoghurt manufacturing process. They are called "starter cultures". Although these bacteria are beneficial, they are not necessarily the same probiotics as those that have been the subject of clinical studies.

"We know that yogurt is a nutritious food choice and that probiotics are good for your health, so it makes sense to include them in a healthy diet, but recommending them specifically for common colds is premature," Rubin said. .

Yogurt also contains another immune stimulant: zinc. Research indicates that zinc can reduce the duration of cold symptoms, but the amount of zinc needed to make a profit, at least 75 milligrams, is well above the 2 milligrams in an 8 ounce cup of yogurt.

The carbohydrates in yogurt provide energy, which is important to help recover from a cold.

A recent study found that when women consumed yogurt every day for nine weeks, their level of inflammatory markers in the blood was reduced, suggesting a mechanism by which yogurt could be helpful in fighting cold symptoms.

"The cold and its symptoms are an inflammatory reaction to the virus, if yogurt or other foods reduce inflammation, it could theoretically be beneficial, but we need more research to be sure." said Rubin.

Although the ability of yogurt to fight colds is theatrical at the moment, experts say there is no good reason not to choose yogurt when you have sniffs or difficulty swallowing.

"I would not rely solely on yogurt to fight the cold, but in conjunction with a healthy diet, yogurt could be beneficial," King said.

"Yogurt is smooth and flows easily, so if you have a sore throat or even a runny nose, it's comfortable to eat," Rubin added.

For maximum benefit, King recommends eating plain yogurt with other foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, which provide natural sweetness, as well as more effective nutrients to fight off the cold .

"By pairing yogurt with blueberries or strawberries, you'll get an extra dose of vitamin C and antioxidants to fight the cold," she said.

So, you may want to choose yogurt for its soothing texture and nutritional attributes, which include calcium and vitamin D, as well as for fighting cold like zinc and probiotics, but not necessarily as a primary treatment colds.