by Teresa Ringholz

Created on: September 06, 2009   Last Updated: September 10, 2009

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." - Benjamin Franklin

While Mr. Franklin was probably speaking figuratively about the wisdom of small preventative measures in life to avoid heavy reparations at a later time, when it comes to fighting colds, perhaps it is our food that we should be taking in ounces to provide the optimal preventative measure.

Even though new data on foods that help fight cold infection continues to pour in, the medicinal property of food is not a contemporary concept. Even in Ben Franklin's time (who also said: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away") it was believed that certain foods were not only rich in nutrients, but could actually help prevent illness such as the common cold. In our day, this theory has been supported by modern scientific research which has proven specific foods contain elements which boost the immune system helping to prevent bacterial and viral infections or lessen their symptoms.

Even though many dietary supplement manufactures claim effectiveness, it is the food source itself which provides the maximum result for cold prevention. While there are variances from different sources on exactly what foods should be eaten, there are an accepted few across the board:

- Yes, Soup for You - cysteine, the amino acid which resembles acetylcysteine (the drug often prescribed for bronchitis) is released when cooking chicken. That is why when combined in salty broth with vegetables, hot chicken soup is the ultimate feel-better food remedy for a cold. Not only was Grandma right, but the ancient Greeks recognized the healing properties of chicken soup, as did Maimonides the 12th century Jewish physician.

- The Color Orange - beta-carotene is an important source of Vitamin A, crucial for the production of connective skin tissue, our protective barrier, found in: sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, pumpkin and cantaloupe.

- Everything in the Kitchen Zinc - zinc is an essential mineral for the production of white blood cells which help fight an infection and boost the immune system, found in: beef, oysters, whole grains, pork, poultry, yogurt and milk.

- Tea Time - L-theanine is an amino acid which boosts interferon, a virus staving element in the blood, found in: black and green tea (also decaffeinated). Tea also speeds the action of the cilia in the nasal passages to flush out infection.

- Keeping Vampires at Bay - allicin, a chemical effective in fighting off infection and bacteria, is found in garlic and other vegetables

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