Health forecast - time for warm ups! Foods that fight colds

Health forecast - time for warm ups! Foods that fight colds

 

Winter is in full swing in the North part of the globe. Low temperatures outside make everyone stay in bed, cover themselves with a blanket and drink something warm. Did you know any healthy drinks which can boost your immune system in winter and help fighting colds? 

Warm drinks are beneficial in common colds, they boost the immune system and mobilize the organizm to fight the condition. Here you go some traditional foods that help fighting cold and will definitely warm you up. 

 

Garlic

In common, garlic is used in traditional treatment of common cold, high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol and hyperlipidemia. Many studies have shown that regularly eating garlic may help to prevent colds and reduce severity of symptoms. Garlic contains allicin, a chemical compound which gives antimicrobial properties and characteristic smell. 

Honey
 

This gold sweetener is a pure gold in night cough treatment due to respiratory tract infections. It’s cited by WHO as a potential treatment for cold symptoms. Honey soothes sore throats, and in addition to its benefits in common cold treatment, it has antioxidant properties and antimicrobial effects.

 

Elderberry

Studies have shown that elderberry taken to treat common cold, reduced the duration of symptoms and is effective in respiratory tract infection. You can use elderberries to make tea and tincture. Remember that unripe fruits contain toxic cyanogenic glycosides, however after processing it can be safely consumed.

 

Linden flower
 

Traditionally, linden flower (Tiliae flos) is used for the treatment of common cold symptoms. Also, it helps relieve mild symptoms of mental stress. It promotes sweating. Fun fact - once, linden flowers were believed to be effective in treating epilepsy just by sitting beneath the tree. Greek mythology says that a nymph called Philyra, was begging the gods not to leave her among mortals and then was transformed into a linden tree.

 

Ginger

Except its properties in nausea treatments, researchers have shown anti-inflammatory effects of ginger thanks to gingerol, a substance which inhibits COX-2 inducted during inflammation to increase formation of prostaglandins. Also, ginger is known for its antioxidant properties. Now, just grab a slice and add to your everyday tea :)

Get some inspirations from all around the world and prepare some healthy drinks yourself!

 

Let’s start with EuRO and warming up ginger drink. Europeans usually treat themselves with hot drinks based on citruses and spices:

Ingredients:
teaspoon of natural honey

3-4 cloves

3-4 grains of cardamom

half a teaspoon of turmeric powder

teaspoon of grated ginger root

100 ml of fresh orange juice

200 ml of warm water

Preparation:

Ginger, cardamom and cloves pour hot water and leave for 10-15 minutes.Then, mix with turmeric powder and orange juice. Strain through a thick sieve or gauze. Add honey and mix. Drink warm (max 40 celsius degrees), not hot. High temperatures may deactivate honey enzymes!

Next destination to look for some healthy recipes is Asia! There are different regional herbs that help fighting cold. Check out the AIA AKA recipe - traditional drink from Sumatera Barat, Indonesia.

AIA AKA from APRO

Ingredients:

Cincau:

10 - 20 leaves of cincau (cylea barbata folium)
750 ml of water
Sugar and salt to taste

Coconut milk, lime juice - optionally 

Preparation:

Boil the Cincau leaves until they jell, then stir them. Let them cool and be jelly naturally. Add some sugar and salt to taste. Optionally add some lime juice or coconut milk and enjoy!

Aia aka smooths digestion function, rejuvenates the throat and soothes the fever.

 

Next destination is Africa and drink called Akamu/Pap/Ogu.

Ingredients:

Wet corn starch/guinea corn/millet

Water (hot and cold)

Evaporated milk

Sugar (or honey to taste)

Ginger

Tools:

I.           Chiffon cloth

II.         Blender

III.       Spoon

IV.       Big and small bowls

V.         Muslin bag

VI.       Spoon

 

PREPARATION:

Steps to Prepare Wet corn starch/guinea corn/millet

1. Pick harvested grains of corn/guinea corn/millet inorder to avoid stones

2. Dry corn/guinea corn/millet (do not use oven)

3. Wash dry corn/guinea corn/millet and ginger thoroughly and soak in large quantity of cold water for 3-4 days (Do not refrigerate in order to allow for fermentation to take place).

4. Wash corn/guinea corn/millet and change the water daily.

5. On the 3rd or 4^th day, wash and blend till smooth. Add a large quantity of water to help your blender.

6. Drape the chiffon cloth over a big bowl and tie it up

7. Sieve the blend mixing as necessary until only chaff is left

8. Take off chiffon cloth and set the mixture of water and akamu aside to settl for at least 3hours.

9. After about 3hrs, upon noticing the clear water, decant the clear water and pour the rest of the mixture into a muslin bag.

10.  Tie the bag in order to allow the water drain (until no water drains off anymore)

11.  Leave it overnight in order to obtain the classic akamu sour taste (do not refrigerate)

12.  Remove akamu from the bag. You can cut it up into single use chunks and place it in containers (bowls/plastic) & put it in your freezer until you're ready to use.

AVOID USING SALT IN THIS PREPARATION

 

Steps:

I.           Put some lumps of akamu into a sizable bowl

II.         Use tablespoon to crush lumps into very small pieces

III.       Add cool water in small quantities and stir till there is a medium consistency into no lumps.

IV.       Boil water (which would be enough)

V.         Just before the water boils, stir the mix very well in order to avoid lump

VI.       Once the water boils, pour slowly but steadily in a circular motion into the mix

VII.     Once the mixture is setting, stop stirring reduce flow of water until akamu has completely set

VIII.   If too thick, you can add additional hot water

IX.       Add sugar/honey to taste and mix

 

Akamu is rich in health properties - its ingredients provide energy and minerals, help to prevent cardiovascular diseases and lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Ginger gives anti inflammatory effects and sweet taste is a perfect mood booster!

 

Cold season can be tasty and healthy too - cheers! :) 

References:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/garlic-fights-colds-and-flu#section2

https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-tilia-cordata-miller-tilia-platyphyllos-scop-tilia-x-vulgaris-heyne_en.pdf

https://www.drugs.com/npc/linden.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4848651/pdf/nutrients-08-00182.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/571638

https://www.allnigerianrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/akamu-ogi-pap.jpg

https://youtu.be/BW8V3V0kFcQ

https://cookpad.com/ng/recipes/3461187-akamu-nigerian-pap
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AMOI6OyHSg7EQ%2Dk&cid=5068297A9C46C5C2&id=5068297A9C46C5C2%2136446&parId=5068297A9C46C5C2%214632&o=OneUp