Why does oj help a cold

Acidic liquids will aggravate an already-scratchy throat. Try gargling with salt water, not only will it soothe sore throats , it will flush out post-nasal drip ew and salt also doesn't allow bacteria to grow.

Most juices that you buy at the grocery store are full of hidden sugars that can wreak havoc on your immune system. Extra sugar can reduce the quality of your white blood cells which help keep your immune system running smoothly.

Most commercial orange juice is so over processed that it wouldn't even be drinkable without added " flavour packs. If you want to get some micronutrients in, stick to actually peeling an orange. Or try some other Vitamin C heavy foods like broccoli or red bell peppers. You'll get some added fiber , so you can make it part of a meal.

If you're not into vegetables, chop up some garlic for a pasta dish or eat a clove—yes, I've done this. They act as a natural antibiotic and provide the most antioxidants when eaten raw. By drinking orange juice, you might be forgetting to hydrate yourself with the simplest juice of all: water. The ones on zinc had shorter colds and less severe symptoms. For you. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App.

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Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Log out. US Markets Loading H M S In the news. There's no doubt that vitamin C plays a crucial role in maintaining a strong immune system.

Yet, it's unclear whether drinking orange juice actually turbocharges the body's defenses, largely because most of the evidence about vitamin C is from studies done with supplements.

A review of the research found that taking supplements on a continuous basis at least milligrams a day reduced the length of colds by 8 percent in adults and by 14 percent in children.

However, when people took vitamin C pills at the first sign of a cold, they didn't shorten cold duration or reduce symptom severity. Although it's impossible to compare getting vitamin C as part of orange juice with taking pills, we do know that no single nutrient makes for a bullet-proof immune system. Orange juice offers several nutrients that may help you fight colds, though. A glass of OJ is also packing potassium. Potassium is found in cells, including those that fight infection.

Your body doesn't make potassium, so you need to consume it every day. Eight ounces of orange juice supplies nearly 20 percent of the suggested daily intake for women, and 15 percent for men. Potassium also plays a pivotal role in fluid balance, which is important as you lose fluid from by blowing your nose times a day when you're under the weather, along with sweating if you have a low-grade fever, too.

Besides the vitamins, orange juice is a fluid. Water, as you know, helps maintain body temperature and transports nutrients throughout the body.