Babies are very sensitive to environmental changes around them and can catch infections and viruses very soon. It is the reason why babies catch cold quite often. It isn’t s life-threatening condition, but it can be very irritating and it makes you baby uncomfortable. If it lingers for long, it can weaken your baby. It is therefore necessary to know what you can do to help your baby make a fast recovery, if he or she is suffering from cold and cough.

Food that Cause Cough and Cold in Babies

Apart from medicines, there are certain foods you should avoid giving to your baby during this time:

Cow milk

Cow milk, though very nutritious, is not recommended during cough and cold. It can aggravate congestion in the baby. You can stop giving cow’s milk to your child during the time he/she is suffering from cough and cold, and can substitute it with soy milk, cheese, tofu, etc.

Avoid certain fruits

During the time your child is suffering from cold and cough, avoid giving him certain fruits such as grapes, bananas, oranges, watermelon, lychee, berries, etc, as these can slow down the recovery process.

Tender coconut

Avoid giving your baby tender coconut during the time he/she is suffering from cold and cough. Tender coconut’s cool water, though refreshing, can aggravate your baby’s condition.

Some vegetables

Some vegetables such as cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, etc should not be given to children suffering from cold and cough.

These have a cooling effect on the body and can slow down the recovery process.

Refined sugar and sweets

Too much sugar is bad for anyone’s health and brings with itself a host of other problems and diseases. It is especially bad for babies suffering from cold and cough because it can aggravate congestion.

Dry fruits

Avoid giving your child dry fruits while he/she is suffering from cold and cough because he/she might have trouble chewing. Besides, they might get stuck in the throat if he/she has a congested throat.

Spicy and oily foods

Giving spicy food to your child can cause irritation and aggravate her condition.

Curd

Avoid giving curd to your child when she’s suffering from cold. It has a cooling effect on the body and can further aggravate cold. It can also cause throat pain and irritation.

Avoid cereal

During your baby is suffering from a cold, avoid giving him cereal, as it goes mostly with cold milk, and that could flare up his condition. It could also cause more congestion.

Smoothies and juices

Many moms have the habit of giving juices and smoothies to their kids. It is good their health, but when it comes to a baby suffering from cold and flu, it is best to cut back on giving him juices and smoothies till he recovers. This will cool down his body and delay the recovery process.

Candy

No matter how much your child loves candy, keep her away from it when she’s suffering from cold and flu. Candy is almost 100% sugar, and sugar causes inflammation and which has been shown to decrease immunity by weakening white blood cells. These cells are responsible for fighting infection. Therefore, to ensure fast recovery, just pass on the candy till she’s recovered from her infection.

Cheese

You child’s favourite comfort food might contain a lot of cheese, but the effects of full-fat diary on cold and flu are quite adverse. It is important to avoiding pro-inflammatory foods since they can reduce your baby’s immune system response. Full fat dairy, such as most cheese options, are foods that spike inflammation after consumption.

Ice cream

Do not turn to ice cream to soothe your baby’s sore throat. Most ice cream is made with full-fat dairy, meaning it is high in inflammation-triggering saturated fat. Additionally, it has plenty of sugar, another ingredient that has been known to increase inflammation.

Bread

Bread is high in gluten and is on top of the list of foods that can worsen congestion. Gluten can cause inflammation and increase phlegm production in the body. It is therefore recommended that you hold off on giving bread to your child till she has recovered from her bout of cold.

Papaya

This tropical fruit has histamine-releasing powers. Histamine has the ability to make nasal passages swell, leading to feelings of congestion and stuffiness. Avoid papaya while your baby is suffering from cold.

Bananas

Bananas can trigger a histamine release, which is what you want to avoid when you are sick. Additionally, bananas have a high sugar content, which can lead to inflammation and decrease the efficiency of your immune system’s response to disease.

Peanuts

Peanuts are something kids love to eat. However, if your kid is suffering from cold and cough, giving him his favourite snack might not be such a good idea. Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens and they are also a potential trigger for a major histamine release.

Pasta

Refined carbohydrates, such as pasta made with enriched flour, are something you should avoid giving your child when he is sick. Like sugar, simple carbohydrates have the potential to increase inflammation and weaken your child’s immune system’s response to disease.

Cookies

Children love cookies, but they can delay the recovery time from cold and cough. Cookies are filled with sugar, which will lead to inflammation and cause your child to become more susceptible to illness.

Granola

This snack is another item you should consider avoiding giving your child, especially if he or she is suffering from throat ache. The sharp pieces can be abrasive and uncomfortable, especially if he or she is already having trouble swallowing. Additionally, many granolas have deceptively high sugar contents, which can lead to inflammation and sinus discomfort.

These are some foods to avoid giving your child while he/she is suffering from cold and cough to ensure that he/she makes a fast and complete recovery. However, most of these options are harmless and even nutritious otherwise, so you can re-incorporate them in your child’s meal once he/she has made a full recovery.

References

https://www.familyeducation.com/life/colds-flu/feeding-kids-right-during-cold-flu-season

https://www.babycenter.in/thread/993817/foods-to-avoid-during-cold-and-cough