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Should You Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever? Plus The Best and Worst Foods When You’re Sick

The age-old adage isn’t entirely correct, but nutrition does matter before, during, and after illness. Find out why.
Should You Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever? Plus The Best and Worst Foods When You’re Sick
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Published on October 14, 2024
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“Feed a cold, starve a fever” is an adage that has been around a long time, but is it actually good medical advice? Although appetite is often affected by illness, there is no real evidence that fasting when your temperature is spiking can be beneficial.

Even when you’re under the weather, your body needs fuel, says Sarah Sams, MD, a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians and associate director at Grant Family Medicine Residency in Columbus, Ohio. “There is no evidence to back up the saying “starve a fever, feed a cold,” she says, but what you eat does play a very real role in both fever treatment and managing a cold.

Overall, diet can impact immunity, so proper nutrition is important before, during, and after you get sick.

How the ‘Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever’ Myth Originated

We’ve all heard this medical myth about fever and colds, but where did it get its start? The phrase can be traced to 16th-century documents that state, “Fasting is a great remedy of fever.” At the time, it was believed (incorrectly) that fasting was a fever treatment that could help your body cool down, while eating could warm you up if you had a cold.

With what we know about illness today, comparing colds and fevers doesn’t make a lot of sense. A cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. You might have a low fever with a cold, as well as symptoms like a runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, and headache.

A fever is a condition where your body temperature is higher than normal. Your temperature normally fluctuates a little, but with a fever, it’s increased due to an infection, inflammation, or autoimmune processes.

Cold and Fever Management Through Diet

We now know that, regardless of whether you’re managing a cold or wondering how to reduce a fever, you should eat. “Two of the most important things a person can do when they’re sick is to stay hydrated and eat nutrient-dense foods to make sure the body has what it needs to fight off infection,” says Dr. Sams.

What if you don’t have an appetite? You should still try to eat some healthy foods to keep your body nourished. Don’t worry about eating at mealtimes. Just eat if you find you’re hungry, and if you’re not, try to have smaller, healthy snacks five or six times a day.

Graphic titled, Best and worst things to have when you’re sick, some illustrated points under best include: chicken soup, warm broth, citrus fruit, hot tea with honey, and smoothies. Under worst include: alcohol, sugar, spicy food, and dairy. Everyday
Nutrition can help soothe cold and fever symptoms. Here’s what to have and what to avoid.

The Best Foods to Eat When You Have a Fever or Cold

The effects of diet on illness can be significant. That’s because different nutrients you get in a healthy diet can serve as immune-system boosters, so you can better fight infection. You need to eat foods with enough vitamins A, B, C, D, and K as well as zinc, copper iron, selenium, magnesium, and other nutrients to support your body.

Foods to Eat When You’re Sick

Sams recommends loading up on nutrient-dense foods, getting plenty of fluids, and choosing soft, easy-to-swallow foods liked cooked pasta, yogurt, or smoothies if you have a sore throat. Some good food choices when you have a cold or fever include:

  • Chicken Soup It’s a well-known cold buster for a reason. Research in animals and humans shows that chicken soup has a unique combination of nutrients that fight inflammation, soothe cold symptoms, and trigger immune response.

  • Bone and Vegetable Broth “Chicken and other broths have anti-inflammatory ingredients and are warm and easy to swallow,” Sams says. The warm liquid may help relieve congestion in your nose and throat, thin mucus, and help keep you from becoming dehydrated.

  • Warm Tea With Honey Honey contains natural antioxidants, which may help ward off infection.

  • Citrus Fruit Oranges, lemons, and limes contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that may help you recover more quickly. Add a squeeze to water.

  • Smoothies A smoothie made with yogurt, bananas, and other fruit or vegetables can provide a lot of nutrition in an easy to sip package when you don’t feel up to cooking, and helps with hydration. Plus, yogurt contains zinc, a nutrient linked to immunity.

Foods to Avoid When You’re Sick

Just as some foods help when you have a cold or fever, others might slow your recovery or irritate your symptoms.

  • Alcohol Though some people swear by a hot toddy, research shows that even nonchronic alcohol use can impair immune function.

  • Sugar It’s best to limit added sugar, as it can contribute to inflammation.

  • Spicy Food “While spicy foods may temporarily clear your nasal congestion, they can also increase inflammation and irritate an already-sore throat,” Sams says.
  • Dairy You may find that cutting back on dairy products helps reduce mucus.

Eating to Prevent Colds and Fevers Naturally

What’s a better idea than treating your cold or fever? Preventing them in the first place. While you can’t guarantee you won’t ever get sick, your diet can help boost your immunity. “Eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can help keep the immune system strong,” Sams says. And research found that vitamins, minerals, some amino acids, cholesterol, and fatty acids make an important impact on immune activity.

“Getting vitamin C regularly is also a good way to keep the immune system ready to fight off infection,” she says. Vitamin C is used by immune cells and may help prevent and treat viral infections.

 And getting this vitamin from a diet of mostly whole foods is best.

The Takeaway

The saying “feed a cold, starve a fever” had it half-right. Good nutrition is important whenever you’re fighting an infection. The right food choices can give your immune system the strength to help you heal and can help you fight off the next germ that comes your way.

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Allison Buttarazzi, MD

Allison Buttarazzi, MD

Medical Reviewer

Allison Buttarazzi, MD, is board-certified in internal medicine and lifestyle medicine, and is a certified health and well-being coach. In her primary care practice, Dr. Buttarazzi focuses on lifestyle medicine to help her patients improve their health and longevity, and her passion is helping patients prevent and reverse chronic diseases (like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes) by improving their lifestyle habits.

She is a graduate of Tufts University School of Medicine and completed a residency at Maine Medical Center. Diagnosed with celiac disease during medical school, she realized the power of improving one's health through diet and lifestyle habits, which she later incorporated into her practice.

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Stephanie Thurrott

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Stephanie Thurrott is a Pennsylvania-based writer who covers health and wellness, travel, parenting, creativity, and mental health for MSN, Today.com, Banner Health, the University of Miami School of Medicine, and Business Insider, among other organizations. When she's not writing, she enjoys running on the back roads and trails of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley or trying to find the best tacos in Mexico City.
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