Ten Foods to Kick a Cold and Boost Your Immunity

Some foods can help protect against viruses and bacteria when you are sick.

(AP Photos/Getty Images)

Yogurt/Kefir

Yogurt can be delicious layered with fruit in a parfait or as a cooling side for a dish of spicy food, but it also packs a healthy dose of good bacteria that can protect the body against harmful bacteria and infections.

"They're like little soldiers, lining the intestinal tract to fend off invading germs," said Blatner, also an ADA spokeswoman.

Related

Mucus Experiment IDs Cold Culprits

Men Not So Macho Against the Flu

10 Myths: Staying Healthy in Flu Season

These little soldiers -- the good bacteria -- are called probiotics, and studies have shown eating yogurts rich in them can lead to an improved immune response by increasing the body's white blood cell count. Probiotics are found in yogurts with live or active cultures -- the lactobacillus and bifidobacterium strains.

Traditional kefir is similar to yogurt but cultured with special kefir grains, so it contains slightly different bacteria. Originally from the Middle East, kefir has a sour, refreshing taste and is slightly effervescent from the carbon dioxide produced during fermentation. Unlike the bacteria in yogurt, which are transient and pass through the system over time, the bacteria in kefir are capable of colonizing in the intestinal tract. Kefir also contains good yeasts that help fight off pathogenic yeasts in the body.