Foods That Can Help Reduce Your Chance of Getting Sick

The foods most worth eating to reduce your chance of getting sick are the ones rich in zinc, vitamin C and protein: oysters, beef, eggs, red peppers, oranges, kiwifruit and broccoli. Yogurt with live cultures may help a little. No single food has been shown to stop a cold or flu, and the NIH’s fact sheets say so plainly.

Updated October 11, 2026.

I cook most nights, and in cold season my kitchen does not change much. Eggs in the morning, a pot of soup or chili on Sunday, a bag of oranges on the counter. People used to ask me in the gym what to eat to dodge whatever was going around. The answer never changed: eat like this all year, sleep, and get the shot. No food fixes a cold once it starts.

Yogurt and kefir with live cultures

Fermented dairy is on this list for its probiotics, the live microbes found in yogurt and other fermented foods. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says people taking probiotics may have fewer and shorter upper respiratory infections, the group that includes the common cold. It rates the quality of that evidence as low, because some of the studies were poorly run.

Researchers also do not know yet which probiotics help, how much a person would need or who benefits most, per NCCIH. So the useful version here is plain yogurt or kefir whose label lists live cultures. Plain Greek yogurt also brings 1.0 milligram of zinc per 6 ounces, according to the zinc table from the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS).

Probiotic supplements carry a caution. NCCIH says the risk is greater for people with severe illness or a weakened immune system. It advises checking with a health care provider first.

Red meat and chicken soup when you are sick

Red meat earns its spot for zinc. The ODS says zinc helps your immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Adult men need 11 milligrams a day and women need 8. A 3-ounce serving of roasted bottom sirloin delivers 3.8 milligrams, per the ODS table, and 3 ounces of broiled pork loin gives 1.9.

Oysters top that table by a wide margin, at 32 milligrams for 3 ounces of raw farmed Eastern oysters. Pumpkin seeds (2.2 milligrams an ounce) and cooked oats (2.3 milligrams a cup) are good options for people who skip meat.

More is not better. The ODS sets the adult upper limit at 40 milligrams a day from all sources, food and supplements combined. Zinc lozenges are a separate question. Some studies suggest they shorten a cold if started at the first sign, the ODS says. They do not seem to change how bad the symptoms get.

Chicken soup fits a different moment. Once you are sick, the CDC’s advice is plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. A bowl of broth is an easy way to get the fluids in. That makes it a good food for the days you are already down.

Do eggs reduce your chance of getting sick?

Mayo Clinic calls eggs an affordable source of protein and other nutrients. There is no need to hold yourself to two eggs a week. Mayo says most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without raising their heart disease risk. One large egg has about 186 milligrams of cholesterol, all of it in the yolk.

Two groups should be more careful, per the same page. Research on people with diabetes is mixed, with some studies linking seven eggs a week to higher heart disease risk. People with high cholesterol are advised to keep dietary cholesterol under 300 milligrams a day. Egg whites carry no cholesterol and still provide protein.

Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C

Adult men need 90 milligrams of vitamin C a day and women need 75, according to the ODS. Smokers should add 35 milligrams. The ODS food table shows how easy those targets are to reach.

A single orange gets a woman to 70 of her 75 milligrams. Add a handful of red pepper strips to lunch and both men and women are covered for the day.

Can vitamin C reduce your chance of getting sick?

Mostly no. The ODS says that for most people, vitamin C supplements do not reduce the risk of catching a cold. Regular users might have slightly shorter or milder colds. The Cochrane review summarized on the ODS page put that at 8% shorter colds in adults and 14% in children.

One group did see fewer colds. Marathon runners, skiers and soldiers under heavy physical stress cut their cold risk by half with 250 milligrams to 1 gram a day. Starting vitamin C after symptoms begin did not help in that review.

Habits that reduce your chance of getting sick

Food is one part of the picture. The CDC says everyone 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu vaccine every season, ideally by the end of October. Sleep counts too. The CDC links enough sleep to getting sick less often. It recommends 7 or more hours a night for adults 18 to 60.

If you do catch a cold, the CDC’s list is simple. Rest, drink fluids, use saline spray or drops, and try honey for a cough in anyone at least 1 year old. Seek medical care for symptoms that last more than 10 days without getting better.

Which foods help reduce your chance of getting sick?

Does vitamin C prevent colds?

For most people, no. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements says vitamin C supplements do not reduce the risk of getting a cold. Regular users may have slightly shorter colds, about 8% shorter in adults and 14% in children in the Cochrane review the ODS cites. People under heavy physical stress, such as marathon runners, saw cold risk cut in half.

What food has the most zinc?

Oysters, by far. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists 32 milligrams of zinc in 3 ounces of raw farmed Eastern oysters. Roasted bottom sirloin has 3.8 milligrams in 3 ounces, and roasted pumpkin seeds have 2.2 milligrams an ounce. Adult men need 11 milligrams a day and women 8, with an upper limit of 40 milligrams.

Do probiotics help prevent colds?

Possibly, a little. The NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says people taking probiotics may have fewer and shorter upper respiratory infections, including colds. It rates that evidence as low quality, and researchers do not yet know which strains help or how much is needed. People with weakened immune systems should ask a provider before taking supplements.

How many eggs a week is healthy?

Mayo Clinic says most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without raising their heart disease risk. One large egg has about 186 milligrams of cholesterol, all in the yolk. People with diabetes or high cholesterol should be more careful. For high cholesterol, Mayo suggests keeping dietary cholesterol under 300 milligrams a day.

Is chicken soup good when you are sick?

It helps with what the CDC recommends for a cold: plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. A bowl of broth is an easy way to drink more while you recover. The CDC also suggests saline nasal spray, and honey for cough in anyone at least 1 year old. See a doctor if symptoms last more than 10 days.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician about your own situation.