Health Debunked: No Need to Feed a Cold or Starve a Fever
Key takeaways:
The adage “feed a cold, starve a fever” has been around for a long time, but there’s no evidence to support fasting when you’re sick.
Nutrition helps fight infection and supports your immune system, so it’s important to eat and drink when you’re sick, whether you have a fever or not.
It’s important to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated when you’re sick. You don’t need to avoid specific foods when you have a fever.
Table of contents
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying “feed a cold, starve a fever.” Many people grew up believing this, but is there any merit to it? What should you eat and drink when you have a cold, and is it better to fast when you have fever?
Feed a cold, starve a fever: Fact or fiction?
This is fiction. The saying “feed a cold, starve a fever” has been around for centuries. In general, it advises that people with cold or flu symptoms should continue to eat normally. But if they develop a fever, they should fast or eat less. The idea behind this advice was that eating food generates warmth to combat cold symptoms, while fasting helps the body cool down during a fever.
But this isn’t how your body works. And there’s solid evidence showing that the body needs nutrition when fighting a fever. This is an example of conventional wisdom that can be ignored.
Where did the idea come from?
The idea that “fasting is a great remedy of fever” likely came from a 1574 dictionary by John Withals. But its origins may date even further back. Hippocrates seems to have used starvation as a method to treat fevers more than 2000 years ago.
This wisdom has been passed down for generations. But medical professionals abandoned this old adage as they learned more about how the body works during illness.
What do the experts say?
Dr. Sonali Ruder, a board-certified ER doctor and chef who runs the recipe blog The Foodie Physician, explained “The old adage ‘feed a cold, starve a fever’ has been around for years but isn’t really accurate according to modern medicine.”
How to feel better when you have a cold: There’s no cure for the common cold, but there are ways to ease your symptoms.
Should you see a medical professional for a fever? Fevers aren’t always bad, so how do you know when to get evaluated for one?
Keep your germs to yourself: Learn when to stay home from work or school if you have a fever, cold, cough, or other symptoms.
Ruder emphasized that the best way to treat viruses is rest, fluids, and proper nutrition to support your immune system. “Proper hydration is especially important, as it helps combat the fluid losses that occur with fever, vomiting, [and] diarrhea,” said Ruder.
Registered dietitian Allison Herries, whose recipes can be found on Bite Out of Life Nutrition, agreed. She said you should feed both a cold and fever to ensure that your body gets enough calories and nutrients to recover.
“Having a cold or fever usually means that your body is fighting off an infection,” Herries explained. “As part of this process, your body assembles immune cells to help stage an attack on invading pathogens, and getting enough to eat aids this process. Focus on eating healthy foods and getting plenty of fluids.”
What should you do if you have a cold and a fever?
If you have a fever higher than 100.4°F, it’s best to reach out to your primary care provider. Fevers are common in young children. But adults are less likely to develop them with mild viral illnesses like a cold or upper respiratory tract infection. A fever could be a sign that you have a more serious infection. It may also be a sign of the flu or COVID-19, both of which may require prescription treatments to help you fight off the virus.
Once a medical professional has cleared you, focus on giving your body the tools it needs to help it fight off your infection so you can recover. Here are some self-care tips to help you manage your cold and fever:
Rest. Get plenty of rest when you’re sick. This gives your body a chance to recover and to focus on fighting off the virus that’s making you sick.
Stay hydrated. It’s important to stay hydrated when you’re sick so that your immune system can work at its best. Water, tea, and drinks with electrolytes are the best options.
Eat. There’s no need to starve your fever or your cold. You might not feel like eating your usual diet, and that’s OK. Focus on nutrient-rich whole foods. Broths and soups are great choices since they also help with hydration.
Use a humidifier. Humidifiers help moisturize the air so it’s easier for you to breathe. They can also help thin mucus, making it easier to clear from your chest and nose.
You can also try over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications to help ease your symptoms like:
Decongestants
Nasal sprays
Fever relievers
Guaifenesin
Zinc
What should you eat when you have a cold or fever?
You might find that you have a weaker appetite when you’re sick. But it’s important to maintain good nutrition as best you can. Some foods might be more helpful when you have a cold because they keep you hydrated, are easy to eat, and are loaded with important nutrients.
Some examples include:
Broth or soup
Foods with high water content, like watermelon and celery
Foods high in vitamin C, like oranges and strawberries
Yogurt
Ingredients like ginger and garlic
Frequently asked questions
It depends on whether you have a fever. Fever does increase your body’s metabolic rate, which means you burn more energy. The common cold isn’t likely to cause fever, so it probably won’t change how your body burns calories.
No, don’t force yourself to eat if it makes you feel worse. It’s more important to stay hydrated, so stick with fluids if that’s all you can manage. That said, if your appetite doesn’t improve as your other symptoms get better, consider checking in with your primary care provider.
Vitamin C and zinc may actually help you fight off your cold and shorten the duration of symptoms. But the same can’t be said for echinacea. It’s also important to note that vitamin C, vitamin D, and other OTC products don’t prevent colds, despite their popularity.
The bottom line
Research has debunked the idea that you need to starve a fever. It’s more important to stay well hydrated with water, tea, juice, broth, chicken soup, or other preferred fluids. If you have a cold or fever, eat according to your appetite. Some people lose their appetite when they’re ill, so it’s normal to eat less than usual. Your body needs nutrition to fight illness, so don’t fast while you’re sick.
Why trust our experts?
References
Bramen, L. (2009). Whether, and what, to feed a cold. Smithsonian Magazine.
Bush, L. M., et al. (2024). Fever. Merck Manual Professional Version.
Smith, J. (2015). A is for aphorisms. Australian Family Physician.
