In order to stay healthy, it is helpful to adopt a healthy lifestyle including a diet which is rich in vitamins and fiber [6].

Here are a few nutrition tips that help prevent colds:

1. Eat fruit more often: it contains a lot of vitamin C and therefore strengthens the immune system [1]. 

2. Intake of vitamin A and C as well as foods or drinks which contain zinc [3]. 

3. Drink more tea (the theanine amino acid in tea has a preventive effect on colds) [5]. 

4. Consumption of foods containing the herbal ingredient Echinacea [4].

In order to achieve a balanced diet it is also important to directly include the said ingredients into one's meals rather than taking them as dietary supplements. Broccoli, for example, is very rich in zinc [2]. Fruits that have been transported a long way and therefore cannot be consumed immediately should also be avoided, especially in winter, as the amount of vitamins decreases over time [2].