4 Types of Colds and Flu in Chinese Medicine and Food Therapy

感冒咳嗽的中醫四大類型與食療建議

When the weather changes drastically, people tend to catch colds and flu more easily. In TCM, they are caused by external pathogens — wind, cold, heat, dampness, dryness, or fire — invading the body when defensive Qi (Zheng Qi) is weak.

Whether the pathogen causes illness depends on both the strength of one’s Qi and the nature of the invading pathogen.

Colds and flu are generally classified into Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat, Wind-Dry, and Qi-Deficiency types.

Different types have different recommended and restricted foods. Choosing foods based on your type can help relieve symptoms and speed recovery.

1. Wind-Cold Type

Symptoms: Aversion to cold, headache, stiff neck, itchy throat, cough with thin white phlegm, nasal congestion, clear runny nose.

Cause: Exposure to cold wind or rain, staying in air-conditioned environments for long periods, or inadequate warmth in cold weather.

Recommended Foods: Warm and spicy foods that disperse cold and transform phlegm

→ fresh ginger, spring onion, perilla leaf, aged tangerine peel, garlic.

Avoid: Cold, raw, greasy, or sticky foods

→ ice cream, cold drinks, glutinous rice products.

Remedy: Perilla & Ginger Tea

Function: Induces mild sweating, relieves exterior cold, warms the lungs, alleviates cough

Ingredients: 4 slices fresh ginger, 3 g perilla leaves, 2 tsp brown sugar

Method: Slice the ginger and add the perilla leaves. Pour in hot water and steep for 10 minutes, then stir in the brown sugar.

2. Wind-Heat Type

Symptoms: Fever, mild chills, headache, sore throat, yellow sticky phlegm, thirst, yellow nasal discharge.

Cause: Wind-heat invasion, or untreated wind-cold converting to heat, or pre-existing internal heat aggravated by wind.

Recommended Foods: Cooling, detoxifying foods that soothe throat and relieve cough

→ monk fruit, figs, chrysanthemum, mint, mulberry leaves.

Avoid: Hot, spicy, warming foods

→ lychee, pepper, fried or grilled foods.

Remedy: Chrysanthemum & Imperata Root Tea

Function: Dispels wind-heat, clears toxins, moistens lungs, relieves throat

Ingredients: 6 g chrysanthemum, 6 g mulberry leaves, 3 g lophatherum, 3 g imperata root, 3 g mint

Method: Rinse all ingredients, pour hot water, steep 10 minutes.

3. Wind-Dry Type

Symptoms: Dry or sore throat, dry lips/nose, dry cough or scanty sticky phlegm, sometimes blood-streaked sputum.

Cause: Autumn dry weather injures lung Yin; pre-existing Yin deficiency may worsen symptoms.

Recommended Foods: Moistening, Yin-nourishing foods

→ lily bulb, snow fungus, glehnia root, ophiopogon root, figs, apples, loquat.

Avoid: Hot, spicy, dry foods

→ chili, pepper, fried foods, grilled items.

Remedy: Snow Fungus & Lily Bulb Soup

Function: Nourishes Yin, moistens lungs, relieves dry cough

Ingredients: 15 g soaked snow fungus, 10 g lily bulb, 6 g north & south almonds, rock sugar

Method: Wash ingredients, add 800 ml water, boil, simmer 30 min, add sugar.

4. Qi-Deficiency Type

Symptoms: Fatigue, shortness of breath, low voice, aversion to cold, weak cough, nasal congestion, headache.

Cause: Weak constitution or low immunity; common in chronic illness, elderly, or cold/weak body types.

Recommended Foods: Qi-tonifying, spleen-strengthening foods

→ astragalus, Chinese dates, atractylodes, yam, goji berries, lotus seed, chicken soup, lean meat soup.

Avoid: Cold, raw, greasy, indigestible foods

→ ice drinks, watermelon, bitter melon, raw salads.

Remedy: Qi-Tonifying Astragalus & Jujube Tea

Function: Tonifies Qi, strengthens spleen, stabilizes exterior, prevents recurrent colds

Ingredients: 20 g astragalus, 6 g saposhnikovia, 6 g atractylodes, 3 Chinese dates

Method: Rinse ingredients, add 500 ml water, boil, simmer 20 min, sip slowly.

⚠️ Important Note: Herbal remedies and food therapy should be adjusted to individual constitution. Consult a registered Chinese medicine practitioner before use. Avoid long-term or excessive consumption.