Is it okay to eat lamb soup when you have a cold?
Disease description:
Recently, due to not keeping my body warm enough, I caught a cold. Last night I attended a gathering with friends and consumed mutton soup. May I ask if eating mutton soup affects a common cold?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Ren Yi
Eating lamb soup during a cold may have certain effects, mainly depending on the type of cold and the patient's physical condition. Patients with wind-cold感冒 can usually consume lamb soup, but it is not recommended for patients with wind-heat感冒.
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, colds can generally be divided into two types: wind-cold and wind-heat. For patients with wind-cold感冒, who exhibit symptoms such as chills, absence of perspiration, and nasal congestion,适量 consumption of warming lamb soup can be beneficial. Lamb is warm in nature and can dispel cold and warm the body, helping to alleviate symptoms. However, for wind-heat感冒, characterized by symptoms like fever, sore throat, and dry mouth, it is advisable to avoid excessively warm foods, including lamb soup, as they may exacerbate internal heat and hinder recovery. Lamb soup is relatively fatty and hard to digest, which may burden the gastrointestinal system and delay recovery.
Therefore, during a cold, patients are advised to follow a light and easily digestible diet, such as millet porridge or vegetable porridge. Additionally, maintaining adequate fluid intake and sufficient rest is important for recovery.
