Can patients with a cold drink cold beverages such as chrysanthemum tea?

Patients with wind-cold type colds generally should not consume cold beverages such as cold tea or chrysanthemum leaves. However, patients with wind-heat type colds may generally drink moderate amounts of cold tea, chrysanthemum leaves, and similar beverages.

Cold tea is excessively cold in nature and may damage the body's yang energy. Particularly for individuals with cold deficiency syndrome of the spleen and stomach, consumption of cold tea may more easily lead to discomforts such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, patients with wind-cold type colds generally should not drink cold tea. In addition, chrysanthemum leaves are relatively cool in nature, and consumption by patients with wind-cold type colds may exacerbate their condition and hinder recovery.

Patients with wind-heat type colds, who typically exhibit symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and cough, may benefit from drinking moderate amounts of cold tea, chrysanthemum leaves, and other beverages that have effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, soothing the throat, and relieving cough. Chrysanthemum leaves are cold in nature and have heat-clearing and detoxifying properties, making them suitable for treating symptoms such as fever and headache caused by wind-heat type colds. Additionally, the tea polyphenols in green tea have certain antiviral effects and can provide auxiliary therapeutic benefits for colds.

It is important to drink plenty of water during a cold, preferably warm boiled water, avoiding excessively cold beverages. When choosing beverages, one should make decisions based on individual constitution and illness condition.