Best food and drink for a blocked nose

Here’s what food and drink helps with a blocked nose:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Ginger (and ginger tea)
• Pineapple
• Spicy foods
• Orange juice
• Horseradish
• Garlic
• Herbal tea

Now let’s find out why they’re so effective...

Pumpkin seeds

Whilst not usually associated with relieving congestion, these little edible seeds of a pumpkin or certain other cultivars of squash, are mightier than their size suggests.

Why are pumpkin seeds good for a blocked nose?

When you have congestion your sinuses are swollen - meaning the mucus in your nose is unable to drain away effectively. Pumpkin seeds are rich in both omega-3 fatty acids and the element magnesium, natural anti-inflammatories that relax blood vessels and reduce this swelling.

Best way to eat pumpkin seeds

You can eat pumpkin seeds alone or mixed with other nuts and seeds as a snack, but they also make a great addition to warming porridge, a topping for bread and bagels, and even sprinkled into salads for an earthy crunch.

Ginger and ginger tea

It’s been associated with relieving the common cold for centuries, but ginger’s healing properties are more than an old wives tale...

Why is ginger and ginger tea good for a blocked nose?

Ginger, the root of a flowering plant of the same name, has several properties that help fight sinus infections - which are responsible for the feeling of a blocked, stuffy nose. Ginger is anti-inflammatory and a natural antihistamine, which means it helps reduce swelling in the sinuses and allow mucus to drain away easier. It is also packed with antioxidants that help the body fight infection, and when consumed with hot water will contribute to the thinning of mucus in the sinuses.

Best way to eat ginger

Fresh ginger can be added to soups and curries to add flavour, used in baking for cakes and biscuits and is tasty as a marinade ingredient for meats such as chicken and beef. Fresh ginger can also be sliced and brewed in boiling water to make a tea - with the addition of lemon and honey it’s one of the most popular cold remedies around.

Pineapple

There’s so much more to this tropical fruit than hot summer days and pina coladas…

Why is pineapple good for a blocked nose?

In addition to its vitamin C content - which helps fight off infections in the body by giving white blood cells a boost, pineapple is also rich in mucus-fighting bromelain. Bromelain is a type of enzyme and is effective in breaking up mucus, and slowing down the production of mucus - thick or excessivemucus is what causes the nose to feel blocked.

Best way to eat pineapple

Raw, cut pineapple is a juicy and delicious snack that can also be mixed into fruit salads, porridge and even regular salads. Pineapple is also a great dessert component - served in sliced rings with cream or as the star ingredient in pineapple upside down cake. Pineapple juice is also a great way to consume the fruit - so long as it is fresh squeezed and not made from concentrate.

Spicy foods

Adding some spice to your life (and your meals) can help clear your sinuses as well as tickle your tastebuds...

Why are spicy foods good for a blocked nose?

Spicy foods - the likes of chillies and hot peppers and their derivatives like paprika, chipotle and chill flakes, are among the best foods for clearing sinuses due to their high concentration of the chemical capsaicin. Capsaicin irritates the mucous membranes (and you can feel the burning sensation) and causes the nose to run - this might sound bad but it’s actually a good thing when you have a stuffy nose because it gets the mucus moving and expels it from the body. The result is a clearer nasal passage.

Best way to eat spicy foods

Chillies and their derivatives are incredibly versatile - chillies such as Jalapeños, habanero, cayenne (or simply red or green) can be chopped up and added to curry, stew, chilli, salsa, and soup, made into sauce and jam or sprinkled over nachos and fries.

Chillis can be eaten whole or served as a garnish, and dried chilli powders such as cayenne pepper and paprika are great for meat rubs and marinades. In fact, dried chilli flakes can be sprinkled over just about anything to give it a kick.

How to cure a blocked nose while pregnant?

When you are pregnant you’re not allowed to consume over-the-counter decongestants such as Lemsip, so natural remedies like ginger tea, chilli peppers, horseradish and pineapple are a great way of helping to reduce the symptoms of sinus infections without taking medication. You can also use saline irrigation - using saltwater (made with distilled or sterilised water) to wash out thick and dried mucus from the nasal cavity by pouring through one nostril and allowing it to drain out of the other.

Orange juice

This breakfast favourite can help you get onto the road to recovery...

Why is orange juice good for a blocked nose?

Whilst citrus fruits like oranges won’t have the same instant nose-clearing impact of something spicy like horseradish, they are helpful for hurrying along recovery from a sinus infection. This is because they are rich in vitamin C, well known for giving the immune system a boost and consequently aiding the body in getting rid of the cold more quickly. Other foods such as broccoli and kale also have a high vitamin C content, but since vitamin C is heat sensitive, orange juice has an advantage as you consume it raw and freshly squeezed - maximising how much your body will absorb.

Best way to consume orange juice

Orange juice can be drunk on its own, combined with other fruit juices to make a virgin cocktail, or even diluted with still or sparkling water for extra hydration.

Horseradish

It’s a traditional accompaniment for beef and venison, but horseradish can do more than hold its own against robust roasted meat.

Why is horseradish good for a blocked nose?

Horseradish, a root vegetable commonly cultivated as a spice and a condiment, contains sinigrin - a chemical that acts an anti-inflammatory and helps reduce the swelling of the sinuses that lead to mucus blockages. As a spicy food, horseradish also helps boost mucus production and get it moving through the nasal passage - flushing out the infection that has led to the stuffiness.

Best way to eat horseradish

The most popular way to eat horseradish is to use it as a condiment on roast beef, and similarly heavy meats, but it can also be spread on sandwiches and added to sauces to give them a spicy flavour. Japanese horseradish, more commonly known as wasabi, is beloved in East Asian cuisine and often eaten alongside sushi or fish dishes.

Garlic

Much better for getting rid of a sinus infection than it is for breath!

Why is garlic good for a blocked nose?

Garlic has been used to treat many minor ailments for centuries, primarily because of its natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. This one-two punch helps alleviate pressure on the sinuses and consequently reduces congestion, as well as preventing the infection from getting worse.

The best way to eat garlic

Some people say the best way to eat garlic if you’re trying to alleviate cold symptoms like a blocked nose, is to eat the cloves raw. This can be far too pungent for many, so it’s easier (and tastier) to crush or mince garlic and add a generous helping to salad dressings, vegetables and sauces. Alternatively, you can infuse a cup of boiling water with garlic cloves and simply inhale the steam.

What are the worst foods for sinus congestion?

Phlegm, snot, mucus - the villain behind a blocked nose, and one that is thought to become thicker with the consumption of dairy foods such as milk, yoghurt and cream. Alcohol and coffee should also be avoided, as they dehydrate the body and prevent the mucus from thinning out - as well as slowing down the immune system’s recovery.

Herbal teas

Calming, comforting and sometimes even medicinal - there really is a herbal tea for everything!

Why is herbal tea good for a blocked nose?

First and foremost, when you have blocked sinuses or any type of cold you should be getting plenty of fluids like herbal tea and water, as the body needs to be well-hydrated to fight the infection. Being hydrated also helps thin mucus (making it easier to shift), and when the liquid is hot it will also help to loosen it.

Herbal tea ingredients like ginger will reduce inflammation in the nasal cavity and others like chamomile will soothe.

The best way to drink herbal tea

Steep the herbal teabag in boiling water and drink whilst hot but not scalding. You can also add ingredients such as honey, loose mint leaves or even a sprinkling of cayenne pepper to help soothe or alleviate symptoms of a sinus infection.

Top tip!

Not a fan of the flavour of herbal teas? You can put a few drops of an essential oil such as rosemary or eucalyptus into your dehumidifier for a similarly mild decongestant effect.