Cold, flu, and cough are common health conditions across the globe, which are typically caused due to viral infection or other seasonal or environmental factors. While the body may take its course of getting rid of the cold, flu, and cough, avoiding the following foods can make it easy to manage its symptoms and provide relief from the same.

1. Milk
It is one of the top foods that should be avoided when suffering from cold, flu, and cough. Milk and other dairy products can thicken mucus, thereby trapping allergens and irritants in the throat and lungs for longer. This can increase chest congestion causing pain and tightness, thereby aggravating the symptoms, making it difficult to manage. 

2. Coffee
A hot cup of coffee might seem to help with cold, flu, and cough, but it can be counterproductive in managing the same. Being diuretic, coffee can increase urination, which can increase the risk of dehydration in the body, thereby making it difficult to manage cold, flu, and cough. Drinking coffee when suffering from cold and flu can also lead to vomiting and diarrhea, which can further worsen the symptoms.

3. Refined sugars
These are found in abundance in confectioneries like cakes, pastries, candies. Refined sugar can lead to inflammation in the body, thereby triggering a reaction and increasing mucus production in the body. This can increase congestion in the sinuses, nose, throat, and chest. Hence, make sure to stick to natural sugars present in fruits and food sources like honey and jaggery to get a daily fix of sugar.

4. Bread
Bread is made from refined flour, which is another source of protein called gluten. The same protein can cause inflammation in the body and increase mucus in the lungs and throat, which leads to congestion. People allergic or sensitive to gluten should strictly avoid gluten-free foods, especially when suffering from cold, flu, and cough, as the allergic reaction can make it more difficult to manage the symptoms.

5. Spicy foods
Spicy foods can help decongest nasal passages due to heat produced by capsaicin found in spices. However, excess spices can increase histamine levels in the body leading to inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a type of allergic reaction that can trigger mucus production, leading to congestion in the throat and lungs. Apart from this, spicy food can increase acidity in the stomach, making it difficult to manage cold, flu, and cough symptoms.

6. Meat
It is one of the worst foods to eat when suffering from cold, flu, and cough. Although a rich source of protein, red meat can cause excessive mucus build-up, leading to heavy congestion in the throat and inflammation in the sinuses. While freshwater is one of the healthiest meats, it can be harmful when consumed during cold and flu. Fish meat can increase histamine levels in the body, which leads to inflammation and mucus formation in nasal passages.