THE CURE-ALL: BETA-CAROTENE
THE DRINK: Tequila Immune Booster, $13 at Cocktail Bodega (205 Chrystie St.)
This cocktail is full of carrot juice, which in turn means it’s loaded with beta-carotene — which, says Manhattan dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot, helps maintain the skin and mucous linings in the nose and lungs, the body’s first line of defense against germs. The delicious booster also contains orange juice, vitamin C and fresh ginger.
Astrid Stawiarz
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THE CURE-ALL: CINNAMON and GINGER
THE DRINK: Tortuga, $13 at Ward III (111 Reade St.)
Down in TriBeCa, the tangy Tortuga is made with Owney’s Original NYC rum, muddled lemon, lime and orange and cinnamon and candied ginger. “Cinnamon has naturally occurring bacteria fighters that help rid your body of germs,” says Manhattan dietian Tanya Zuckerbrot. “Ginger contains two anti-inflammatory agents that will help relieve a sore throat, and helps kill off the germs that cause a cold or sore throat in the first place.” And, adds Ward III co-owner Michael Neff, “Rum’s been used for centuries as medicine. From the Caribbean to the Navy, rum kept you healthy physically and psychologically.”
Tamara Beckwith
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THE CURE-ALL: BROMELAIN and QUERCETIN
THE DRINK: Form of Flattery, $14 at Pouring Ribbons (225 Avenue B)
At four-month-old Pouring Ribbons, this bevvy contains beet and pineapple juices — which means a dose of bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory effects on your swollen nose and sinuses. And quercetin, also present here, inhibits viruses from replicating. Add lime juice, falernum and crushed ice (not to mention some rum) to soothe a sore throat and the feel-good happens fast.
David Rosenzweig
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THE CURE-ALL: WHEATGRASS
THE DRINK: Detox Bellini, $14 at Bar Americano (518 W. 27th St.)
“Getting rid of toxins can decrease the effect [of a cold] on your body,” says Montefiore Medical Center clinical dietitian Lori Rosenthal. And Bar Americano has the cocktail to get you there. Full of apple, celery and orange juices, the Detox Bellini contains wheatgrass puree (vitamins A, E and B12, calcium, magnesium) and chlorophyll. The latter “provides a burst of antioxidants that help prevent chronic disease, fight free radicals, inhibit bacterial growth and promote a healthy immune system,” says Zuckerbrot. With just a bit of sparkling wine on top, plus green Chartreus, it’s low in alcohol, too, so you can order more than one.
Astrid Stawiarz
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THE CURE-ALL: CHAMOMILE
THE DRINK: Manzanilla, $13 at DBGB (299 Bowery)
Manzanilla is Spanish for chamomile, an herb containing polyphenols that have an antibacterial property, says Zuckerbrot. Drink chamomile tea regularly “and the antibacterial properties actually stay with you for weeks to come, helping to keep colds, sniffles and coughs away.” Get a head start with this concoction, which features chamomile-infused tequila, fresh lime juice, grapefruit juice (with immune-boosting vitamin A), bitters, and jalapeño-agave syrup. The capsaicin in jalapeño peppers can clear out the sinuses, and has infection-fighting antibacterial properties to boot, says Zuckerbrot.
Zandy Mangold
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THE CURE-ALL: HEAT
THE DRINK: Up the Maple ’n’ Pears, $14 at the Churchill Tavern (45 E. 28th St.)
“The secret to cold treatment is fluids of any kind, particularly hot ones,” says Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at NYU. “Heat opens things up and helps drain.” Under the awesome wooden ceiling at the Churchill (taken from an old Pennsylvania barn), boiling water meets pear juice (an antioxidant), maple agave syrup (throat soother), Glenfiddich 12 and Hendrick’s gin in a teacup. This is a drink meant for sipping, in case the single malt scotch, steam and porcelain didn’t clue you in.
Astrid Stawiarz
