Let’s face it: Eating healthy can be complicated. There are so many opinions about the best ways to eat, and the best things to eat. So, when it comes to foods that can boost your immunity and help keep you healthy, we’re leaving it up to science.
The following foods are known immune boosters that can help support your health and wellness throughout the year — but especially during flu season — by packing in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
- Citrus fruit: You probably know orange juice is rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that may help you stay well and overcome illnesses faster. You can also get your fill of vitamin C in other citrus fruits like lemon, lime, grapefruit and tangerines.
- Berries are another good choice when adding fruit to your diet. Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are rich in antioxidants to help fight cell damage.
- Garlic: Go ahead and load up! (Just remember to bring a toothbrush!) The flavorful punch that excites your tastebuds is matched by the impact garlic can have inside your body. The germ-fighting bioactive compounds in garlic have been shown to:
- lower the risk of getting sick
- shorten the time spent sick
- make the symptoms less severe when sick
To reap the potential health benefits, crush or chop your garlic and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before cooking it. This allows it to produce allicin, the compound responsible for garlic’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Ginger and turmeric, two natural anti-inflammatories, can also spice up your food while ramping up your immune system.
Salmon: Thanks to its high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids, salmon — and other fatty fish like mackerel and sardines — may help protect the body against infection by supporting white blood cell function. The healthy fats in these fish have also been known to support heart and brain function.
Don’t want to eat fish? You can also get Omega-3s in chia seeds, flaxseeds and fish oil supplements.
- Chicken: There’s a reason so many people crave chicken soup when they’re feeling sick. Well, maybe a few reasons. Not only is it comforting, but poultry like chicken (and turkey, too!) has high levels of:
- vitamin B-6, which is key to red blood cell creation and has anti-inflammatory properties
zinc, which can pump up your immune system by raising white blood cell production
You can also find zinc in beef, lamb and oysters. The trick is to keep whatever meat you’re enjoying lean to keep it heart healthy. Foods that are high in saturated fat, like beef, pork, and dark meat chicken and turkey, can raise cholesterol and increase your risk of heart attack and heart disease.
Spinach: This super veggie powers up the immune system with vitamin C, the antioxidant beta carotene, and the anti-inflammatory vitamin, folate.
If spinach doesn’t do it for you, try:
- Broccoli: Another excellent source of vitamin C, broccoli is packed with antioxidants and bioactive compounds, which work together to help maintain your immune system.
- Kale, Swiss chard or collard greens: These leafy greens are rich in vitamins C; A (helps with white blood cell production and has been shown to fight off bacteria); K (regulates inflammation and acts as an antioxidant) and E (may help protect against viruses and bacteria).
- Red peppers: They have even higher levels of vitamin C than some citrus fruits!
- Carrots: This is a great way to get your fill of immune-booster beta carotene.
Dark Chocolate—Sweet treat alert! Turns out dark chocolate may actually be good for you — in moderation, of course. It contains bioactive components that help regulate the immune system. Studies also show dark chocolate can have a positive impact on your mood.
Dark chocolate is also a good source of magnesium, which studies have shown may strengthen your immune system’s antibodies and keep disease away.
Yogurt: Fermented foods contain probiotics, or live and active cultures. These are key for gut health, and gut health is key to overall health. The vitamin D in yogurt is another immune system booster.
If you’re not keen on yogurt, you have options for fermented foods. Kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and miso are all probiotics that can help promote a healthy digestive system.
- Walnuts: These are one of the healthiest nuts, because they contain inflammation-lowering omega-3 fatty acid and alpha-linolenic acid. They also have antioxidants that are thought to have anti-aging properties. Studies show walnuts may also help with brain function and slow age-related mental decline.
- Almonds, along with sunflower seeds, are good choices because they’re good sources of vitamins and minerals including vitamin B-6, which experts say is important for immune and nervous system health. They also contain magnesium, which is known to regulate and support your immune system. They’re also rich in vitamin E.
Keep your portions in check since these little immunity-spiking powerhouses can also pack a high-calorie punch.
Resources
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