Top Immune-Boosting Foods to Help You Stay Healthy
The holiday season is upon us, but unfortunately, that also means cold and flu season is here. The good news is that healthy eating in general, as well as focusing on a few foods in particular, can help you stay healthy or get better more quickly if you do get sick. Keep reading for my top foods to help keep you healthy.
The immune system
The function of the immune system in the body is to help keep us healthy. There are different factors that determine how effective our immune systems are in fighting off the numerous germs we come into contact with on a daily basis, such as:
Quality and quantity of sleep
Stress level
Hygiene
Chronic disease
Physical activity
Diet
The good news is that we can have at least some amount of control over most of these factors, thus reducing the risk of getting sick. Today I’ll focus on diet and what nutrients and specific types of foods can help prevent you from getting sick this winter.
Vitamins and minerals
Though healthy eating alone cannot keep us healthy, there are certain foods that contain vitamins and minerals that can aid the immune system in fighting off germs. Overall, it’s important to choose a well-balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. This is important for a lot of reasons, but studies have shown that a diet high in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of disease by improving the function of the immune system.
There are several vitamins and minerals found in foods that play a role in improving immune system function, including:
| Nutrient | Sources |
|---|---|
| Folate | dark leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, collard greens, broccoli), beans, peanuts, whole grains |
| Iron | meat, fish, poultry, beans, dark leafy green vegetables |
| Selenium | Brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, beef, poultry |
| Zinc | oysters, red meat, poultry, legumes, whole grains |
| Vitamin A | orange and yellow fruits and vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin, cantaloupe, mango), dark green leafy vegetables, milk, eggs |
| Vitamin C | ginger, citrus fruit (orange, grapefruit, lime), bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes |
| Vitamin D | fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), fortified milk |
| Vitamin E | wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter |
As you can see, many of these foods overlap and you’ll notice they are all whole foods. A diet high in processed foods is often lower in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and may therefore be lacking in many of the vitamins and minerals listed above. This can lead to lower immune system functioning and a higher likelihood of getting sick.
Gut health
Research shows that our gut health plays a vital role in the health of our immune systems; therefore, eating gut-healthy foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics may help keep us healthy. Probiotics, found in yogurt, kefir, kimchi, miso, and sauerkraut contain live healthy bacteria. Prebiotics contain fiber which feeds the good bacteria; examples include garlic, leeks, onion, banana, and asparagus.
Overall, a well-balanced diet that contains a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats offers the best chance at a strong immune system. What are your favorite immune-boosting foods?
