Immune Health: Recipes and Food Choices to Boost Your Immunity
Whether it’s cold and flu season or you’re simply trying to keep you and your children out of the doctor’s office, many people turn to various tips and tricks to boost your immune system.
While you can’t achieve this overnight by eating a single piece of food, there are steps you can take to strengthen it through various dietary changes. Start by planning ahead with this guide on which foods to choose that can help keep your immune system operating at full strength.
How does the immune system work?
Your immune system is hard at work each day to protect against foreign invaders (antigens) that can cause disease and illness. Many cells and organs make up the immune system, including white blood cells, lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow and various others.
Whenever your body senses harm, B lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) identify the problem and T lymphocytes help destroy the pathogens so you either don’t get sick or have the ability to heal from an infection. The immune system also includes phagocytes, another type of white blood cell that is capable of killing microorganisms, ingesting foreign material and removing dead cells.
This process is known as adapted or acquired immunity because the immune system learns to recognize a pathogen, create antibodies and then deploy immune cells to destroy it. The immune system also has the ability to remember previous foreign invaders to prevent future infection.
By comparison, innate immunity describes the defense mechanisms you were born with. Examples include your skin that keeps germs and harmful bacteria from entering your body, mucus in your nose to trap pathogens and stomach acids that act as a gatekeeper to regulate gut health.
The concept of boosting your immune system
Because the immune system includes organs, cells and proteins, it requires constant energy and nutrients to operate effectively. Think of your immune system as a machine – it needs to be refueled and cared for to ensure optimal performance.
The need for energy is magnified whenever an active infection occurs. Your immune system shifts into high gear to remove the pathogens, and it needs more nutrients to replenish what is lost during this process. Without the right nutrients, your body can either struggle to stay healthy or take longer to remove antigens whenever you are ill.
In general, the best way to approach improving your immune system through foods is to focus on those with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to both fight inflammation and help repair cells damaged by inflammation. Usually, this involves a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meat.
With that in mind, be wary of products or foods that claim to boost your immunity fast or quicker. The immune system is complex enough that there isn’t necessarily a quick fix to improve it. Instead, maintaining a healthy immune system requires constant work. In other words, you shouldn’t expect to drink a glass of orange juice at the onset of a cold and think it will improve your symptoms.
Nutrients that can help your immunity
It can be hard to decipher which nutrients are beneficial for immune health. Use the following information as a loose guide on what to focus on if you want to improve your immune health.
You’ll notice several foods show up on this list multiple times, signifying versatility to immune system health. For example, broccoli boasts vitamins A, C and E, while kale contains vitamins A, B6 and C.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is considered an anti-inflammatory nutrient. It also helps produce white blood cells and can maintain and strengthen tissues and mucous membranes responsible for defending against pathogens.
What to eat:
- Carrots
- Dairy products (milk, non-processed cheese)
- Eggs
- Leafy greens (kale, spinach)
- Peppers
- Sweet potatoes
- Tomatoes
Vitamin B2
Also known as riboflavin, vitamin B2 helps activate macrophages, a type of white blood cell that destroys harmful cells. Vitamin B2 also helps the immune system by promoting cell growth and increasing blood oxygen levels. You’ll find riboflavin naturally present in foods or as an additive in products such as breakfast cereals.
What to eat:
- Almonds
- Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt)
- Eggs
- Fortified cereals
- Lean meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey)
- Mushrooms
- Salmon
- Soybeans
- Spinach
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that increases white blood cell production. It also helps protect neutrophils – a type of white blood cell that is first to respond to antigens – from oxidative stress.
What to eat:
- Bell peppers
- Berries
- Broccoli (raw and cooked)
- Citrus fruits (orange, clementine, grapefruit, lemon, lime)
- Kale
- Melons
- Tomatoes
- Tropical fruits (kiwi, guava, papaya)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 helps produce white blood cells, including T-cells (T lymphocyte), a specific type of white blood cell responsible for fighting infection and cancer.
What to eat:
- Bananas
- Chicken or turkey breast
- Chickpeas
- Fish (salmon, tuna)
- Green vegetables (kale, turnip greens, spinach, peas)
- Skin-on potatoes
- Squash
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is another type of antioxidant that helps T-cells work effectively to fight infection.
What to eat:
- Avocado
- Certain oils (sunflower, safflower, soybean)
- Dark leafy greens (collard greens, kale, spinach)
- Kiwi
- Nuts
- Pumpkin
- Seeds
Zinc
Zinc is one of the most important nutrients for your immune system because it acts as both an anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant. Zinc helps your immune system function efficiently and effectively.
What to eat:
- Beans
- Dairy products
- Lean meats (beef, turkey, pork)
- Lentils
- Nuts
- Seafood (oysters, shrimp, sardines)
- Tofu
Selenium
Selenium is a mineral that both helps activate your immune system and prevents it from overworking. The latter is important when it comes to chronic inflammation or autoimmune diseases.
What to eat:
- Brown rice
- Dairy products
- Eggs
- Lean meats (pork, beef, turkey, chicken)
- Lentils
- Nuts
- Oatmeal
- Seeds
- Shellfish
- Tuna
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps activate the immune system by binding to cells such as neutrophils and macrophages.
What to eat:
- Eggs
- Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring)
- Milk
In addition to these main nutrients, foods high in beta carotene (colorful foods such as carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes), magnesium (whole wheat products, nuts, seeds) and probiotics (yogurt, fermented foods) may also help promote good health.
Additional ways to boost your immunity
Garlic: When chewed or chopped, garlic releases an organic compound called allicin that boasts antioxidant properties. Garlic also helps increase the production of white blood cells to help fight against infection.
Ginger: Ginger has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties to help your immune system. It also has vitamin C, magnesium and potassium, all of which are important vitamins and minerals to fight infection. Ginger is consumed both in liquid form as a tea or in main dishes such as soups, stews or rice dishes.
Stay hydrated: Blood and lymph (a colorless fluid containing white blood cells) both have immune cells and need water to circulate throughout the body. Staying hydrated also helps eliminate toxins from the body. Omega 3 fatty acids: These healthy fats found in fish, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds can help heal inflammation caused by infection. They can also boost the function of immune cells.
Drinking teas: There are several types of teas that all have positive effects on immune health. Examples include white tea, black tea, green tea and herbal teas. All have varying levels of antioxidants. Matcha, a type of green tea made from leaves, comes in powder form and contains high levels of antioxidants. When consuming tea, steer clear of drinks with added sugars or other artificial flavors.
Immune boosting recipes
While these recipes won’t improve your immune system in a pinch, you can incorporate them into your dietary routine to keep things functioning at a high level.
Kale, tangerine and pepita salad
Kale boasts vitamins A, C and B6 along with other nutrients such as calcium, potassium and manganese. You also receive vitamin C from the tangerines, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are a good source of iron. This salad can be tailored to your liking, including adding lean protein for more nutrients.
Vanilla matcha carrot smoothie
Immune-boosting smoothies tend to be all the rage during cold and flu season. This smoothie offers many important nutrients your immune system needs to function. Carrots are a good source of vitamin A; matcha is high in antioxidants and can help with T-cell production; and bananas have vitamin B6.
Immune-boosting soup
Soups are great for cold weather, and they also double as a way to pack in vegetables and immune-boosting spices. This recipe includes bell peppers (vitamin A and C), mushrooms (vitamin B2), carrots (vitamin A), celery (vitamin A), garlic, ginger and turmeric.
Easy green juice recipe
Immune-boosting juices, like smoothies, are popular because they include many types of foods with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in a single serving. The key players here include kale, ginger, apple and lemon.
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