Eating for your best immune system

Winter is known as cold and flu season. The good news is that there are many ways to help protect yourself from getting sick.

You can work towards a healthy immune system by not smoking, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight. A healthy diet can also help your body fight off illness. Focus on nutrients and foods that help support your immune system all winter long!

Vitamin A

Helps battle infections
Helps white blood cells do their job [1]
Low levels can increase your risk for infection

Sources of vitamin A: [2]

Sweet potatoes
Carrots
Red peppers
Mangos
Black-eyed peas
Apricots

B vitamins

B6 and B12 help white blood cells grow
Low levels of B6 can lead to problems producing antibodies, which recognize and fight invaders in the body
Low vitamin B9 can cause issues with white blood cells

Sources of B vitamins:

Chickpeas [3]
Salmon
Fortified breakfast cereals
Asparagus [4]
Avocado
Low-fat milk

Vitamin C

Helps white blood cells grow in numbers when there is an infection [5]
It is an antioxidant, meaning it helps reduce harmful free radicals that are made in the body

Sources of vitamin C: [6]

Red peppers
Orange juice
Kiwi
Broccoli
Strawberries

Zinc

Helps keep your skin ready to fight off infections [1]
Helps fight the common cold
Low zinc levels can lead to an increased risk of infection [5]

Sources of zinc: [7]

Oysters
Fortified breakfast cereal
Porkchops
Baked beans
Cashews

Selenium

Helps reduce free radicals as an antioxidant

Sources of selenium: [8]

Brazil nuts
Sardines
Ham
Turkey
Chicken
Egg

Immune booster spotlight

Some foods work overtime for our immune system. Here are 4 immune system superstars!

1. Green tea

Green tea has been shown to protect against tumors and may help prevent heart disease. [9] Green tea can also be an antioxidant.

2. Honey

Honey has many cancer-fighting benefits. It can help reduce inflammation. [9] It is also an antioxidant. Honey may help prevent cell death.

3. Curcumin

Curcumin is found in the bright orange spice, turmeric. Curcumin fights inflammation and has cancer-fighting benefits. [9] It is also an antioxidant.

4. Garlic

Garlic may also help our immunity. One research study found that people who ate aged garlic extract every day for 90 days had more immune cells and less cold and flu symptoms compared to people who did not eat the extract. [10] They also missed fewer days of work or school due to illness.