Top 10 Foods That Will Boost Your Immunity

If you’re worried about your immunity this winter, it’s probably because you or someone you know has been fighting off an infection. When the weather turns cold and flu season rolls around, don’t despair—with some help from these foods that will boost your immunity, you can stay healthy all winter long. Eat these foods regularly, and you’ll never have to worry about getting sick again!

– Garlic

Garlic is not only great for warding off vampires, but it’s also great for boosting your immunity! Garlic is a high immunity food that has been used for centuries to fight off infections. Allicin, garlic’s main active ingredient, is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral agent. So, if you’re looking for a natural way to boost your immunity this winter, add some garlic to your diet!
– Citrus fruits (three sentences): Citrus fruits are a great source of vitamin C, which is an essential nutrient for maintaining a strong immune system. Vitamin C helps white blood cells function properly and can even help reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Oranges are another great citrus fruit choice. They have more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable, making them a nutritious snack choice on those winter days when you’re feeling under the weather.
– Probiotics: Probiotics have been scientifically proven to strengthen your gut flora, which in turn strengthens your immune system. These beneficial bacteria live in our intestines and help us absorb nutrients from our food by improving the absorption of nutrients across our intestinal walls as well as strengthening our gut wall’s defenses against harmful bacteria entering from outside sources. A healthy gut flora population can also inhibit growth of bad bacteria that may be present in your digestive tract. A person with a healthy microbiome will produce many helpful chemicals that may fight off illnesses such as stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and certain types of cancer.
– Herbs: Herbs like thyme, oregano, ginger, rosemary and basil are rich sources of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect against cellular damage while simultaneously providing valuable vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health. Basil contains linalool which provides protection against fungal organisms by inhibiting their reproduction cycle while thyme contains apigenin which has been shown to inhibit tumor growth. These herbs should be part of every kitchen during the colder months! Try using these tasty recipes to get started: Italian Chicken Soup with Rosemary and Thyme, Antioxidant Spicy Gazpacho with Ginger, Thyme and Oregano, Spicy Thai Coconut Soup with Basil.
– Cruciferous vegetables (three sentences): Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale contain a compound called sulforaphane which helps stimulate your body’s natural detoxification process, called glucuronidation. Broccoli is a particularly potent cruciferous vegetable because it contains glucoraphanin — one of four types of glucosinolates that can convert into sulforaphane once your body breaks them down. Sulforaphane reduces inflammation in your gut lining, helps improve cancer cell death from chemo treatments without harming healthy cells and triggers enzymes in your liver to help remove toxic substances from your body more quickly.

– Ginger

Ginger is one of the best high immunity foods out there. It’s been shown to fight off infection and boost the immune system. Plus, it’s a great source of vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system. If you’re looking for a natural way to boost your immunity this winter, ginger is a great choice. Plus, it’s also delicious in recipes like these gingerbread muffins.
– Seaweed: Sea vegetables are full of nutrients that help support our immune systems including iron, iodine, potassium and more.
– Apples: The next time you have a cold coming on, try eating an apple or two daily with some cinnamon sprinkled on top. Eating apples will provide your body with additional nutrients that can help keep colds at bay.
– Turmeric: For centuries people have used turmeric as an anti-inflammatory agent as well as an antibiotic. What most people don’t know is that turmeric has been found to be more effective than common antibiotics at fighting against infections! Add some turmeric into soups or spice up rice dishes with this tasty addition. You’ll be fighting infection while adding a burst of flavor to your food.
– Kale: Kale may seem like an odd choice when thinking about how to build up immunity but it actually provides tons of different vitamins and minerals such as beta carotene (vitamin A), Vitamin K, Iron, Calcium and many others. Enjoying kale regularly will give you all the vitamins needed for staying healthy during the winter months! – Miso Soup: Miso soup has been around for thousands of years and is known as one of the best immunity boosting foods. Add some miso paste to boiling water and add tofu, seaweed, scallions, mushrooms or bok choy before taking it off the stovetop. Just be sure not to boil any further after adding in miso paste because this will destroy its benefits.
– Grapefruit Juice: Grapefruit juice contains lycopene which gives it powerful antioxidant properties that help protect us from harmful free radicals which can cause damage to cells throughout our bodies including those in our immune system. – Oatmeal: Oatmeal is full of protein, fiber and iron so if you make oatmeal a regular part of your diet then you’ll have an easier time avoiding colds this winter season.
– Probiotics: Probiotics are vital for supporting gut health since they improve the overall balance of bacteria within our intestines. Without good gut health we won’t be able to properly fight off illnesses so make sure to include probiotics in your diet often by eating yogurt or taking supplements like acidophilus tablets if needed.

– Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a great source of Vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system. They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can help protect cells from damage. Eat tomatoes raw, cooked, or as part of a salad to get the most benefit.
– Citrus fruits (seven sentences): Citrus fruits are another excellent source of Vitamin C. They can help fight off infection and improve your overall health. Eat oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes regularly to give your immune system a boost. You can also drink fresh squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice for an extra dose of Vitamin C.
– Red bell peppers (seven sentences): Red bell peppers are one of the best sources of Vitamin C around. The benefits of red bell peppers don’t stop there; they’re also loaded with nutrients like beta-carotene, vitamin A, potassium, folate, manganese, iron and fiber. Add them to salads or toss them in stir fries for a flavorful addition to any meal. – Collard greens: Collard greens are a good choice if you want something hearty. One cup of collard greens has more than five times the amount of Vitamin C found in broccoli. They also have high levels of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals important for your immune system. Try cooking them up with bacon to create a nutritious side dish that goes well with just about anything!

– Green Tea

Green tea is one of the best sources of antioxidants and has been shown to improve immune function. It’s also a great source of vitamin C, which is a key nutrient for immunity. Try to drink two to three cups of green tea per day during the winter months.
– Citrus Fruits (three sentences): Citrus fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is a key nutrient for immunity. Eat plenty of oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes this winter to help boost your immune system. You can also take a best vitamin c supplement for immune system.
– Red Bell Peppers (two sentences): Red bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C and carotenoids, both of which are important for immunity. Adding red bell peppers to your diet will provide you with all the nutrients you need to stay healthy through cold and flu season. They’re easy to add into salads, stir-fries, pasta dishes, or just as a side dish on their own. Roasting them in the oven gives them an even better flavor! – Dark Chocolate: Who doesn’t love chocolate? Add some dark chocolate to your diet and get the benefits of increased levels of dopamine, serotonin, and other chemicals that promote mood. Dark chocolate is also rich in antioxidant flavonols that have been shown to be beneficial for the immune system.

– Bananas

Bananas are a great source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system. They also contain antioxidants that help protect cells from damage. Plus, they’re a good source of fiber, which can help keep your digestive system healthy.
– Sweet potatoes (five sentences): Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is important for a healthy immune system. They also contain beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage. Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and potassium, both of which are important for maintaining a healthy immune system.
– Red bell peppers (six sentences): Red bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system. They also contain carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin, which promote eye health. Bell peppers have high levels of vitamin B6, which is helpful in boosting the production of antibodies to fight infections. Bell peppers are also a good source of folate, an important nutrient for pregnant women.

– Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc, which is essential for a strong immune system. They also contain other vitamins and minerals that can help boost your immunity, including vitamin E, iron, and magnesium. Add them to your diet by sprinkling them on top of salads or eating them as a snack.
– Sunflower Seeds (seven sentences): Sunflower seeds are another excellent source of zinc, as well as vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant. They also contain selenium, copper, and manganese, all of which are essential for a healthy immune system. Add sunflower seeds to salads, add-ins for breakfast cereal, or use them in homemade granola bars. Start with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds before moving onto these best foods for an immune system:
– Kale: Kale contains significant amounts of beta carotene, a potent antioxidant found in many dark leafy greens. Studies have shown that kale may protect against DNA damage from radiation exposure. In addition to being rich in beta carotene, kale contains vitamins A, C, K, folate, calcium and fiber which can aid the development of an immunsystem. Try adding kale into any dish you eat!
– Bok Choy: Bok choy is a great vegetable option because it has more potassium than bananas! One cup provides more than 400% of the daily value! Add bok choy to soups, stir fries, pastas, or eat it raw as a side dish. It’s delicious when paired with soy sauce and garlic.
– Seaweed: Not only does seaweed taste great in miso soup, but it’s loaded with iodine—the mineral that helps support thyroid function. It also contains protein, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and riboflavin—all necessary nutrients for the production of white blood cells. You can find seaweed at most grocery stores either dried or fresh in the produce aisle. Use this green sea veggie when making sushi rolls or salad dressings!

– Blueberries

Blueberries are not only delicious, but they’re also packed with antioxidants and nutrients that can help boost your immune system. Eat them fresh, frozen, or dried to get the most benefit. You can also find them in supplements, like powders or capsules.
– Sweet potatoes (seven sentences): Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for a healthy immune system. It helps to regulate the production of white blood cells, which fight infection. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of fiber, which can help keep your gut healthy. And while you should always cook sweet potatoes before eating them, it’s important to note that cooking doesn’t destroy all the good nutrients inside these orange veggies.
– Cinnamon: Cinnamon has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and may be helpful in treating autoimmune disorders, such as lupus.
– Coconut oil: Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid, which has antibacterial properties as well as anti-viral and anti-fungal effects.
Top 10 Foods That Will Boost Your Immunity: #10) Quinoa: Quinoa contains an amino acid called arginine, which stimulates antibody production and increases natural killer cell activity; this process strengthens your immune system by fighting off pathogens. Quinoa is also high in protein, making it a good post-workout meal option because protein rebuilds muscles after exercise. The best thing about quinoa? It tastes great too! Make sure to rinse it thoroughly before cooking because its natural coating, saponin, is mildly toxic if consumed.

– Salmon

Salmon is packed with omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for your heart health. But did you know that they can also help boost your immunity? One study found that people who took a daily supplement of omega-3s had a lower risk of developing a respiratory infection. So make sure to add some salmon to your diet this winter!
– Sweet potatoes (seven sentences): Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for

function, and it can also help reduce the severity of respiratory infections. The fiber in sweet potatoes also helps slow down digestion, which can give your immune system time to react more quickly when needed.
– Honey: Honey has been used as a natural remedy for centuries because of its antibacterial properties. It contains enzymes and antioxidants that work together to help fight off viruses and bacteria. And even though honey isn’t an essential food group, you should definitely include it in your diet if you want to protect yourself from colds or flu.
– Cabbage: Cabbage contains sulforaphane, which has been shown to have cancer prevention properties. And it’s also high in antioxidants like vitamin C and E, which promote immunity by helping eliminate free radicals that could harm cells.
– Apricots: You may not think of apricots as being particularly nutritious but they actually contain many nutrients that promote a healthy immune system. They’re loaded with beta carotene (a form of vitamin A), potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron–all key nutrients for protecting against illness. They also contain other disease-fighting substances, such as lycopene and quercetin. When choosing what fruit to eat this winter, apricots should be on top of your list! – Beets: Beets have long been heralded as one of the best foods for the immune system. Rich in vitamins C and B6, manganese, folate, and betaine (which helps produce antibodies), beets can provide powerful protection against colds and flu bugs. Their red color is also associated with vitality and good health.

– Yogurt

Yogurt is one of the best foods you can eat for your immune system. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, which is essential for a healthy immune system. Yogurt also contains probiotics, which are live bacteria that help keep your gut healthy. A healthy gut is important for a strong immune system. Probiotics in yogurt help to regulate your digestive system and boost immunity. The types of bacteria found in yogurt helps to control inflammation in the body, which protects your immune system from wear and tear. The best time to eat yogurt is at breakfast because it will give you energy throughout the day!
– Broccoli: Broccoli may be an immunity booster vegetable but it also provides nutrients like folate and selenium, both of which support a healthy immune system.
– Avocado: Avocados provide monounsaturated fats as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin and alpha-carotene. These antioxidants not only protect cells from damage but they also improve eyesight too! Try eating avocado toast or guacamole. They’re a great source of potassium, which reduces blood pressure and keeps blood vessels elastic so that they don’t clog up or restrict blood flow to organs like the heart or brain.
– Lean beef: Beef contains iron, zinc, protein and B12, all of which are good for boosting immunity. Red meat also has an amino acid called L-carnitine that boosts cellular metabolism (important for fighting off infections). Just make sure to cook beef until it’s completely done before eating it to kill any possible bacteria lurking inside it.
– Almonds: Almonds contain magnesium (another element needed for boosting immunity) as well as copper and zinc, two minerals that play roles in supporting our immune systems. Almonds also have high levels of vitamin E, which boosts our defenses against free radicals and other pollutants in the environment. Eat a handful of almonds every day if you want to build up your immune system fast. – Mushrooms: Mushroom extracts can activate macrophages, which are specialized white blood cells that target cancerous tumors. One study even found mushroom extracts were more effective than radiation therapy in destroying cancerous tumor cells. But just remember, mushrooms won’t work on cancers that have already spread to other parts of the body—so they’re best used when cancer is localized or still relatively small.

– Chicken Soup

There’s a reason chicken soup is often called Jewish penicillin. It’s packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and E, which help fight off infection. Plus, the hot broth can help clear congestion. So next time you’re feeling under the weather, make yourself a big pot of chicken soup.
– Citrus Fruits (three sentences): Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant that helps boost immunity. So stock up on oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes this winter. You’ll want to be sure to take your best vitamin c supplement for immune system too, as well as some immunity booster vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. But there are plenty of other foods that will give your immune system a healthy boost during cold and flu season.
– Miso Soup: Miso soup contains three types of probiotics – lactobacillus, bifidobacterium, and acidophilus – which promote good digestion and bolster immunity. Add red pepper flakes to spice it up or green onions for added flavor.
– Kefir: Similar to yogurt but tangier in taste, kefir offers even more probiotics than its fermented dairy cousin because it’s made from milk fermented by both bacteria and yeast. And kefir comes in many different flavors from mango peach to cranberry vanilla so you can find one you enjoy best! – Vitamin D Supplements: The body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but as we spend less time outdoors these days we’re not getting enough of it. Vitamin D has been shown to reduce illness by boosting the immune system. Experts recommend taking at least 2,000 IU per day in supplemental form until March 1st. Once spring arrives and UV levels rise again, just switch back to eating food rich in vitamin D such as egg yolks and salmon.

If you’re worried about your immunity this winter, it’s probably because you or someone you know has been fighting off an infection. When the weather turns cold and flu season rolls around, don’t despair—with some help from these foods that will boost your immunity, you can stay healthy all winter long. Eat these foods regularly, and you’ll never have to worry about getting sick again!