Feeding some foods to your body, such as citrus fruits, turmeric, and ginger, can help keep your immune system strong. Add the following 12 best natural immune system booster items to your shopping list and include them in your diet and meal plan to help you and your family fight seasonal diseases.
1. Citrus fruit
Most people consume vitamin C after having a cold, flu, and other seasonal diseases. This is because it helps build your immunity. Vitamin C is responsible to increase the production of white blood cells. White blood cells help us to fight any external infection.
Popular citrus fruits include:
- Grapefruit
- Oranges
- Tangerine
- Pineapple
- Lemon
You need daily vitamin C to stay healthy. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. However, it is easy to squeeze lemons into any food to increase immunity.
2. Paprika
Paprika contains twice as much vitamin C as citrus fruits. They are also a good and natural source of beta carotene. In addition to boosting your immunity, vitamin C can help to maintain healthy skin. Beta carotene also helps to keep your eyes and skin healthy.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is included in foods that increase immunity. Broccoli is supercharged with vitamins and minerals. Along with vitamin A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables that you can include in your diet to enhance immunity. It is to be noted that broccoli should be used for less cooking for more beneficial.
4. Garlic
Garlic is used worldwide in almost every dish. Garlic can also be used to increase the body’s immunity. It adds a little bit to the food and is essential for your health. Garlic can help to reduce low blood pressure and harden the arteries. Garlic has immuno-boosting properties due to the presence of sulfur-containing compounds, called allicin.
5. Ginger
Ginger can help to reduce inflammation, which can help reduce sore throat and other inflammatory diseases. Ginger can also help to reduce nausea.
While it is also used in many desserts, ginger produces some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsaicin. According to recent studies, ginger can help in reducing chronic pain and has cholesterol-lowering properties along with increasing the immunity of the body.
6. Spinach
Spinach has made it to our list of immunity-enhancing foods not only because it is rich in vitamin C, but also contains many antioxidants and beta carotene, which fight against infections. Spinach is healthier when it is less cooked so that it retains its nutrients. However, light cooking increases its vitamin A and allows it to release other nutrients from oxalic acid.
7. Yogurt
Yogurt contains living and active bacteria. These bacteria can strengthen your immunity in fighting diseases. Try eating plain yogurt.
Yogurt can also be a good and natural source of vitamin D, so try to use fortified brands of yogurt with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps to maintain disease resistance power and is known to promote our body’s natural defenses against diseases.
8. Almond
To prevent and fight colds and flu, there is also talk of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is the key to healthy immunity. It is a fat-soluble vitamin. Almonds and other nuts are packed with vitamins and also contain healthy fats. Half a cup of almonds provides about 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E.
9. Turmeric
You can know turmeric as an important ingredient in many vegetables. Turmeric has also been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in the treatment of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, research suggests that high concentrations of curcumin may help to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. To increase immunity, turmeric must be consumed.
10. Kiwi
Kiwis are natural sources of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C increases white blood cells to fight infection, while other nutrients in kiwi help the rest of your body to function properly.
11. Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are rich sources of nutrients, including phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B6. They are high in vitamin E, which is a powerful antioxidant.
Vitamin E is important in regulating and maintaining immunity. Other sources of high amounts of vitamin E are avocado and dark leafy greens.
12. Zinc Rich Foods
Generally, zinc is not given as much attention as many other vitamins and minerals, but our bodies need it so that our immune cells can function as needed.
Shellfish with high amounts of zinc include:
- The crab
- Large oyster
- Prawn fish
It may be noted that you should not take more than the daily recommended amount of zinc in your diet. For adult males, it is 11 mg and for females, it is 8 mg. Consumption of too much zinc can be harmful to the body.