If you want to avoid getting sick, make sure you know about these immune-boosting foods for flu season. As the first line of our body’s defense, a strong immune system is important for fighting off illnesses. However, we need certain nutrients and vitamins for our immune system to function properly.
When it comes to healthy flu-fighting foods, here are some foods you’ll want to have stocked at home!
The Importance of a Balanced Diet During Flu Season
It’s important to remember that no single food can provide complete protection against the flu. While you can increase your consumption of the above foods, they always work best when combined with a well-rounded diet.
In addition to the immune-boosting foods, you’ll want to make sure you’re eating a diet rich in whole foods. That includes fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. Instead of relying on one specific food group, you’ll want to have a diverse intake of nutrients.
Immune-Boosting Foods for Flu Season
Dark, Leafy Greens
If you want a vitamin and nutrient boost, open a bag of dark leafy greens. Things like spinach and kale contain folate, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, C, and K. These are important for your overall health, but especially crucial during flu season! Eating them raw in a salad or soup will preserve the maximum amount of vitamins. But cooking them in a soup or stir fry can still provide significant health benefits as well.
Citrus Fruits
Vitamin C is one of the most important immune-strengthening antioxidants. It stimulates the production of white blood cells which are useful for fighting off infections in our body. While vitamin C is found in many foods, citrus food are especially high in them. So make sure to pick up some oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes while you’re in the store!
Berries
Berries are another high-antioxidant fruit to fight infections and inflammation. Similar to citrus fruits, berries are also loaded with vitamin C, as well as fiber, folate, and potassium. While most berries are healthy to eat, blackberries, raspberries, and black currants have the highest concentration of vitamin C.
Ginger
Not only can ginger be a great additive to your dishes, but it also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. You can put a few slices in hot water for ginger tea, or shave it fresh into soups, curries, or rice dishes. And if you’re already sick, ginger can alleviate sore throat or nausea symptoms that come with having the flu.
Garlic
Eating garlic regularly can have immune-boosting properties thanks to the high concentration of allicin. This compound can reduce the severity of your cold or flu. You’ll get the most benefits if you eat it raw or minced into salad dressings or dips. But if you don’t want the garlic breath, cooking it lightly will still have healthy benefits!
Sweet Potatoes
Unlike a regular potato, sweet potatoes are loaded with healthy nutrients and vitamins. The most important is beta carotene, a form of vitamin A that gives the potato a bright orange color. Vitamin A is great for our skin and also for our immune system. You can bake sweet potatoes in the oven, or you can eat them mashed or as crispy french fries.
Chicken Soup
There’s something just so comforting about a hearty bowl of chicken soup. But there’s a reason why it’s a recommended remedy for cold and flu season! Not only does it soothe sore throats and relieve congestion, but it also has a combination of important vitamins and minerals. You’ll get protein from the chicken, beta-carotene from the carrots, and vitamin C from the onions and celery.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms may not be the first flu-fighting food you think of, but they can help maintain a healthy immune system. That’s because mushrooms have selenium, a mineral with antiviral effects to fight infections. But that’s not all! They are also packed with healthy B vitamins like riboflavin and niacin.
Yogurt
Yogurt (or pretty much anything with live active probiotics) is a great thing to eat during flu season. The probiotics found in yogurt and fermented foods are beneficial for gut health. And since a healthy gut biome is important for your immune system, eating them can help fight off sickness!
Nuts and Seeds
There are so many different kinds of nuts with healthy vitamins and antioxidants to support our immune systems. For example, almonds are full of vitamin E, which strengthens the cells for our body’s natural defenses. Other nuts and seeds, like walnuts and sunflower seeds, also have immune-strengthening ingredients. Just make sure to eat them in moderation, as they can also be high in calories.
Green Tea
Staying hydrated is key to combating the flu or cold. And while you should be drinking lots of water, a hot cup of green tea can actually help as well. It contains flavonoids and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), two ingredients shown to improve your immune system. And it has L-theanine amino acids to give your T-cells a much needed boost.
Other Ways to Fight the Flu
The food we eat plays a vital role in our health. So it’s no surprise that these immune-boosting foods for flu season can strengthen our body’s defenses. In addition to a healthy, balanced diet, sleep and exercise can also play a vital role in warding off sickness. Make sure you get adequate rest to allow your body to repair itself. And try to get in some physical activity at least once a day to reduce inflammation and improve your circulation! Together, these things will give you the best chances of avoiding the flu and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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