While maintaining a healthy diet is always important, it’s crucial to feed our bodies nutrient dense foods in order to be proactive and prevent sickness. It’s said that food is medicine, and we couldn’t agree more. In addition to immune boosting supplements, make sure you’re eating in a way that helps your body heal and repair. Try incorporating some of these immune boosting foods into your meals to enhance your diet and keep your system functioning at its best!
Our Top 9 Immune Boosting Foods
1. Ginger
Ginger can not only provide a lot of flavor to your food, but a big immune boost as well. It contains compounds that help to lower inflammation in the body, as well as powerful antiviral and antibacterial properties. In addition, ginger aids in digestion, gut health, and helps reduce pain. Try sipping on ginger tea throughout the day, or spicing up some soup or salad with fresh ginger.
2. Turmeric
A natural antioxidant, turmeric provides your body with properties to combat oxidative stress and lower inflammation. It helps to enhance your immune function, and can help reduce and manage pain naturally. Add turmeric into your savory dishes, or make your own golden milk latte combining turmeric with nut milk and honey.
3. Citrus Fruits
If you want to get in a natural dose of vitamin C, citrus fruits are the way to go. Oranges, lemons, and grapefruits are packed full of vitamin C. Try adding some oranges or grapefruit to a salad for a nutritious boost. Another great way to keep your vitamin C levels up throughout the day is by drinking lemon water.
4. Matcha
Matcha is a very concentrated form of green tea, and has become a popular beverage of choice at cafes for good reason. This special tea contains something called catechins, which are powerful antioxidants for the body and great immune boosters. Matcha contains properties that help to prevent and reduce multiple disease states in the body from heart disease to cancer. If you haven’t tried the matcha trend yet, now would be a really good time!
5. Apples
We’ve all heard the saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and there may be some truth to that statement. What makes apples so healthy is the fact that they not only contain many antioxidants, but a good amount of fiber as well. Fiber helps to feed the good bacteria in your gut, which in turn enhances your immune function. This makes apples the perfect immune boosting snack.
6. Garlic
This popular vegetable, commonly used as a spice, automatically provides flavor to any savory dish, as well as a serious immune boost. Garlic contains a compound called allicin, which helps prevent and fight infections in the body. In addition, garlic helps reduce oxidative stress and cellular damage in the body through its antioxidant properties. The best way to get the benefits of garlic is to consume it raw. Try making up some fresh pesto with garlic, or adding it in to hummus for a potent kick.
7. Dark Leafy Greens
Eating a variety of dark leafy greens is a great way to provide your body with some much needed phytonutrients. Dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, chard, and spinach are packed full of vitamins and minerals. Try adding in a variety of leafy greens in both their cooked and raw form to get in your daily dose of nutrients.
8. Sweet Potatoes
Rich in beta-carotene and fiber, sweet potatoes provide antioxidant support while also nourishing your gut microbiome. The high levels of vitamin A help support your immune system in fighting off infections. Sweet potatoes also provide your gut with fiber to nourish your microbiome and promote a healthier immune system. Cooked and sliced sweet potatoes make a great snack, or addition to any meal.
9. Broccoli
Love it or hate it, broccoli packs in a lot of nutrients in every bite. Broccoli’s list of health benefits seems endless due to it’s high content of vitamins and minerals. As a bonus, broccoli is rich in fiber and is beneficial to your gut microbiome. Try a raw broccoli salad recipe, or simply steaming some broccoli as a side for dinner. This is definitely a veggie that you should learn to love if you don’t already.