8 Foods That Boost the Immune System

Did you know that your diet is important in helping to protect your body from sickness and diseases? Hear me out, there are foods that you can include in your diet that will boost your immune system.

The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.

These cells combine to seek and destroy disease-causing bacteria and substances that try to invade your body. It’s your body’s defense against infection and diseases.

The body’s defense system recognizes your cells and will try to get rid of anything that is foreign to your body.

 Whenever it detects a foreign invader it produces chemicals, white blood cells, and protein that seek out and destroys these invaders.

I am sure that when you think of boosting your immune system, the first thing that comes to mind is vitamin C  Supplements and citrus fruits.

Vitamin C is in fact, one of the most widely used supplements. It plays a vital role in the immune system and so it is crucial that you maintain high levels of vitamin C  in our diet.

Since your bodies neither make nor store vitamin C, you’ll have to get it from external sources and replenish it on a regular basis.

The thing is, you may be surprised to find that there are other food items that contain vitamin C  and are in even higher content than citrus fruits.

When you eat these nourishing foods that are especially rich in Vitamins C,  B6, vitamin E, vitamin A, zinc and selenium in combination with other vitamins and minerals, they act like soldiers and stand guard to your immune system.

These all help to fight off sickness and diseases.  

You cannot decide to just eat these foods every once in a while and expect to boost your immune system. You need to have them in constant rotation in your diet.

So if you are looking to take your immune system to the next level then consider incorporating these foods in your diet.

Citrus Fruits

These fruits serve up an excellent amount of vitamin C which strengthens the immune system and keeps your skin elastic and smooth.

When we think citrus fruits our minds instantly go to oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and tangerines.

Their tangy taste, some tangier than others, combined with their sweetness and their pungent scent gets your taste buds excited.

You only need one medium orange and that will give you the serving of vitamin C you need in a day.

Citrus fruits protect the body from damaging free radicals and they are also packed with an impressive list of other vitamins and minerals.  

These citrus fruits also do have various health benefits that your body needs for proper function. Which includes B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper.

Green Leafy Vegetables

When we think of green foods we always think of good health. And it is true, you should make dark green leafy vegetables a part of your diet on an everyday basis.

What makes green food so special you may ask? Just so you know, one of the best things you can do for your body is to eat your leafy greens.

These foods are packed with nutrients and are an important part of a healthy diet.  They are loaded with healthy goodness and possess a storehouse of health benefits.

Vegetables such as collards and kale are rich in calcium, vitamin C, lutein and zeaxanthin. All of which helps to reduce the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration in your eyes.

Leafy Greens like spinach, Kale, Broccoli and Brussel sprouts all have a healthy dose of this essential vitamin C as well as vitamin E, and folate.  

Apart from boosting your immune system leafy greens feed your gut, builds enzymes, fight diabetes and so much more.

Besides cooking them you can also use them in your salads and include them in your smoothies.

There are so many ways to integrate them into your diet, the possibilities are countless.

Red Bell Peppers

Red bell peppers are loaded with rich health benefits.  They are low in calories and packed with good nutrition.

Red bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin A and provide more than 200 percent of your daily vitamin C intake.

With the combination of vitamins A, C and E these red bell peppers are chock-full of antioxidants. Antioxidants help to keep your skin and hair looking youthful.

Because of all these vitamins and minerals contained in red bell peppers, there is no doubt that they power up your immune system.

They are also a great source of Vitamin B6 and folate. Both of these vitamins and minerals can help prevent anemia. And, plays a key role in the health of your nervous system as well as helping you to renew cells.

Red pepper is one of the veggies that has a high level of lycopene which has been shown to help prevent many cancers including lung and prostate.

Strawberries and Papaya

Apart from the delicious taste of these fruits they also pack a powerful punch of vitamin C and fiber.

Don’t let these bite-size strawberries fool you, they are also a good source of manganese and potassium.

Papaya reminds us of the tropics and is jam-packed with antioxidants that can reduce inflammation.

It is extremely rich in vitamin C  as well as vitamin A and has a wide range of health benefits.

This makes it a great fruit option to include in your diet. A single average size papaya contains 200 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C.

So this makes it a very good option to include in your arsenal to boost your immune system.

Seeds and Nuts

You may or may not know that nuts play an important role as part of a healthy diet and are loaded with tons of health benefits.

Almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are high in Vitamin E.

This is a powerful antioxidant that helps the body to fight off infection and don’t overlook the brazil nuts, these possess the powerful selenium.  

Just an ounce or a handful of nuts and seeds contain a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, fats, and protein.  

They also contain immune-boosting minerals and should be included as a regular part of your diet, if not on a daily basis at least on a weekly basis.

The thing is, you can use nuts and seeds in so many ways. Use them plain just like that or you can jazz them up by making your own flavored nuts for snacking.

You can do this by adding spices to them and baking them until slightly brown and extra crunchy.   

Get creative and add them to your smoothies or as toppings on salads and cereals. You can even make your own nut butter. All you need to do this is your nut of choice, your food processor and a little patience.

Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Cantaloupe and Squash

You should incorporate carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, and squash in your diet. All these foods are bursting with tons of vitamin A and are all great options.

They are high in colorful compounds called carotenoids.

Your body will turn these carotenoids into Vitamin A which has an antioxidant effect on your vision.

This also helps to strengthen and maintain the immune system and organs against infection.

These foods also help to bolster your body’s natural defense against illnesses and infections.

You should be able to get all your Vitamin A from your diet if you include these foods in your diet on a consistent basis.  Any vitamin A your body doesn’t need immediately is stored for future use.

Chicken, Turkey, and Seafood

Iron helps your body to carry oxygen to the cells.  If you don’t have enough iron in your diet it can lead to anemia which means that the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin.

This hemoglobin then transports oxygen to your body. So, it stands to reason that when you have anemia it will cause you to feel weak and be easily out of breath.

Your body can more easily absorb the iron found in lean poultry such as chicken and turkey. Another great option for getting your Iron is in seafood.

 If you are vegan or vegetarian you get your iron intake from beans, kale, spinach, etc.

Oysters, Crab, Lean Meats, Yogurt, chickpeas

For those of you who love seafood, you might be onto something.  Oysters, crabs as well as lean meat contains zinc.

Zinc plays an integral role in helping to boost the immune system. Yogurt, baked beans, chickpeas as well as fortified cereals are also good sources of zinc.  

Zinc is found in cells throughout your body and helps in cell division. Whenever invaders attack your body in the form of bacteria and viruses, your immune system will fight off these invaders.

Your body also needs zinc to make protein which also helps in the healing process of your wounds.

It is very important for a proper sense of taste and smell and decreases the risk of age-related chronic diseases.

Here I have included a video by CBC that validates some of the foods that help to keep your immune system strong.

What do you do to boost your immune system?