14 Top Foods to Boost Your Immunity Now So You Can Stay Well During Cold and Flu Season

As temperatures get cooler, do you want to know how to boost your immune system? Discover some of the best foods to boost up your immune system and replace the supplements you might be taking. The right foods can help you avoid falling victim to colds and flu this year!

Do you sometimes get colds or the flu, particularly in the colder winter months? If so, you’re not alone. In the U.S., the average adult gets sick two to four times per year, and the average child between six and eight. You probably know the basics of cold prevention, like practicing good hand washing and avoiding contact with sick persons. But have you ever wondered why two people could have exactly the same exposure to a sick friend — and one of them gets sick, while the other doesn’t?

Let’s take a look at what your immune system does and how to boost your immune system with food, so that it can protect you from nasty, cold-weather bugs.

About Immune System

The immune system is your body’s network of organs, tissues, and cells that work together to keep you healthy and fit by fighting off harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. It acts as a barrier between your body and the things that can make you fall sick. When your immune system is compromised, it’s like tearing down a wall that would otherwise help to keep germs at bay. Your immune system can become compromised by dietary, environmental, and lifestyle insults. And a compromised immune system can lead to frequent illness issues such as the common cold and flu, as well as more serious infections and diseases, even including cancer.

Does Food Affect Your Immune System?

It’s difficult to overstate how important nutrition is in promoting a healthy immune system. You need a diverse group of phytochemicals (the bioactive chemical compounds in plants) to create a strong barrier against pathogens that would otherwise make you ill. Because immunity typically declines as your age, it becomes especially important to eat more immune-boosting foods as you get older. Many studies have shown that nutrient deficiencies cause impaired immune function in the elderly. Even in people as young as 35 years old, poor nutrition wreaks havoc on the immune response. But there’s good news, too! When elderly people eat at least five servings per day of fruits and vegetables, they have improved antibody response to stress. Some of the most immune-boosting vitamins and minerals include folate, zinc, iron, beta-carotene, Vitamins B6, B12, C, D, and E. So, what foods should you be eating to get them?

How to Boost Your Immune System with Food?

Kiwi

Eating kiwi fruit has been shown to reduce the duration of the common cold. In fact, it can reduce a child’s risk of getting sick by 50% and can even shave a few days off of how long the elderly are sick with upper respiratory infections. Kiwi is high in vitamin C, folate, potassium, and antioxidants, such as alpha-Tocopherol and lutein. It has been shown to have positive effects on the immune response — making it potentially helpful in preventing a wide range of ailments.

Garlic

Garlic has been used in medicine for centuries. One of the reasons is that whole garlic contains a compound called alliin, which turns into the active compound allicin when crushed and is known to enhance immune function. Crushed garlic also offers additional sulfur-containing compounds with healing properties. Aged garlic extract may also reduce the severity and duration of cold and flu.

Onions

No need to cry. Onions are good for you! They contain two major compounds that support immunity: the antioxidant flavonoids anthocyanin and quercetin—and allin. Red and yellow varieties are particularly high in quercetin, which is known to have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. The highest concentration is found in the outer rings. Enjoy onions baked, roasted, sauteed, or chopped up and eaten raw in many dishes.

Ginger

Ginger has many medicinal and health uses and is known to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. It also has antimicrobial effects and can help to protect against infectious disease. Gingerol is the compound found in fresh ginger that is most responsible for its anti-cancer properties. Gingerol is closely related to capsaicin and piperine, the active compounds in peppers that give them their spiciness and unique medicinal traits, as well as the curcuminoids found in turmeric.

Green Tea

Green tea is about 40% polyphenols by weight — and may be the most powerful of all the teas. It contains compounds called catechins, as well the antioxidant quercetin and the amino acid L-theanine, all of which support a strong immune system. These compounds are effective agents in helping the body fight viruses, such as influenza and many forms of gastrointestinal infections.

Cruciferous Vegetables

A 2011 study published in the journal Cell found that cruciferous vegetables, including kale, collard greens, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, kohlrabi, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, are a source of a chemical signal necessary for the immune system to function at its best.

Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Fermented Foods

Stock Your Pantry and Protect Yourself This Season

Eating well doesn’t only prevent major chronic disease like heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. It can also help you prevent the flu and colds — and heal more quickly if you do get sick.

As you head into cold and flu season, try stocking up on health-boosting foods and see what happens. You might stay healthier than ever through the colder months.