There is a strong relationship between the food we eat and our body’s immunity function. Immunity booster foods are no less than superfoods that boost our body’s immune response to disease or other harmful reactions that may take place in your body. These foods are rich in vitamins A, E, and B, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, iron, fibre improves your microbiome, gut barrier function, inflammatory processes, and white blood cell function.
Immunity-boosting foods for kids and adults are listed below in this blog post. Enjoy these 5 immunity booster foods and get multiple other benefits in return.
The Best Immunity Booster Foods
Some of the immune system booster foods are as follows:
- Citrus Food
- Leafy Green Vegetable
- Nuts and Seeds
- Poultry
- Spices
Citrus Food
You probably would have seen your grandparents turning to Vitamin C sources such as orange or lemon tea whenever they catch a cold. Well, this is because food rich in vitamin C helps to boost your immunity. Vitamin C increases the WBC (white blood cells) count. These WBCs are an integral component of our body’s immunity function that fights infections and other diseases.
Benefits of Citrus Food for Immunity
- It quickens the wound healing
- It further helps in boosting intestinal immune function.
Usage tips
The best way to consume citrus fruit is to eat them raw because fruit juices might contain high sugar which can further disturb your body’s glucose level. Lemonade is yet another great alternative to those highly preservative-added ready-to-drink drinks available in the market.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables are another best and highly available immunity-boosting food for adults and kids alike. It not only boosts your immunity but also strengthens your bones and eye vision. They are rich in nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. From now on, always try to add at least one green vegetable, be it beans, cabbage, radish green, arugula leaves, fenugreek leaves, or any other green vegetable you find in your groceries, in your food chart daily.
Benefits of Leafy Green Vegetables for Immunity
- They are low in calorie count which makes them a good weight-loss diet.
- It also regulates blood sugar levels.
Usage tips
Leafy green vegetables are versatile food that can be added to your cooked food, juices, salads, etc. It is best to avoid overcooking of leafy green vegetables to enjoy their benefits to the fullest.
Nuts and Seeds
Do you want to add high-quality good fat to your diet? Nuts and seeds are immunity-boosting foods that contain good fat and provide you with various benefits such as improved gut health, nerve function, etc. These nuts and seeds such as almonds, flaxseed, fig, walnut, etc. are effective immune modulators. They contain vitamins E, D, A, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc.
Benefits of Nuts and Seeds for Immunity
- It reduces the probability of chronic disease and improves your overall health.
- They are good sources of plant-based protein.
Usage tips
You can take nuts and seeds raw or with fruits dried. The best way is to soak the nuts and seeds in water(or milk) overnight and take them before your breakfast. Some people also like to sprinkle nuts on salads and cooked food. ( for example cashews).
Poultry
If you are non-vegetarian, adding poultry to your daily diet can do wonders in improving your immunity. It prevents and fights off infection. Let’s take chicken meat as an example. It is rich in vitamin B-6, gelatin, and chondroitin and helps in boosting your gut health and immunity function. So the next time you are under the weather, make sure to have a bowl full of cricket soup for quick relief.
Benefits of Poultry for Immunity
- It helps in blood pressure control, and muscle growth, and prevents heart attacks.
- It is an excellent source of vitamin A that improves your vision quality.
Usage tips
You can consume poultry either by roasting, steaming, pressure cooking, poaching, or simply boiling. However, some reports suggest that when you eat uncooked chicken you might be having problems such as diarrhea or vomiting.
Spices
Spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, holy basil, cumin, garlic, ginger, black pepper, etc. not only add flavor to your food but also have various other immunity-boosting benefits. It is proven that these herbs and spices contain antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help you build immunity.
Benefits of Spices for Immunity
- They help in body detoxification.
- They are effective in treating fungal and bacterial infections.
Usage tips
You should add spices at the beginning so that these powerful spices and dried herbs get enough time to infuse their flavor.
Other than this, you can also take immune boosting supplements such as Vitamin D, elderberry, medicinal mushrooms, and other herbal products like ashwagandha, giloy, etc.
Conclusion
Eating the right food in the right quantity can have an immense impact on how you live. Various research has shown that eating healthy, immunity-boosting food filled with nutrients and minerals, can help prevent and even improve adverse health conditions such as diabetes, chronic disease, blood pressure, and the list goes on and on. Further, nutrient deficiency can also lead to weakened immunity and great vulnerability to various kinds of infections.
Frequently Asked Questions About Immunity Booster Foods
Q. What are the top 10 immune-boosting foods?
- The top 10 immune-boosting foods that you should include in your daily diet are as follows:
- Citrus Food such as oranges, lemon, etc.
- Leafy green vegetables such as Spanish, Broccoli, kale, etc.
- Nuts
- Yogurt
- Oily fish such as trout, mackerel, tuna, and pilchards
- Turmeric
- Ginger and Garlic(you can eat it as you like: raw, cooked or raw.
- Poultry
- Fresh fruits
- Seeds
Q. How to boost immunity naturally?
- The best way to boost your immunity naturally is to go back to basic lifestyle habits. Take a good diet that has a balanced portion of nutrients, fiber, and minerals. Move your body frequently else you will surely become a sick bed ridden couch potato, might not be today but soon. Other than this, have good sleep, don’t stress out yourself, stay away from drinking alcohol or smoking, and don’t block your emotions.
Q. Which foods boost immunity faster?
- You can take immunity booster food such as oranges, papaya, spinach, kale, yogurt, etc. But remember the building process takes time and you can expect results instantly. You can simply start taking daily nutritional supplements as well.
Q. What to drink for immunity?
- You can start taking ginger tea, turmeric milk, green leafy vegetable smoothie, bottle gourd juice, nuts-infused water, etc. However, while doing all these things, don’t forget to keep your body hydrated throughout the day.
