The Best Foods that Boost the Immune System

We all love to eat and luckily, there are foods that boost the immune system. This means the foods we eat can also serve as medicines. Sweet!

Let’s Define the Term “Immune System”

Think of the immune system as the body’s defense mechanism against infection. In its absence, the body would have difficulty fending off attacks from viruses, parasites, bacteria, and other harmful organisms.

This network of cells, tissues, and organs detects foreign invaders. The white blood cells then start a coordinated reaction to aid recovery.

When a person’s immune system is strong and fully functional, the body easily wards off infections and diseases. For any reason the body’s immune system is weakened, one can get sick easily.

Healthy tissue and undesired substances can be distinguished by a fully functional immune system. The immune system will launch an intricate attack to defend the body from invaders if it identifies any unwelcome material. Additionally, it detects and eliminates damaged and dead cells.

However, the immune system is not always accurate. It may occasionally be unable to fight efficiently because of a medical condition or the requirement for specific treatments. 

Foods that Boost the Immune System

We can all agree on one thing; we are what we eat. But can food actually improve your health? More importantly, can food prevent you from becoming ill in the first place?

Let’s take a look at some foods that boost the immune system:

Vegetables

Beta carotene and the antioxidant vitamins C, K, and E are particularly crucial for assisting your body’s immune system. Vegetables are rich in antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are essential for a strong immune system. They are potent immune boosters since they are rich in beta-carotene, folate, fibre, and vitamins C, K, and E. This is the reason Vegetables are classified as foods that boost the immune system.

Turmeric

Plants in the ginger family include turmeric. Turmeric is a very nutritious root vegetable. It has, historically, been utilized in India to treat ailments of the skin, upper respiratory tract, joints, and digestive system. Turmeric is currently marketed as a nutritional supplement for a wide range of ailments, such as: depression, liver illness, allergies, respiratory disease, arthritis, digestive issues, and many others. Curry powder contains a significant amount of the popular turmeric.

Turmeric’s main active ingredient, curcumin, is what gives it most of its health advantages. Additionally, it gives turmeric its yellow hue.

Turmeric increases immunity. We are shielded from numerous infections by its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal capabilities. Turmeric is a potent antioxidant that increases the body’s ability to fight disease, lowers inflammation, and improves immunological performance. Despite curcumin’s poor bloodstream absorption, piperine, a substance found in black pepper, helps curcumin absorb better when consumed together.

Garlic

You’re probably thinking; “there’s no way I’m eating that smelly thing.” Well, before you completely write garlic off, hear me out.

Garlic is a vegetable in the onion family. It has a spicy, pungent (yes, we all agree) flavour that mellows and becomes sweeter when cooked. Despite being a vegetable, garlic is more frequently used to flavour cuisine.

Eating the pungent vegetable has several health advantages, such as enhancing heart health, but allicin, a compound found in garlic that helps white blood cells respond to infections caused by viruses like the flu and cold, also strengthens the immune system. Garlic is one of the important vegetable foods that boost the immune system.

You can ward off colds, fevers, and coughs by eating raw garlic. The best method to fully benefit is to consume two chopped cloves of garlic each day.

Even though I’m not telepathic, I know you’re still trying to figure out how to deal with the strong smell of garlic. Here are some helpful tips:

Following raw garlic consumption, you could:

• Take a warm glass of water.
• Brush and floss.
• Use mouthwash to rinse.
• Consume mint leaves.
• Drink some milk.
• Consume mint-flavoured gum.

Ginger

After being ill, people often resort to ginger. Ginger reduces inflammation, which can lessen inflammatory diseases and sore throats. Ginger also relieves motion sickness. Chronic pain is lessened, and some even claim that it lowers cholesterol.

You might find yourself utilizing ginger in your cooking and baking, but also know that it may aid to alleviate nausea in addition to offering a flavour boost. This veggie contains vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium.

While ginger is most well-known for its ability to relieve nausea, it also possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ginger has several health advantages. It is therefore highly regarded as one of the foods that boost the immune system.

Potato

Potatoes are a type of root vegetable that helps to make white blood cells, which guard against illnesses. Because they are so full of vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and calcium, potatoes are one of the most important foods that boost the immune system. Additionally, sweet potatoes’ vitamin A content supports the immune system.

Spinach

One of the healthiest green leafy vegetables, spinach, is full of iron and advantageous phytonutrients. Its leaves are a popular culinary vegetable that can be eaten either raw or cooked after being preserved using methods like canning, freezing, or dehydration.

Vitamin A, which is known to combat infections, along with vitamins C, K1, iron, folic acid, and calcium are the nutrients found in spinach in the highest concentrations. Additionally, it has potent antioxidants. Spinach also has a healthy amount of folate, which strengthens the immune system.

Fruits are Important Foods that boost the immune system

Fruits serve as a source of fibre and important vitamins and minerals. Fruits also include a variety of antioxidants, including flavonoids, which are good for the health, and they are foods that boost the immune system.

Citrus Fruits

Most citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons, and limes, are rich in vitamin C, which strengthens white blood cells and aids in the fight against infection.

Because it strengthens the immune system, vitamin C is the first thing most people go for when they have a cold. White blood cells are produced more frequently when vitamin C is present.

Typical citrus fruits are:

• Grapefruit
• Oranges
• Tangerines
• Lemons
• Limes

Papaya

Papaya is a soft tropical fruit with a yellowish-orange tint. It varies in both large and small sizes and is rounded and plump. The ripe or unripe state of papaya affects the way it tastes. Mature papayas are juicy. On the other hand, unripe papaya could have little to no flavour.

With its anti-inflammatory effects and a generous serving of Vitamin C, papaya boosts immunity and reduces your chance of contracting several ailments. Additionally, it contains the digestive enzyme papain, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Watermelon

Watermelon is a sweet and cooling summertime snack with few calories. In addition to providing critical elements including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, it also supplies hydration. This fruit is an immune system builder. It is rich in potassium, vitamins A and C, and other nutrients that strengthen the immune system. Citrulline, an amino acid abundant in watermelon, may aid in the circulation of blood and reduce blood pressure. It should come as no surprise that watermelon is one of the foods that boost the immune system.

Seeds

Magnesium and vitamin E, an antioxidant that has been found to strengthen the body’s resistance to germs and viruses, are both abundant in seeds, making seeds yet another set of foods that boost the immune system:

Almonds

Almonds seeds have varieties of nutrients, including fibre, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Since almonds also contain healthy fats, the body is better able to absorb the fat-soluble, potent antioxidant, vitamin E, that is found in them. This strong antioxidant is essential for a strong immune system.

Sunflower seeds

The seed of a sunflower is known as a sunflower seed. Sunflower seeds are a good source of vitamin E, which is known to fight infections, just like almonds are.

Selenium, a nutrient found in sunflower seeds, is another antioxidant that strengthens the immune system by alerting it to danger and protects the body from chronic inflammation by instructing the immune system when to calm down.

Bonus: Poultry

And the bonus goes to…poultry! That’s right!

When you’re sick, eat cooked poultry like chicken and turkey to help strengthen your immune system and fight off illnesses like the flu. The reason? Vitamin B-6, essential for the body’s formation of red blood cells, is abundant in poultry.

So, the next time you’re feeling under the weather and crave a bowl of chicken soup, just know that it’s not just the placebo effect working its magic but is also among the list of foods that boost the immune system.

Wrapping up

It is important to eat all the foods that boost the immune system if you want to stay healthy and protected from lots of ailments. Our bodies try to keep us safe, so let’s endeavour to do our honest part.