As the winter months approach, our immune system faces additional pressure from cold temperatures, the shortening of days, and the arrival of seasonal diseases. Although you can’t always avoid germs or wind chill, there are powerful foods that can help support and strengthen your immune system in the winter. According to nutritionists, adding the right nutrients to your diet can help your body fight off colds, flu, and other infections. Here’s a list of seven winter foods that should be a part of your winter diet to strengthen your immune system.
Citrus Fruits: Your Vitamin C Powerhouses
The most common citrus foods that are well known for their vitamin C content are oranges and lemons. 1. Oranges: Perhaps one of the most well-known sources of vitamin C, oranges are an easy and delicious way to meet your daily requirements. One medium orange issues 83 mg of vitamin C, which is 92 percent of the DV. Citrus fruits are popular because of their high vitamin C content, which plays an important role in boosting the immune system. Vitamin C enhances the manufacture of white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting off infectious diseases.
How to use them for Vitamin C:
Start your day with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, or add orange slices to your water for an easy and refreshing vitamin C. You can also add orange peel to salads or add lemon juice to roasted vegetables to make them more flavorful.
Food to eat for Vitamin C
- Orange
- Lemons
- Grape
- limes
Garlic: A Natural Antimicrobial and Immunity Booster
Garlic may help the immune system function better in times of need such as in cancer. In a study of 50 people with incurable colorectal, liver, or pancreatic cancer, immune activity was enhanced after they took aged garlic extract for 6 months. Garlic plays an important role in decreasing the strength and period of cold, as well as helping your body’s ability to fight off bacterial and viral infections.
How to use it:
Add the garlic to the soup, curry, stir-fried or sautéed vegetables. To get the most interest cut or crush garlic and leave it for a few minutes so that its beneficial compounds can be started. Add raw garlic to salad dressings or add an immune-boosting flavor by scattering it on your dishes.
Food to eat
- Roasted garlic
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Garlic powder
Ginger: The Anti-Inflammatory Superfood
Ginger contains over 400 natural compounds, and some of them have anti-inflammatory properties. Further research will help us understand whether ginger consumption has any effect on problems such as joint diseases or respiratory inflammation.
Spinach: Packed with Nutrients for Immune Support
Spinach is rich in iron, vitamins C and E, potassium, and magnesium. As part of a nutritious diet, it can strengthen the immune system, aid digestion, and may even have anti-cancer properties. However, individuals may need to eat this vegetable in self-control. Spinach is a powerhouse of nutrients, spinach has vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folate that give strength to our immune system. It is also a good source of iron, which plays an important role in maintaining healthy red blood cells and gives strength to your body to fight off infections.
How to use: Pour the spinach into a salad, blend it into a green smoothie, or stir-fry with garlic and olive oil to create a quick and nutritious side dish. You can also add spinach to soups, omelets, or pasta dishes. For extra immune power, add a handful of fresh spinach leaves to your morning sweet.
Food to eat:
- Fresh Spinach
- Power Spinach
- Frozen Spinach
Yogurt: Probiotics for Gut Health and Immunity
Emerging proof displays that yogurt utilization improves immune function through gut-mediated mechanisms. Yogurt bioactive affects the immune system by controlling the gut microbiota, intestinal hurdle, and white blood cells in the gut and other tissues. Yogurt has good bacteria known as probiotics, which are important for gut health. A healthy digestive system plays a crucial role in immune function. Probiotics help balance the gut microbiome and decrease the inflammation of your gut.
Food to eat:
- Greek yogurt
- Kefir
- Plain yogurt
Almonds: A Nutrient-Rich Snack to Strengthen Defenses
The health good of almonds includes lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, and lower cholesterol levels. They can also decrease hunger and advance weight loss. Overall, almonds are as close to perfect as a food can get, with some sending back. Almond is a powerhouse of vitamin E, which is known as a fat-soluble antioxidant that helps manage immune function. Vitamin E helps protect the body’s cells from oxidative damage and helps the manufacture of immune cells.
Food to eat:
- Raw almond
- Almond butter
- Almond flour
Sweet Potatoes: Rich in Beta-Carotene for Immune Function
Golden-colored sweet potatoes are one of the natural sources of beta-carotene, a plant-derived compound that converts to vitamin A in your body (28). Vitamin A is essential for a healthy immune system, and its deficiency in the blood has been linked to a weakened immune system (29). Sweet potatoes are a good source of beta-carotene, the plant compound that our body converts into Vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a critical role in maintaining the health of the skin. A protects the mucous membranes which are the first line of our body that play a role in defense against infections.
Food to eat:
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Sweet potato fries
- Sweet potato mash
Result: Strengthen your immune system for health in the winter.
As winter addresses and flu season begins, it’s important to order your health and strengthen your immune system. Your body will receive the nutrients it needs to bolster its defenses if you include these seven immune system-boosting foods in your diet. From the vitamin C in citrus fruits to the probiotics in yogurt, these foods can provide important support to keep your immune system strong and plastic.
Remember, a stable diet, enough water intake, regular exercise, and enough sleep are important elements of a healthy lifestyle. By taking a proactive approach to your health this winter, you can better your health and increase your chances of staying healthy around the season.
