Eat to Support Your Immune System

Winter is here, and along with cold temperatures and short days, this means rising rates of the flu, Covid, and other seasonal viruses. No one wants to get sidelined by illness, so it’s only natural to seek out ways to optimize your immune system, and perhaps wonder what impact your food choices may have.

Indeed, in addition to getting ample sleep, staying hydrated, and proper hygiene, like handwashing, nutrition plays a big role in supporting immune health and preventing illness.

Read on to learn which nutrients have the biggest impact on immunity and how to easily incorporate immune-supporting foods into your diet this winter, plus a seasonal recipe to try.

Nutrition and Immunity: The Basics

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and molecules that collectively work to defend the body against pathogens and fight infection. Many different factors affect immune health, and no single food or nutrient can prevent or cure the flu, Covid or any seasonal virus. Therefore, it is wise to beware of “superfoods” or supplements marketed to “boost” the immune system. That being said, certain nutrients can support a healthy immune system when consumed as part of a balanced diet. When it comes to nutrition and immunity, foods rich in antioxidants and foods that promote a healthy gut microbiome have the most impact.

ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants are plant-based compounds that protect our bodies from oxidative damage that would otherwise lead to disease, and they are an essential part of the immune response that helps fight illness. While our bodies can and do make antioxidants, it is important to consume them through our diet as well to make sure we’re getting ample amounts.

Before you start thinking about popping a supplement or seeking out the latest “superfood” as a source of antioxidants, consider making small but impactful changes to your daily eating pattern to relatively effortlessly increase your intake of antioxidants.

Four of the key antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E and zinc) are actually found in a variety of nutrient-rich foods that can easily be incorporated into a balanced diet. When you get antioxidants from foods, rather than supplements, not only is it safer and less expensive, you reduce the risk of overdosing and reap additional nutrition benefits.

Foods Rich in Vitamin C:

•          Citrus fruits and juice such as oranges, grapefruit and tangerines, bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, cauliflower, kale, kiwi, and papaya

Easy Ways to Get More Vitamin C

•          Add strawberries to your cereal or yogurt

•          Enjoy an orange with breakfast or as a refreshing pre-run pick-me-up

•          Munch on sliced bell peppers dipped in hummus for a satisfying snack

•          Add tomato slices to your sandwich or wrap

Foods Rich in Vitamin A:

•          Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, broccoli, apricots, eggs, and fortified dairy milk

Easy Ways To Get More Vitamin A

·         Throw some baby spinach in your omelet or smoothie at breakfast

·         Use pureed pumpkin to make muffins or quick breads

·         Bake sweet potatoes, along with your favorite protein and green vegetable for a balanced dinner

·         Nosh on a few hard-boiled eggs for a high-protein snack instead of a protein shake or bar

Foods Rich In Vitamin E:

•          Almonds and other nuts, sunflower and other seeds, peanut butter and other nut butters, vegetable oils, fortified nut milks, avocado

Easy Ways To Get More Vitamin E

·         Enjoy a handful of almonds, peanuts or your favorite nuts for a mid-afternoon snack

·         Top oatmeal, yogurt, or a green salad with pumpkin or sunflower seeds

·         Use olive oil to sauté vegetables or make your own salad dressing

·         Spread avocado on toast for breakfast

Foods Rich In Zinc:

•          Beef, fish, seafood, dark meat poultry, pork chop, whole grains, fortified cereal, beans, chickpeas, pumpkin and other seeds, almonds and other nuts, and tofu

Easy Ways To Get More Zinc

·         Add turkey meatballs or ground turkey to your favorite pasta dish

·         Swap white rice for brown in a stir fry

·         Bake chicken thighs or salmon fillets as the protein in a “one sheet pan” meal

·         Use black beans to make a Mexican inspired salad or burrito bowl

THE GUT MICROBIOME

The term gut microbiome refers to the bacteria and other organisms that naturally live in our digestive tract. Increasingly, research is uncovering just how much the quality and quantity of bacteria in our gut impacts different aspects of our health, including immunity. Basically, a healthy gastrointestinal system supports a healthy immune system! You can optimize gut health, and thus immune health, by eating more foods rich in probiotics (AKA good bacteria) and prebiotics, dietary fibers which serve as fuel for the good bacteria, allowing them to grow.

Foods High In Probiotics:

·         Greek yogurt and kefir

·         Aged cheeses, such as cheddar, gruyere, manchego, gouda and parmesan

·         Fermented foods, such as tempeh, kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and kombucha

Easy Ways To Get More Probiotics

·         Start your day with a Greek yogurt parfait topped with berries and granola

·         Make tempeh the star of a meatless meal

·         Add aged cheese to a salad or sandwich for a pop of flavor

·         Sip on kombucha instead of a soft drink or sweet tea

Foods High In Prebiotics:

•       Most vegetables, especially artichokes and asparagus

•       Many fruits, including apples and bananas

•       Onions, garlic, and leeks

•       Flax and other seeds

•       Oats and other whole grains

Easy Ways To Get More Prebiotics

·         Munch on an apple with peanut butter for a satisfying snack

·         Sauté onions and garlic along with vegetables in a stir fry for extra flavor

·         Enjoy oatmeal as part of a hearty pre or post-run breakfast

·         Add ground flax to your oatmeal, pancakes or baked good recipes

Immune Supporting Seasonal Salad

This colorful, vibrant salad is full of key nutrients that support immune health, while featuring a variety of flavors and textures to keep your taste buds happy!

Makes 4 servings, Multiply as needed.

Ingredients:

·         4 cups arugula or your favorite green (vitamin A)

·         ½ cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries (vitamin C)

·         1 cup apples, chopped (prebiotics)

·         ½ cup aged cheddar or parmesan cheese, shredded (probiotics)

·         ½ cup pepitas, chopped pecans, your favorite nuts/seeds (vitamin E and zinc)

Instructions:

·         Combine ingredients in a large serving bowl, or divide evenly among individual plates

·         Top salad with your favorite dressing or make your own using olive oil, apple cider vinegar and a dash of mustard

Bottom Line
Nutrition is one of the tools we can use to optimize immune health during the winter months and beyond. Foods rich in antioxidants, prebiotics and probiotics most directly support a healthy immune system, and can easily and deliciously be incorporated into your diet by making a few tweaks to the meals and snacks you are already eating.