Immunity Boosting Foods for a Healthier You

Our world is seeing an increase in health challenges in the form of highly contagious infections, among other diseases. Thus, a robust immune system is essential for you to lead a healthy life. You can include foods that boost immune system in your diet, more so to better support your body’s first line of defence—your immune system. Diet is one of the only factors influencing your immunity that you can control. The food you consume has a direct impact in determining your immune health.

Research has revealed that it is true—you are what you eat. Nutritional deficiencies arising from an imbalanced diet can impact your immune function. However, a diet rich in foods to help boost immune system, along with protein powder, can enhance the immune system and help it fight pathogens.

List of Top 13 Foods to Build Immune System

Nutrition plays a crucial role in boosting immunity. Nutrition helps build, maintain, and protect the body. The cornerstone of a strong immune system, nutrients from your meals are essential for your body to produce antibodies and maintain proper immune function.

Here, we have curated a list of foods to strengthen immune system so that you can optimise your immune system.

Citrus Fruits : Being a rich source of vitamin C, citrus fruits are some of the best immune boosting foods out there. It is believed that vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells in the body, which are essential for fighting infections. This crucial vitamin is neither produced in your body nor stored in it. Thus, you need to include vitamin C-rich fruits in your diet regularly. Some examples of vitamin C-rich foods that boost immune system include lemons, red bell peppers, kiwi, grapes, oranges, and sweet lime (Masamba). The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 40 mg for adults who weigh around 55-60 kg.
Berries : Strawberries, Indian gooseberries, and blueberries, among others, are rich sources of antioxidants and rank high on the list of foods to build immune system. Berries have been known to enhance your body’s immune function.
High-protein Foods : Protein-rich foods for immunity, like eggs, paneer, tofu, chickpeas, kidney beans, and soybeans, helps form antibodies to fight infections. Consuming a protein-rich diet supports antibody production, which plays a vital role in fighting bacterial and viral infections, contributing to overall immune resilience. Without antibodies, your body will not be able to fight the pathogens. The antibodies produced to fight off a particular pathogen stay in the body for a long period as resistance to the same infection. You can include health supplements in your diet to compensate for a diet that lacks protein.
Greens and Root Vegetables : Leafy greens and root vegetables are a rich source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in your body. Vitamin A is an antioxidant vitamin that supports your immune system. To enjoy the benefits of a strong immune system, you are recommended to include spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, and such in your diet. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that your body can store it and use it as and when required. Consider consuming carrots with hummus or a delicious spinach salad in winter to include these immune boosting foods in your meals. Broccoli is another superfood that is packed with vitamin A, C, and E, among other nutrients. You can incorporate it into your diet through salads, soups, or as pizza toppings; however, research suggests the best way to enjoy the benefits of broccoli is by consuming it raw after proper cleansing.
Ginger : A holy grail of immune boosting foods, ginger can help reduce inflammation in the body and help with malaise. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, which make ginger a top candidate in the list of herbs and spices for immune health.
Probiotics : Curd, Greek yoghurt, kombucha, certain types of cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi are some of the best probiotic foods for immunity. These promote gut health and help stimulate the immune system and enhance its germ-fighting abilities. This is attributed to the role gut bacteria play in the absorption of nutrients and handling of harmful bacteria in food. Thus, you need to include probiotic foods to build immune system in your regular meals.
Nuts and Seeds : A lot of nuts and seeds are an excellent source of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant vitamin. Foods that are rich in Vitamin E—a fat-soluble vitamin—are superfoods for the immune system as they help regulate and enhance immune function. Thus, including nuts and seeds in your diet is an excellent way to increase your immunity. If you are worried about consuming nuts during the summer, you can soak them overnight and consume them in the morning.
Turmeric : Used as a key ingredient in almost all Indian dishes, turmeric, or haldi, is a spice that holds its special place in healing. Along with its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, turmeric also has curcumin that promotes immunity.
Garlic : Garlic is a T-cell (or lymphocyte) booster as it promotes their production in the body; it contains compounds that help the immune system fight off pathogens. Garlic can also regulate the amount of stress hormone released by your body to further strengthen your immune system.
Shellfish : An excellent source of zinc, some shellfish, like crabs, oysters, lobsters, mussels, and clams, are some of the foods that boost immune system. These zinc-rich foods need to be prepared properly to eliminate pathogens present in them.
Water : Water—the nectar of life—helps in the production of lymph, which is responsible for transporting white blood cells and other cells of the immune system throughout the body. We recommend you keep yourself properly hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Cucumber, watermelon, and water chestnuts are some of the food items that have a high-water content. You can also consume beverages like iced tea or mint-infused water for getting proper hydration.
Poultry and Fish : Rich sources of vitamin D, among other nutrients, fish and eggs are some of the best foods to boost immune system for non-vegetarians. Vitamin D is essential for the immune system to function properly; try including eggs and fish like salmon, tuna, etc., in your meals. Although your body can synthesise vitamin D on its own with the help of sunlight, you can benefit from including these immune boosting foods in your diet. Chicken, salmon, and tuna are high in vitamin B6, which is crucial for the production of red blood cells and maintaining the lymphatic system. A part of your immune system, the lymphatic system is responsible for removing waste from the body. Poultry is also a rich source of zinc, which is crucial for the cells of your immune system to function properly. You can get zinc from eggs, chicken, or turkey.
Green Tea : Since green tea is packed with antioxidants, it is one of the best foods to strengthen immune system. Additionally, it contains amino acids that are known to enhance the infectious pathogen-fighting compounds in your immune system. Green tea also reduces inflammation in the body, which further enhances the immune system.

Few Tips for Boosting Your Immunity

Consume a variety of immune boosting foods to ensure you get a diverse range of nutrients.
Get regular exposure to sunshine to prevent vitamin D deficiency.
Stay well hydrated; aim for around 8-10 glasses of water every day.
Work out regularly to build stronger immunity.
Get ample amounts of sleep to help your body rest and rejuvenate.
Regulate your stress levels by practicing yoga and meditation.

Final Words

Having a naturally strong immune system is a blessing, but anyone can strengthen their immunity by including the above-mentioned immune boosting foods. Including a wide range of foods that are rich in nutrients, staying hydrated, and getting proper rest can help you fight off infections and recover quickly if and when you fall sick.

Embrace the immune boosting foods mentioned above in your daily diet to ensure you lead a healthy life. However, if you find it difficult to eat a protein-rich diet, for example, it is best to supplement it with a protein powder to ensure you get the required nutrients in a day.