In today's fast forward life, having a strong and healthy immune system is very important. A healthy immune system works as the body’s defence mechanism against many infections and diseases. One can support immune system by intake of proper nutrition. Foods to enhance the immune system plays a crucial role in providing important nutrients that can strengthen immunity and provide healthy immune system. Taking food rich in nutrients significantly enhance the immune response of the body. Foods to enhance immune system also provide the body with essential nutrients and antioxidants that make natural defence mechanism powerful.
Now let’s read about foods to enhance immune system -
1. Citrus Fruits Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits are highly rich in Vitamin C nutreient. Vitamin C is considered as a powerful antioxidant that helps to enhance the production of white blood cells in the body. The white blood cells are the key components of the immune system of a person. Consuming citrus fruits as foods to enhance your immune system helps to increase the body's power to fight against infections and maintain overall immune health.
2. Berries
Berries includes fruits like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are fully packed with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. These foods to enhance immune system support a healthy immune functioning. These berry fruits are rich in many nutrients like vitamin C, as well as flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects. Consuming different types of berries in your day to day life in any meal or snacks can provide your body with a good amount immune-boosting properties. Berries make the immune system powerful and protect body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals present in the body of an individual. It is very important to include berries in your diet plan as they provide a broad spectrum of beneficial compounds to the body for the optimum immunity boosting. Berries are considered as very important when we talk about foods to enhance immune system.
3. Spinach Spinach is a very nutritional leafy green vegetable that is fully packed with nutrients essential for immune system functioning, it includes many nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene (very good for eye health and improves vision). Additionally, spinach contains antioxidants and flavonoids that helps fighting oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Consuming spinach as a part of foods to enhance immune system is an excellent way to boost your immune system functioning. Spinach can be consumed in daily life in different ways like salads, smoothies, or as a cooked meal. Spinach is considered as a powerhouse of nutrients consisting several vitamins and antioxidants. These nutrients work together to support immune system functioning and promotes overall good health of an individual.
4. Garlic Garlic has been very popular since centuries for its powerful medicinal properties and benefits. It contains sulfur compounds like allicin that has been known to boost the immune system functioning and reduce the severity of flu and cold. Garlic also has many antibacterial and antiviral properties, making it a crucial addition to the diet for strengthening immune system. Garlic as a part of foods to enhance immune system is known for its immune-boosting benefits because of its high concentration of sulfur compounds.
5. Yogurt Yogurt is a probiotic rich food component that supports healthy gut health, which is closely linked to smooth immune functioning. Probiotics are important bacterias that works for to a balanced gut microbiome, enhancing the body's immune response against illnesses. The best way of consuming yogurt is taking it plain, unsweetened to avoid added sugars, preservatives and maximize the immune-boosting properties and increase your good gut health. Yogurt is one of the best-option in summers when we talk about foods to enhance immune system. Since a major part of the immune system is in the gut of an individual, consuming yogurt in daily life can help maintaining a balanced gut health, improving smooth immune functioning.
6. Almonds Almonds are a nutrient-dense nuts among all the variety of nuts fully packed with vitamin E, which works as a powerful antioxidant that helps the body to protect cells from damaging. Vitamin E is a nutrient that also supports immune function by promoting the activity of immune cells of the body. Snacking on a pack of almonds or adding them to salads and stir-fries can help strengthening your immune system. Consuming almonds as a part of foods to enhance immune system in daily life in any meal or any form is good for the functioning of immune system.
7. Green Tea Green tea is a healthy alternate of normal tea that is rich in polyphenols, catechins, and other powerful antioxidants that consists of several immune-boosting properties and benefits. The nutritional compounds found in green tea have been shown to promote healthy and smooth immune functioning and it also reduces the risk of infections. Drinking green tea regularly at least once a day can be a refreshing way to make your body's defence system strong. Green tea is considered as one of the excellent foods to enhance immune system as it contains high-amount of immune-boosting effects. The nutritional value of green tea helps in regulating immune function and reduces the risk of infections.
8. Sweet Potatoes Sweet potato is a nutritious root vegetable that consists of beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a pivoatl role in maintaining the health of the skin and mucous membranes and also helps in maintaining good vision. The vitamin A present in sweet potato acts as barrier to infections and many diseases. Consuming sweet potatoes as foods to enhance immune system in your diet supports your immune system smooth functioning and health. 9. Turmeric Turmeric is a yellow-coloured spice known for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antioxidant benefits, majorly due to the presence of its active component curcumin. Curcumin has immune-modulating properties that helps in regulating immune response in the body. Turmeric is one of the strong foods to enhance immune system. It can be consumed in many ways by adding it to curries, or having it in the form of soups, or smoothies can provide immune system with a strong natural boost. Inculcating turmeric into your daily diet can help in reducing inflammation and support immune system functioning
10. Shellfish Shellfish like oysters, clams, and crabs are excellent source of zinc (a mineral that plays a critical role in immune functioning). Shellfish is considered as one of the major foods to enhance immune system as it contains an important mineral Zinc. Zinc helps in several immune processes and even in the making of blood cells including the development and smooth functioning of immune cells of the body. Including shellfish in your daily diet ensuring your body's proper zinc requirements for optimum immune health of the body.
11. Ginger
Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can support the immune system functioning. Gingerol, the bioactive component in ginger makes the ginger best foods to enhance immune system. Ginger has been linked to improve immune system and reduced inflammation in the body.
12. Salmon
Salmon is a sea food which is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for proper immune functioning. Omega-3s presence makes Salmon one of the excellent foods to enhance immune system. It is a very good source of nutrition for non-vegetarians and also helps in reducing inflammation in the body, support immune cell activity, and promotes overall immune health.
13. Nourishing Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, and flaxseeds are rich in healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids. The healthy fats present in nuts and seeds have anti-inflammatory properties that can help in modulating immune responses and protect against chronic illnesses. Adding a handful of nuts and seeds to your daily routine is a very simple way to enhance the strength of your immune system. This one of the best snacking options to consume among the foods to enhance immune system.
14. Protein rich foods
Protein rich foods like lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, pulses and legumes are very important for maintaining a powerful immune system. Proteins act as the building blocks for immune cells and antibodies. Proteins are the best foods to enhance immune system as they strenghtens the body's defense mechanism. Consuming a variety of protein sources in your diet on daily basis ensures optimum working of immune system and keeps you healthy and fit.
15. Whole Grains Whole grains such as jowar, brown rice, quinoa, oats, and barley are rich in fiber and nutrients that makes your gut strong. A healthy gut environment is equals to strong immune function, as a major part of the immune system resides in the gut. Incorporating whole grains into your meals as foods to enhance immune system can provide a great source of energy and support immune health and will keep you healthy from inside. Fiber plays a very crucial role in maintain gut health indirectly it promotes smooth functioning of immune system.
16. Hydration Staying hydrated plays a very important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. When we talk about the foods to enhance immune system hydration is the basic key to maintain good immune system. Water plays a essential role in various bodily functions, including flushing out toxins from the body and transporting nutrition to each cell of the body. Proper amount of hydration supports immune responses and helps the body to function in an adequate manner. Consuming sufficient water (that is at least 8-10 glasses Daily) and hydrating beverages like lemon water, fresh juices are important for maintain immune health of an individual.
Conclusion
Now do you get it how important is to look after what you are consuming as everything directly effects your immune system. Today’s fast-moving world makes us consume junk, unhealthy food which adversely effects the overall health and mainly our immune system which helps us in fighting against all the infections and diseases. Incorporating a variety of immune system foods listed above into your daily diet routine can provide your body with the appropriate and essential amount of nutrients to maintain a powerful immune system. Remember, the basic and most important key for a healthy body and healthy immune system starts with the things you consume daily. Your immune health should be your priority to live a long and healthy disease-free life.
FAQ’s
1. What is the role of food in boosting the immune system of the body?
A rich balanced diet plays a very important role boosting immunity as several nutrients present in a balanced diet helps in strengthening our immune system.
2. How the antioxidants present in food helps the immune system?
Antioxidants present in the food helps in protecting body cells from damaging and reducing inflammation and makes immune system strong to fight against infections.
3. Are there any specific food items which are known to enhance the immune system?
Yes, there are some specific foods like nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, garlic, ginger, spinach, yogurt, almonds, turmeric and green tea.
4. Is it better to get nutrients from food or supplements for strong immune system?
Supplements are also an option to complete nutritional requirement of the body but only when your body is not able to get enough nutrition from the food you are consuming.
5. Can specific foods weaken the immune system?
Yes, the foods high in added sugar content, processed foods, food with preservatives and excessive amount of alcohol consumption can weaken the immune system.
6. How gut health and immunity are related to each other?
A healthy gut is the basic key to a strong immune system, as 70% of the immune system resides in the gut. So healthy gut means strong immune system.
7. Are there any certain diets that are recommended for immunity?
No, there is no as such certain diet for immune health but your diet should include foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
8. Are there any foods that can help reduce inflammation in the body?
Yes, foods such as salmon, nuts, seeds, olive oil, leafy greens, and berries contain anti-inflammatory properties that can help in reducing inflammation in the body.
9. How someone can incorporate immune-boosting foods into their daily meals?
You can incorporate immunity-boosting foods in your diet by including a variety of fruits in your snack time, vegetables in lunch and dinner. whole grains in all three meals, lean proteins in lunch or dinner, and healthy fats (nuts and seeds) in your evening or mid snacking.
10. Can any herbs and spices boost the immunity?
Yes, there are certain herbs and spices like turmeric, ginger, garlic that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can help in boost the immune system.