Powerful Foods for a Stronger Immune System During Winter

If you are looking for a stronger immune system during winter, you are not alone! Things they don’t tell you as an Irish expat coming to Australia – It actually gets cold and winter is a real season! Despite the short Winter I’m being promised, it’s still winter and there are plenty of colds and flus going around. Even Covid seems to be making some appearances of late. Over the colder months it always pays to remain vigilant with things like hand washing, hydration and good sleep. There are also a few other dietary choices you can make to help the immune system as well.

Read on for some food choices we can make to boost our immunity and help us to avoid being sick over the darker months!

Vitamin C

We all heard the story in school of the sailors who died of scurvy (or maybe just in Ireland). Did you know however, that this disease was due to a lack of citrus fruit?

Vitamin C has long been known to help with immune function and will absolutely help you have a stronger immune system this winter. Foods packed with Vitamin C include:

• Oranges
• Grapefruits
• Lemons
• Limes
• Blackcurrants
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Green peppers
• Baked potatoes

90mg of Vitamin C a day can help to boost your immune system by stimulating the activity of white blood cells which help to fight infection and disease.

Berries – strawberries, raspberries and raspberries are also rich in vitamin C and contain Vitamin K. They also have a lot of antioxidants which can also support immune health by neutralising free radicals – or bad things that enter the body.

Vitamin C supplantation during an upper respiratory tract infection such as a cold has also been shown to reduce the severity and duration of them!

This includes infectious diseases spread through the respiratory system such as COVID.

Why not do something as simple as adding a glass of orange juice to your breakfast, or a handful of strawberries at lunch to continue keeping your health at its peak?

Other Immune Boosting Foods

Garlic

Garlic is an example of an easy food we can add to our winter meals that will help boost our immune system!

Not to mention it will boost the flavour of the meal. Garlic has antimicrobial properties that can enhance immune cell activity. Garlic too exerts antioxidant action by scavenging reactive oxygen species which are unstable molecules. It also enhances antioxidant enzymes in the body and represents antioxidants itself due to the presence of phytochemicals. So yeah, eat good and feel good!

Ginger

Ginger is another example of a food that has anti-inflammatory properties which can help fight cold and flu symptoms. It can easily be added to teas, soups or stir-fry’s to name a few.

Turmeric

Similarly, turmeric is known for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which can easily be added to curry’s, soups or warm beverages.

Yoghurts

Yoghurts with live and active cultures have also been found to be beneficial in supporting immune function and gut health. The beneficial bacteria in these yoghurts have a protective effect on the immune system by regulating the gut microbiota, intestinal barrier and immunocytes in the gut and other tissues.

Green Veggies, Nuts & Teas

Our green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale along with nuts and seeds such as almonds, walnuts, chia and sunflower seeds are more examples of foods that are packed with nutrients which strengthen and support immune function. Finally, opting for a cup of green tea to warm you up in the winter months may also have some immune benefiting functions due to the antioxidant and phytochemical properties.

In Summary

So, there you have it! If you are looking for a stronger immune system this winter, you now know what to do.

Stock up on citrus fruits and berries, add garlic and turmeric to your stir fry, soups, bolognaises and more! Have yoghurt as your snack, bulk each meal with green leafy veg and warm yourself up with a green tea during the winter months to help boost and strengthen your immune system this winter when you need it most. The best way to stay healthy is to give your body the best chance to fight illness when (and it will) comes along.

Be proactive this winter and your body will thank you.