Immune-Boosting Foods for the Cold and Flu Season
One of the best ways to keep yourself from getting sick is by getting your flu shot, but fortifying your immune system doesn't end at the doctor's office.
A drop in temperature signals the start of cold and flu season. If you’re not careful, you could be one of the thousands of people who get sick.
You can also protect your body from the coughing and sniffles by loading up on the immune-boosting foods.
Ginger Tea. When it comes to treating a common cold, ginger is one of the best foods for relief. Ginger’s potent anti-inflammtory properties were key in its powers to combat a cold or flu. Because inflammation can affect your body’s immune response, anti-inflammatory ginger can play a key role in boosting your immunity.
Oranges. These fruits are packed with vitamin C, an essential nutrient when you’re feeling under the weather. Vitamin C is helpful in preventing the common cold for people exposed to sickness-inducing environments, such as cold weather, and can help lower the duration and severity of a cold.
Water. When you’re feeling sick, good ol’ H2O can be one of the most helpful drinks to sip. Staying hydrated can help loosen trapped mucus. Try drinking at least the recommended eight glasses of water a day to keep yourself fully hydrated since we tend to lose more fluids when we’re sick.
Greek Yogurt. Greek yogurt is filled with sicknessfighting probiotics and is packed with more protein than regular yogurt. Probiotics can help prevent and treat the common cold. People who eat probiotics daily have a lower risk of catching a cold than those who do not eat any probiotic-rich food.
Blueberries. Blueberries are filled with antioxidants that can help treat and prevent coughs and colds. Consuming flavonoids – a class of antioxidants found in blueberries – make adults 33 percent less likely to catch a cold than those who do not eat flavonoid-rich foods or supplements daily.
Ginseng Tea. Ginseng tea is popular for more reasons than its delicious taste. Namely, the tea has been used as a treatment for upper respiratory tract infections (a.k.a. the common cold). Ginseng has been found to significantly reduce the symptoms of colds and influenza. However, more research needs to be conducted to fully support ginseng’s immunity-boosting claims.
Tomatoes. Tomatoes are also a great food to eat when you’re sick, due to their high concentration of vitamin C. Just one medium tomato contains a little over 16 milligrams of vitamin C, which is a proven fuel to your body’s immune system.
In a study, Vitamin C was shown to be a vital part of the strength of the body’s phagocytes and t-cells, two major components of the immune system. The researchers also noted that a deficiency in this nutrient can lead to a weaker immune system and a lower resistance to certain pathogens that can lead to illness.
Wild Salmon. Wild salmon is filled with zinc, a nutrient that has been proven to assist with reducing common cold symptoms. If you want your family, and especially your children, to avoid a cold this season, then you should be giving them zinc-rich foods.
Researchers have found that zinc significantly reduces the severity and duration of symptoms when taken within 24 hours of the onset of colds. Another trial involving children ages 6.5 to 10 years old has proven that zinc is also a helpful component in preventing colds. Children who took 15 mg of zinc daily for seven months were found to be significantly less likely to catch a cold during flu season.
Dark Chocolate. Dark chocolate can be extremely helpful in fighting off of a cold. It contains a heavy concentration of theobromine, an antioxidant that has been proven to alleviate coughing. A study found that theobromine is helpful in suppressing cough symptoms for people with bronchitis, but notes that more research needs to be done to fully confirm their findings.
Broccoli. Researchers report that broccoli can be a great addition to your diet if you’re trying to prevent a cold. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables were proven to help boost immunity. Researchers claim that sulforaphane, a chemical in the vegetable, switches on antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which combat free radicals in your body and prevent you from getting sick.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This oil has been shown to also help rebuild and boost the body’s immunity. A study has found that olive oil’s high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the body, which also assists in boosting the immune system and guarding the body of infection.
Green Tea. Green tea is not only one of our recommended teas for weight loss, it’s also one of the best sources for fighting off a cold. It contains flavonoids, an antioxidant that boosts immunity, and has anti-inflammatory properties, according to a study. The study states that the antioxidant catechin, which is heavily prevalent in green tea, is known to be a powerful antibacterial and antiviral and can kill off cold-starting bacteria and the influenza virus.
Spinach. This is a major superfood that is great for your overall health. Not only is it packed with digestion-regulating fiber, but it also contains vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful nutrient that can assist in preventing the common cold and help reduce symptoms of sickness.
Whole-Grain Bread. Whole grains contain anti-inflammatory properties, which allows for an increase of production of healthy bacteria. Seventy percent of your immune system lives in your gut. So, it’s important to keep your gut healthy if you want to fend off any cold-causing germs!
Eggs. Eggs, especially the yolks, are packed with immunity-boosting nutrients. Eggs contain a high amount of vitamin D, a vitamin that’s vital in regulating and strengthening immunity. In a study, participants who took a daily serving of vitamin D in the cold season were less likely to catch a cold or any other upper respiratory tract infection in comparison to those who did not.
Garlic. Garlic has built a reputation for being one of the best cold-curing foods, and for good reason. A review of the food has shown that a group of participants in a study who ate garlic over a three-month period only had 24 cases of the common cold total, a significant decrease in comparison to the 65 cases reported by the control group. However, the researchers noted more studies need to be conducted in order to validate garlic’s true impact on the common cold.
Apples. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" isn’t just an empty saying – apples actually can help prevent illnesses such as the common cold. This fruit contains phytochemical antioxidants. These antioxidants help boost immunity and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.