Our immune system is constantly fighting off dangerous and harmful viruses, bacteria, and other invaders. It’s a unique system that keeps our bodies free of disease. But like any system, it can sometimes need a little help to fight off these microscopic enemies. If you are still looking for the best foods to boost your immune system, then you have come to the right place.

Best Foods To Boost Your Immune System

Your immune system is greatly influenced by the food you eat. When you eat a balanced diet of nutritious foods, you give yourself the best chance to have a healthier immune system and protect against illness. Using specific foods will also give you exact benefits and help boost your immune system. 

Furthermore, these foods are known as superfoods, and they work in numerous ways to support your immune function.  We’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you by identifying some of the best immune-boosting foods out there that will make it easy to build an immunity-boosting diet. The following are some of the best food options to boost your immune system.

Garlic

Garlic is one of the most potent and effective foods you can eat to boost your immune system. It’s also considered one of the best foods for cold prevention because of its antiviral and antimicrobial properties. 

Furthermore, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been found to fight off harmful bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites that can cause illnesses like colds, flu, ear infections, food poisoning, hepatitis C, and even HIV. Garlic is a natural antibiotic that kills harmful bacteria in your body without any adverse side effects.

Berries

Berries make for some of the best foods for boosting your immunity because they are packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants are little substances that prevent free radical damage in your body from pollution, stress, sunlight, and even cigarette smoke. Your body and immune system need antioxidants to function correctly. Other berries that have been shown to protect against illness are acai berries, goji berries, and mulberries.

Beets

Beets are packed with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins that support your immune system. They also contain a substance called betaine that is believed to help lower your risk for heart disease and cancer while helping to improve overall heart health. A study found that beet juice can boost your immunity by more than 20 percent. 

Eggs

Eggs are one of the best food sources of protein out there. They also contain various nutrients like iron, vitamin B6, and selenium, all essential for a healthy immune system. The protein in eggs will help you maintain lean muscle while preventing body fat from accumulating around the abdomen. 

Furthermore, a recent study found that eating eggs every day can reduce the risk of food-borne illnesses by more than 50 percent. Eggs are also known to boost your metabolism, which will help you burn fat all over your body.

Vitamin C-rich Foods

Vitamin C is one of the most well-known and essential antioxidants that you need to boost your immune system. It helps prevent free radical damage while also helping to regulate the hormones that influence stress and fatigue levels.

More vitamin C will help turn cholesterol into steroid hormones like cortisone, which helps decrease inflammation in the body, thus improving your immune system’s ability to fight off illness.

Yogurt

Yogurt is another excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a good source of protein and calcium, vital for a healthy immune system. In addition, yogurt has lots of probiotic bacteria that help fight off harmful viruses and bacteria that can lead to illness.

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who have over 45 teaspoons of yogurt per week are less likely to catch a cold than women who eat little or no yogurt. The researchers concluded that the high amount of probiotic bacteria in yogurt helps support the immune system and reduces stress levels.

Dark Chocolate

In addition to its rich source of vitamin C, dark chocolate contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties. Flavonoids help to fight off free radicals, which play a part in causing many health problems. Flavonoid content is one of a few markers that can be used to determine how healthy a plant-based diet is, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO).

Almonds

Calcium, iron, vitamin E, and magnesium are all abundant in almonds. According to the USDA’s National Nutrient Database, a 1-ounce serving of almonds contains over 25 percent of your daily recommended intake of vitamin E. These tiny but mighty nuts are also a good source of protein. Almonds are also one of the best sources of magnesium in a plant-based diet. Magnesium is responsible for over 300 different biochemical processes throughout your body, including energy production.

Button Mushroom

Button mushrooms are a popular form of mushroom that is commonly used in various foods. They contain the highest amount of protein out of all the mushrooms, even outranking steak. Button mushrooms have a mild flavor but can still bring depth to any dish.  

Furthermore, selenium and B vitamins like riboflavin and niacin are abundant in mushrooms. The immune system needs certain minerals and vitamins to function correctly. Polysaccharides, sugar-like compounds that promote immunological activity, are abundant in mushrooms.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best foods to boost your immunity because it’s a rich source of various nutrients like iron, zinc, fiber, riboflavin, and selenium. These nutrients help prevent free radical damage while also boosting metabolism and preventing chronic diseases like cancer. Oatmeal is also low in calories and high in fiber, which promotes a healthy digestive tract.

Takeaway

The food that we eat plays a vital role in keeping our bodies healthy, so it is essential to choose the foods we eat wisely. We need to know and be aware of the foods that boost our immune system. As people get older, they will start finding it harder to stay healthy, which is why we need to make sure we eat well to protect ourselves from catching a cold or anything else happening with our health.