Vitamins & Minerals to Boost Your Immune System
Is it all about eating more immune-boosting foods? Yes… but how do you fit them all into your day? Here are the main players and some meal recommendations to keep you on track…
Vitamin C
Possibly THE most important vitamin as it plays a central role in immune function.
TOP FOODS: papaya, peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, pineapple, oranges, kiwifruit, cantaloupe melon and cauliflower BUT other citrus fruits, all berries and cherries, leafy green vegetables, sea vegetables and a goodly number of herbs also have very good levels.
Vitamin A
Also crucial for the development of certain immune cells necessary to fight inflammation and infection.
Top Foods (vegetables): sweet potato, carrots, spinach, kale, greens, squash
Top Foods (animal): shrimp and prawns, eggs, cow’s milk, cheese, yoghurt, salmon, sardines, tuna
Vitamin D3
This important macronutrient is integral to the function of immune cells in the body but a deficiency can actually increase the risk of infection. It is found naturally in only a few foods… best advice… get out into the sunshine as often as possible, feast on oily fish and/or supplement (400-800 IU per day).
Top Foods: herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, fish liver oils, eggs from hens that have been fed vitamin D and mushrooms exposed to sunlight or UV light
Vitamin E
As one of the top immune-boosting vitamins, studies show that eating foods rich in vitamin E enhances immune function, boosts the production of white blood cells and increases resistance against infection.
Top Foods: sunflower seeds, almonds, spinach, avocado, peanuts, asparagus, chilli peppers, swiss chard
Vitamin B6
A deficiency in this key vitamin can reduce the production of important antibodies involved in immunity.
Top Foods: tuna, turkey, beef, chicken, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, spinach, garlic, cauliflower, bananas
Zinc
Zinc helps regulate the immune response and is necessary for the survival, proliferation and maturation of immune cells.
Top Foods: beef, lamb, sesame & pumpkin seeds, lentils, chickpeas, cashews, turkey, quinoa, shrimps and prawns
Selenium
A powerful micronutrient that acts as an antioxidant to neutralise harmful free radicals and decrease cell damage.
Top Foods: tuna, shrimps, sardines, salmon, turkey, cod, chicken, lamb, scallops, beef, mushrooms
An Immune-Boosting Week (or two)
simply pick one of the breakfast, lunch and dinner choices and have an immune-boosting snack if you need it mid-morning and mid-afternoon
Breakfast Choices
Lunch Choices
Dinner Choices
