This has been a rough winter for
wellness and immunity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has
been reporting
some troubling statistics about this year’s flu season. And the
information doesn’t always provide a clear strategy for what you can do to
protect yourself. Even if you’ve survived this flu season so far without
getting sick, we are not out of the weeds yet. And taking steps to provide
your body with optimal nutrition can only help. Here are some commonly known
winter foods that boost your immune system. And they’re in season right now!
So head on out to the Farmers Market and take this list along with
you.

5
Winter Foods that Boost Your Immune
System

1) Dark Leafy Greens

Eating a variety of dark leafy greens is not only a good idea for their
nutrient density-per-calorie in general, but getting a good dose of greens
and spinach in particular will provide your body with a big dose of
antioxidants from vitamin C, and folate. Folate helps your body make new
cells and repair DNA. In particular, our immune system
cells, which are white blood cells, are always in a rapid period of growth.
These cells don’t live very long, so they constantly need to be replaced.
Enjoy your spinach raw or lightly steamed.

2) Kiwifruit

Although many people associate kiwi with tropical foods and summer
picnics, it is actually harvested in winter. Kiwifruit provides 273% of the
daily recommended amount of vitamin C in every one-cup serving – five times
that of an orange, and is a natural immune booster that staves off colds and
flu. Kiwifruit is also one of the few foods rich in vitamin B6, which
also supports the immune system. Kiwi is kind of a pain to peel but once you
get that hairy peel away, you can enjoy it in smoothies, in salads, skewered,
mixed with chia pudding, or chopped up and mixed into your morning
oatmeal.

3) Sweet Potatoes

Like carrots, sweet potatoes have beta-carotene. In your body that
turns into vitamin A, which mops up damaging free radicals. This helps
bolster the immune system and may even improve the aging process. They are
also high in vitamin C. Sweet potatoes are practically
a stand-alone meal with their slow digesting carbohydrates-great for
sustained energy, and fiber to help you feel full. But they also help
strengthen immune system function. Sweet potatoes can be cut up and roasted
and tossed into salads, thinly sliced and baked or toasted, cut in a
spiralizer machine as a pasta alternative, or mashed and topped with sautéed
button mushrooms, another food that is considered to be great for your immune
system.

4) Pomegranates

Pomegranate helps boost your immune system due to its strong
antioxidant properties, and it may also help fight pathogenic bacteria and
viruses.

Studies on the effects of pomegranate polyphenol extract on human
influenza A showed significant anti-viral and anti-influenza properties in
vitro. It was also capable of boosting the anti-influenza effects comparable
to the common anti-influenza drug, Tamiflu. The polyphenol punicalagin was
found to be the effective, anti-influenza component of the pomegranate
extract, even though the extract also contained other polyphenols such as
ellagic acid, caffeic acid, and luteolin. This study appeared in the
December 2009 issue of the journal Phytomedicine.
Pomegranate seeds are awesome  sprinkled over dinner, in salads, mixed
into your yogurt, or just nibbled as a snack.

5) Citrus Fruit

Like kiwifruit, citrus is a winter crop. And if you live in
California like I do, you see it all over the place! You probably even have
some citrus growing in your own yard. Eating a variety of citrus fruit all
week long will give you a great balance of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and
vitamin B6, in addition to good amounts of other vitamins and minerals
that your body needs to function properly, including potassium, phosphorous,
magnesium and copper.

Additionally, they are rich in plant compounds that have various
health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
effects. These compounds include over 60 varieties of flavonoids,
carotenoids and essential oils. My favorite way to eat citrus is just on the
go! Because they are in a peel they are easy to carry around and they don’t
go bad if you forget about them and leave them on your desk or in your
backpack. Just peel and eat this amazing, immune-boosting and very tasty
food.

One More Thought on
Foods that Boost Your Immune System

In general, a strong, well nourished body can do a better job
resisting unwanted viruses and sickness. The top of your list can always just
include a good variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, particularly the
orange, yellow, or red colored foods that contain carotenoids and other
antioxidants. Let that be your foundation in your daily meal planning, then
build on from there with all the other great, nutritious foods you like to
enjoy. Making a daily habit of this could make you less likely to get nabbed
by surprise by the next flu epidemic.

If you’ve enjoyed reading about winter foods that boost your
immune system, you may consider learning more about how to navigate your food
supply for optimal health and wellness. A detailed nutrition plan that
includes dietary recommendations, meal planning help, and targeted
supplementation can help provide you with the kind of nutritional support
your body can truly benefit from. You can schedule
a complimentary phone consultation
or book
a New Client Nutrition Consultation &
Assessment, and start your journey as a well
informed, stronger and more vibrant you today!

Check out another article
about February superfoods that can support your
immune system.

Reference links:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4690266/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27827912

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/boosting-immunity-through-diet/

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

https://www.askdoctork.com/

https://www.healwithfood.org/health-benefits/pomegranate-seeds-juice.php