4 foods that boost your immunity
Supporting your immune system can promote your overall health. And if you want to lessen your likelihood of getting sick, a great first step is visiting the grocery store. Eating the following foods (and more!) can help prevent colds, the flu, and infections. Keep reading for a list of common foods–including ones you may already be eating–that will help you stay healthy.
Ginger
Ginger is a great ingredient to strengthen your immune system. It can help with sore throats, inflammation, nausea and more. And the nice thing about ginger is you can add it to all kinds of recipes. From savory to sweet, ginger is a staple ingredient in many types of cooking–especially in Asian dishes. Here are several creative ways to add ginger to your diet:
- Brew tea with it
- Bake cookies with it
- Mix it into a morning smoothie
- Use it in stir fry
And if you’re someone who doesn’t like the taste of ginger, don’t worry: you can simply incorporate it into recipes that temper its taste.
Dark chocolate
We’ve been hearing a lot of talk about dark chocolate’s health benefits. And strengthening the immune system is one of them. According to Medical News Today, eating dark chocolate can help activate T cells–which are the white blood cells that fight infection. Here are several highly rated dark chocolate products, as reported by Everyday Health:
- Endorfin Foods Turkish Coffee 60 Percent Cacao Chocolate Bar
- Theo Chocolate Organic Dark Chocolate 85 Percent
- Hu Salty Dark Chocolate Bar
- Alter Eco Dark Salted Brown Butter Organic Chocolate Bar 70 Percent
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark Twilight Delight 72 Percent Cacao Chocolate Squares
Although dark chocolate can be high in calories, eating it in moderation can benefit your health without causing weight gain.
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C–which is great for when you’re feeling under the weather. In fact, research shows that vitamin C increases white blood cell production and aids in wound healing too. And citrus fruits are easy to add to your diet because there are so many options! Here are several items that you should be able to find at your local grocery store:
- Lemons
- Limes
- Grapefruit
- Oranges
- Clementines
- Tangerines
You can consume any of these raw, in recipes, or even in your daily juice.
Almonds
Though we don’t generally associate almonds with the immune system, they have powerful antioxidants that promote immunity. In particular, almonds contain vitamin E–which is good for your eyes, skin, blood, and brain health. Almonds are a versatile nut that can be incorporated into your diet beyond just grabbing a handful. Here are several recipes that include this immunity boosting superfood:
Eating an energy bar with almonds and/or almond butter can also help you add some vitamin E to your menu. Check out the Dark Chocolate Cherry & Almond bar by Kate’s Real Food for a great-tasting, organic energy bar.
When it comes to boosting your immune system, there are daily measures you can take to work in your favor. Note that our list is by no means exhaustive–and that consuming the foods on it isn’t an antidote for getting sick. But you can certainly set yourself up for success by being intentional about the foods that you eat. Looking for more information on healthy eating? Follow our blog to learn about The Organic Snack Company, quality food choices and more.