Did you know that some foods can help boost your immune system naturally and work to keep/get you healthy? While hand washing is always #1 with avoiding illness, and no one can be immune to a virus, eating nutritious foods certainly can’t hurt, right?
In this post, I’ll show you how to incorporate the best immunity boosting foods into your diet – and why these foods in particular help protect your health.
Read on for some of nature’s best illness fighters – all of which can be found at your local grocery store. I originally published this post on the best immunity boosting foods for cold and flu season back in 2013, but it has been updated with additional recipes/ideas!
Boost Your Immune System With Food
Boost your immune system naturally by incorporating these powerful foods into your diet, and you (and your family!) will be better prepared for cold & flu season.
These foods are also important for eating a balanced diet year-round. So bookmark this post, because it’s chock full of healthy recipe ideas!
Here are 10 power foods that boost your immune system:
1. Mushrooms
Mushrooms contain selenium, deficiency of which may cause increased risk of developing the flu. (Tip: another great source of selenium is brazil nuts!). The riboflavin and niacin found in mushrooms are also associated with a healthy immune system.
Try adding a handful to pasta sauce or eggs and omelettes, or throwing them on top of a homemade pizza. Mushrooms are also delicious simply sautéed, or roasted with a little olive oil and salt and pepper.
You can also try my Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (these make a tasty and easy vegetarian dinner), Walnut and Mushroom Vegetarian Enchiladas (a surprisingly “meaty” and delicious vegetarian meal!), or “Cheesy” Vegan Mushroom Quinoa.
2. Cabbage
This inexpensive winter vegetable is a source of glutamine, which has been noted to strengthen the immune system.
I first fell in love with cabbage when I lived in Europe. Germans know how to do red cabbage right. Try it in your winter soups and stews, or throw shredded raw cabbage onto your sandwiches or salads to add a fun crunch.
My Mason Jar Kale Salad has tons of flavorful fruits and veggies to keep things interesting, including a nice crunch and immunity boost from red cabbage!
3. Almonds
Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, another antioxidant responsible for boosting the immune system. Grab a handful (1/4 cup) to get 50% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin E.
They’re one of my favorite afternoon snacks when paired with some fruit! To mix it up, try my Cinnamon Raisin Almond Balls (3 ingredients and an awesome snack), Salty Maple Nut Energy Bites, or my Almond Encrusted Tilapia, an old favorite.
4. Yogurt
Yogurt often contains live and active cultures called probiotics. These can help stimulate the immune system and keep our gut and intestinal tract healthy and free of disease-causing bacteria.
Any yogurt with a Live and Active Cultures seal contains some beneficial bugs. You can see them in the ingredients list as well.
Dairy products, like yogurt, also tend to be good sources of vitamin D, deficiency of which has been linked to increased risk of contracting a cold or the flu.
Try my Hangover Busting Smoothie (a fruity, gingery treat that’s super hydrating – another factor that’s great for beating colds!), Vanilla Mint Smoothie, or Greek Lamb Burgers with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce for a delicious way to incorporate yogurt into savory meals.
5. Spinach
Considering how rich in folate, fiber, and antioxidants spinach is, I bet Popeye never got sick! 😉 My favorite way to eat spinach is raw in a salad, on sandwiches in place of lettuce, and sautéed in a little garlic and olive oil.
I also love it in smoothies – you can’t taste it, I promise! If you’re looking for a sneakily healthy party appetizer, try my Lemon Avocado Hummus that has spinach blended into it! Or, try my Banana & Spinach Smoothie. You can creep out your roommates by drinking something super green. 😉
6. Tea
Green and black tea contain polyphenols and flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help fight disease. In addition, an amino acid that’s responsible for an immune boost, L-theanine, is abundant in both black and green tea. Decaf versions have it, too.
Drink several (unsweetened) cups per day! To get more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while they brew.
Additionally, you can cook with tea to get those antioxidants. Try my Mediterranean Green Tea Quinoa Salad, which uses green tea in the dressing and for cooking the quinoa!
7. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and other orange foods like carrots, squash, and pumpkin, contain the antioxidant beta-carotene. This is a form of vitamin A that is essential for keeping your skin strong and able to fight off bacteria and viruses.
A half-cup serving of sweet potatoes will deliver 40 percent of the DV of vitamin A as beta-carotene. Try cutting the sweet potatoes into strips and baking them coated in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper to make a healthy homemade version of french fries!
Or try two other two sweet potato winter-appropriate favorites: Sweet Potato & Black Bean Veggie Enchiladas and Sweet Potato Lentil Chili.
8. Garlic
In addition to warding off vampires, garlic also contains the active ingredient allicin, which fights infection and bacteria with its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.
Try adding minced garlic into your next dinner. It’s great sautéed with veggies and a little olive oil, like in my Lemon Garlic String Beans, or blended into a creamy sauce for my Creamy Vegan Garlic and Herb Pasta.
9. Barley and Oats
These grains contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities that has been found to stimulate the immune system. It boosts immunity, speeds wound healing, and may help antibiotics work better.
With the cooler weather, it’s the perfect time to enjoy a hot bowl of oats for breakfast (try my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal if you haven’t yet).
As for barley, here are a few recipe favorites: Spiced Raisin & Pine Nut Barley Salad, Curried Barley Chickpea Salad, and Turkey Veggie & Barley Chili.
10. Fish
Selenium, which is especially plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams, helps white blood cells produce cytokines-proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body.
In addition, salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections.
I recommend my Pesto Baked Salmon with Veggies, Lemon and Herb Fish, or Baked Salmon with Lemon Mustard Dill Sauce. They’re all quick, foolproof, and crowd-pleasing dinner ideas that make fish much less intimidating to cook!
Takeaways: How to Boost Your Immune System with Food
These are some of the best foods that boost your immune system (and delicious ways to eat them!).
Making smoothies with frozen fruit, cooking soups with canned goods, and stocking up on other non-perishables are all especially useful if you want to avoid leaving the house too often (or if you’re fighting off illness).
I hope this post has given you some ideas on what foods to incorporate into your diet to help you stay healthy and avoid illness.
Stay healthy out there, my friends!
What are your best tips to stay healthy during cold & flu season?
