Best Immune-Boosting Foods For Healthy Lifestyle (Backed by Studies)

The immune system is your body’s natural defense against infections like bacteria and viruses. To improve the way your body attacks and destroys infectious organisms that invade it, incorporate these foods. With the arrival of autumn in our homes, the season of colds and flu is closed.

Therefore, it is vital that you include in your diet foods and lifestyle that improve your immune system, such as fruits rich in vitamin C and zinc, as well as other foods rich in nutrients such as collagen, probiotics, or vitamins.

Best Immune-Boosting Foods For Healthy Lifestyle:

1. Yogurt

Yogurt is a great way to strengthen the immune system because it provides multiple helpful probiotics, a pool of bacteria, and beneficial live yeasts to improve digestive health. The immune system is the primary link between our gut bacteria and how it influences our health, so having a healthy digestive system is crucial. There are many different strains of probiotics, but the most common one is lactobacillus, which is found in yogurt.

2. Garlic

There are many reasons to eat garlic on a daily basis, and one of them is that it contains the enzyme alliinase, which converts alliin to allicin, a beneficial sulfur compound that improves immune function and prevents the common cold and flu. Allicin is especially activated by chopping or crushing and leaving to rest for 10 minutes. It is more bioavailable when consumed raw.

In ancient times it was used to cure infections due to its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, this food lowers blood pressure and slows the hardening of the arteries. A component of garlic is “allicin” which helps improve the immune system. It also contains Proteinogenic amino acids, inulin, potassium, calcium, magnesium, selenium, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is a vegetable that has the highest known nutritional value, it has several vitamins such as A, C, B1, B2, B3, and B6, and the stem of broccoli has many properties as antioxidants and fiber. According to the “Arthritis Foundation”, broccoli has a chemical compound that stimulates the immune system, and also fights free radicals that help tissue damage and contribute to aging.

The doctors recommend consuming a 200-gram serving of broccoli, this will cover the basic needs of vitamin C, folic acid, and two-thirds of vitamin A. It is also a food that does not have many calories and is a great source of calcium, potassium, iron, iodine, zinc, copper, and manganese.

4. Dark Chocolate

Theobromine is the component of dark chocolate, this protects the white blood cells from free radicals and although it helps the immune system, the daily dose should not be exceeded, because it has many calories and saturated fats. They are rich in enzymes, and anti-inflammatory properties, and are packed with vitamins.

Dark chocolate not only benefits the immune system, but it also helps is good for the body, according to Elle Magazine, chocolate is also antidepressant by phenylethylamine; promotes adequate blood flow thanks to catechins, epicatechins, or procyanidins .; lowers blood pressure and improves circulation by nitric oxide; increases the feeling of satiety, prevents skin aging and improves memory.

Check out more benefits here in the below video!

5. Mushrooms

Mushrooms have large amounts of vitamin B, riboflavin, niacin, and selenium, this is responsible for increasing defenses. They also have polysaccharides which are molecules that increase immune function. The doctors explained that the mushroom works thanks to its beta-glucans that potentiate the immune system.

It also has similarities to the “shiitake” fungi used by Chinese culture to regenerate at the cellular level; They increase the production of interferon, which is used for the remission of diseases such as AIDS, for its valuable properties to combat different types of viruses; the fiber of the mushrooms is beneficial for intestinal problems.

6. Citrus

Lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, and all citrus fruits stimulate the immune system thanks to their large amounts of vitamin C. A study by the Electronic Library Scielo vitamin C is a micro-nutrient recognized as a power against acute infections, and common colds and whose effect on the immune system has been studied.

For decades, the scientific community has placed an emphasis on proper diet, nutrition, and the proper functioning of the immune system. Citrus fruits contain in addition to vitamin C, B6, zinc probiotics, probiotics, and minerals.

7. Sweet Potato

Also called sweet potatoes, they contain more than three times the daily value (DV) of vitamin A, as well as being a good source of vitamin B6, magnesium, and vitamin C.

8. Spinach

Like broccoli, spinach has large amounts of antioxidants and beta-carotenes that increase the immune system’s ability to fight infection; It also favors cell division, which repairs DNA. The nutritional power of spinach is in vitamins and minerals. The doctor recommends consuming 100 grams of this food which provides all the vitamin A, half of the vitamin C, and a quarter of the magnesium and iron that the body needs.

Spinach prevents cell damage and reduces the risk of cardiovascular and degenerative diseases, prevents atherosclerosis, and prevents cholesterol from oxidizing and generating LDL, which is bad cholesterol.

9. Kiwi

Kiwi is a nutritional pump, it contains twice as much vitamin C as orange, twice as much vitamin E in avocado, and a large amount of vitamin A, it has the same amount of potassium as a banana, vitamin K, which stimulates red blood cells. It also has dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation and cholesterol.

Kiwi strengthen the bone system due to the presence of minerals such as copper and magnesium; In addition, eating this fruit covers 10% of the nutritional needs of humans and makes it good for the creation of antibodies.

10. Watermelon

Watermelon is a fruit rich in vitamins A and C which are potentiators of immune function. According to a publication of  Northwestern Health Sciences University study watermelon has great antioxidant capacity and bioactive compounds that contribute to health, its consumption is linked to the reduction of inflammation and disease.

According to the Spanish digital newspaper OKdiario, its consumption is suitable for anyone, it is also a good source of hydration since this fruit contributes almost 90% of the water in its structure. An interesting fact is that watermelon has beta-carotene, which generates pigments in the retina of the eye that protect from age-related macular degeneration.

11. Green tea

This hot drink has beneficial compounds that dramatically support the ability to increase the number of “regulatory T cells” for the immune system and suppress disease. A study by the Elsevier editorial commented that green tea is very popular for its xanthan bases, a natural stimulant of the nervous system that helps the alert and alert state.

This hot drink has beneficial compounds that dramatically support the ability to increase the number of “regulatory T cells” for the immune system and suppress disease. A study by the Elsevier editorial commented that green tea is very popular for its xanthan bases, a natural stimulant of the nervous system that helps the alert and alert state.

Its high flavonoid content makes the immune function more powerful, it is also a good source of L-theanine that contributes to the production of components of white blood cells that fight germs. The same study stated that you can take this drink when you have stomach problems, bronchitis, or menstrual cramps and it is also an excellent fat burner. Its only contradiction is to avoid it if a person is under 12 years old or if they have an allergy to caffeine.