Try These Immune-Boosting Foods to Keep You Healthy

Written by the Healthy Dining Team

With the recent impact Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had on our communities and the larger world around us, staying healthy has been on the forefront of everyone’s minds. Simple hygiene practices such as washing hands and administering to social distance rules can go a long way, but the food we choose to eat may also have a strong effect on our continued health. In a recent interview for The New York Times, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Freidman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, cites a national report describing poor diet as “now the leading cause of poor health in the U.S.” and the cause of more than half a million deaths per year. The problem is only exacerbated now, with “poor diet contributing to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or pre-diabetes, which pose the biggest risk, beyond age, for illness and death from Covid-19.” Incorporate the following foods into your quarantine diet, packed with antioxidants and vitamins, to boost your immune system. Beta-Carotene: As a great source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene is an antioxidant that works to reduce inflammation and strengthen the body’s immune response. Here are a few beta-carotene packed foods to incorporate in your diet: 1. Dark, leafy greens For best vitamin absorption, it can be beneficial to pair dark, leafy greens with healthy fats, such as nuts. Dark leafy greens include:

• Arugula

• Kale

• Spinach

Try this week: Arugula and Goat Cheese Muffins Mango Kale Black Bean Quinoa Salad Spinach and Goat Cheese Salad 2. Sweet Potatoes The antioxidants found in sweet potatoes are not only critical to immune support, they’re also packed with healthy fiber. Try this week: Sweet Potato Oat Biscuits Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese Sweet Potato Pancakes with Balsamic Maple Mushrooms Sweet Potato Chili with Peanuts 3. Blueberries Not only are blueberries a delicious superfood, but they also contain flavonoids with antioxidant properties helping to boost your immunity defense. A 2016 study shows that flavonoids have an essential role in strengthening the immune system, reducing the likelihood of contracting an upper respiratory tract infection or the common cold. Try this week: Blueberry Coconut Overnight Oats Blueberry Lassi Blueberry Blast Smoothie 4. Garlic You may already know that garlic is a common home remedy for illness prevention because it naturally destroys bacteria. Garlic is just as healthy for your immune system as it is delicious and easy to incorporate in home cooked meals. Try this week: Garlic and White Bean Soup Garlicky Greens and Mushrooms Pasta Shells with Garlic and Kale Vitamins C and E: Vitamins C and E function as essential nutrients in antioxidant form, that include foods such as: red peppers, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, mangoes, lemons, nuts, seeds, spinach, and broccoli. 5. Citrus Fruits Citrus fruits help to reduce inflammation, support immunity, and help our bodies to function properly. Citrus fruits include:

• Clementines

• Lemons

• Limes

• Oranges

• Grapefruit

• Pomelos

Try this week: Blood Orange Fennel Salad Apple Kale Lime Smoothie / Ginger Turmeric Lime Smoothie Lemon Basil Wheat Berry Salad Summer Citrus Salad Citrus Chicken Platter 6. Broccoli Broccoli is a great immune-boosting vegetable because it’s so rich in nutrients and has an abundance of healthy fiber, helping to keep you fuller longer. Try this week: Broccoli Slaw Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup 7. Red Peppers Red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as fruit, so it’s a great choice to incorporate into regular meals, while trying to ward off any illnesses. Bell peppers are also an excellent option for people who are trying to limit their carb consumption. Try this week: Grilled Vegetable Flatbread Pizza Seitan with Sweet Peppers and Onions Turkey Fajitas with Baby Spinach and Red Peppers Peppers Stuffed with Turkey and Wild Rice Rigatoni with Red Peppers Zinc: Zinc is a mineral that can help boost white blood cells, which defend against invaders. Sources include nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, beans, and lentils. 8. Almonds Almonds are also a great source of vitamin E, helping to keep our immune systems at peak performance, as well as a healthy protein and fat. A small handful or a quarter of a cup of almonds is a healthful snack that may benefit the immune system. Try this week: Grilled Atlantic Salmon with Toasted Almonds and Raisin Couscous Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders 9. Pumpkin Seeds These small but mighty seeds are a good source of zinc, a mineral crucial for immune cells to function and do their jobs properly. About 1.5 ounces of pumpkin seeds provide about 20% of your daily requirement for zinc. Try this week: Hot pumpkin seeds with spices Millet with Pumpkin Seeds and Mushrooms Mashed Avocado Toast with Feta and Pepitas Omega 3's:

10. Fish Salmon, tuna, pilchards, and other oily fish are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to support white blood cell function. Try this week: Salmon Tartine Roasted Beet Salad with Seared Tuna Grilled Salmon Tacos with Grape Pico de Gallo Which immune-booster will you add into your menu rotation first? Sources: https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/slideshows/foods-that-can-support-your-immunity https://www.pcrm.org/news/blog/foods-boost-immune-system https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6834330/