Immunity Booster

A strong immune system will bolster your body against sicknesses like colds and the flu. It can also help you recover from injury and keep your energy level high.

Vitamins that boost immune system health

Choosing foods with the right vitamins can help you build up your immune system.
“You build a strong immune system by maintaining healthy eating habits over time.
“The more you regularly choose a vitamin-rich diet, the more likely you are to strengthen your immune system.
In other words, you can’t just eat four oranges at breakfast one day and expect to be protected against catching a cold all season. It’s a cumulative effect.

Vitamin C

This one, you probably know about. Vitamin C is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, researchers say vitamin C deficiency can make you more prone to getting sick. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, meaning it can protect your body from toxins that cause inflammation in your body. Getting your intake of vitamin C on the regular is essential for good health because your body doesn’t produce it on its own. It also doesn’t store it to use later. The good news is that vitamin C is in so many foods that most people don’t need to take a vitamin C supplement unless a doctor advises it.

Vitamin C-rich foods

Vitamin C is most commonly associated with orange citrus fruits, but you can get your fill of vitamin C from a variety of fruits and vegetables.

These 10 foods, ranked from highest levels of Vitamin C to lower levels:

Red bell peppers.
Oranges and orange juice.
Grapefruit juice.
Kiwi.
Green bell peppers.
Cooked broccoli.
Strawberries.
Brussels sprouts.
Grapefruit.
Raw broccoli.

Vitamin B6

B6 is vital to supporting biochemical reactions in your immune system. One of its major roles is in producing white blood cells and T-cells. Those are the cells in your body that respond to fight off invaders, like viruses and bacteria.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight off infection. Researchers say vitamin E is one of the most effective nutrients for your immune function. That’s because it helps keep your T-cells working at peak performance.

Get your fill of vitamin E

To avoid taking vitamin E supplements. Not only is there little clinical research showing that vitamin E supplements benefit your health, but they may also be harmful in some situations.
Instead, load up your plate with these vitamin E-filled foods. The higher on this list, the more vitamin E they contain:

Wheat germ oil.
Seeds, like sunflower seeds.
Nuts, like almonds, peanuts and nut butters.
Spinach.
Broccoli.
Kiwi.
Mango.
Tomatoes.
Spinach.

ZINC

Zinc is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Researchers call it the “gatekeeper” of your immune system because it’s responsible for making all your immune cells function properly.

Foods rich in zinc

Oysters are the highest food source of zinc. Other foods to boost your zinc intake include these, again ranked from higher levels of zinc to lower levels:

Oysters
Beef (choose lean cuts only).
Blue crab.
Pumpkin seeds.
Broiled pork chops.
Turkey breast.
Cheddar cheese.
Shrimp.
Lentils.
Canned sardines.
Greek yogurt.
Milk.

Selenium

Dietary selenium is a one-two punch for keeping you healthy. Researchers say it not only activates your immune system when there’s a threat, but it also tells your immune system when to pump the brakes. That means it can keep your immune system from going overboard, protecting you from chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis.

Try these foods high in selenium

Brazil nuts.
Tuna.
Halibut.
Canned sardines.
Lean meats.
Cottage cheese.
Brown rice.
Eggs.
Oatmeal.
Milk and yogurt.