17 Foods That Boost the Immune System

Flu season is in full swing, and when your coworker comes in sniffling or your kids bring home a nasty bug from school, you might find yourself wondering if there are foods that boost the immune system.

We’ve all heard that eating oranges will fend off a cold, but is that true? And what other foods that boost the immune system might be out there? As it turns out, there are plenty. So, for your best chance of beating the midwinter flu, consider working these 17 immune-boosting foods into your diet.

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• Can Foods Boost the Immune System? 
• The 17 Top Immune-Boosting Foods 
• Learn to Cook With Immune-Boosting Foods

Can Foods Boost the Immune System? 

We have one big caveat to make before we get started: the technical answer to this question is no. There is no one food that boosts the immune system on its own, so sadly, an apple a day won’t actually keep the doctor away. What will do that is a healthy, balanced diet incorporating foods that are rich in nutrients that your immune system needs.

If you’re looking for foods that strengthen your immune system, you’ll want to try a combination of these 17 immune-boosting foods. You can’t neglect the importance of proper hydration, adequate sleep or regular exercise: you’ll need all three and a diet full of foods that boost the immune system in order to maintain strong immunity.

This is because foods that boost the immune system rely on a ton of nutrients to stay in working order. The reason these foods that boost the immune system are recommended is because they contain a range of nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin C or probiotics. To maximize your immunity, try eating a wide variety of the immune-boosting foods on this list.

The 17 Top Immune-Boosting Foods

1. Salmon 

Salmon is a superstar among foods that strengthen your immune system because it packs a huge dose of not one, but two major immunity-boosting nutrients: omega-3 fatty acids and zinc. Omega-3s help your body to fight inflammation, which in turn creates a stronger and more effective immune response when you come into contact with pathogens. 

Zinc is also a common nutrient in foods that boost the immune system because it’s a key component of several types of immune cells that your body uses to fight infections. Salmon and other fatty fish are known to be great sources of both of those nutrients, so they’re some of the best things to stock up on if you want to eat more foods that boost the immune system. It makes a great meal prep option too — give this lemon butter salmon a try for a flavorful dinner.

2. Turmeric 

You may have heard of the immune-boosting benefits of turmeric, the yellow spice that’s been all the rage in health-food circles lately. Turmeric is rich in curcumin, a compound that helps your immune system fight both inflammation and viral infections.

What’s more, certain compounds in turmeric neutralize harmful compounds called free radicals in sunlight and air pollution that can damage your cells, including those involved in your immune system’s response to infection. To get more of this food that boosts your immune system into your diet, try mixing it into tea or even a latte, or make it a meal: turmeric is a staple in traditional Indian food.

3. Yogurt 

You’ve probably heard of probiotics by now. These helpful bacteria found in most types of yogurt are well-known for their role in healthy digestion, but did you know that they’re great for your immune system, too? Probiotics support a healthy gut, which in turn supports a healthy immune system, and yogurt is one of the richest and easiest-to-eat sources of them. 

Get those helpful gut bacteria in line and you’ll be better able to fight the bad ones coming in from outside! Plus, if you’re not a big fan of yogurt for breakfast or snack, there are tons of ways to incorporate this food that boosts the immune system into other dishes, such as yogurt-marinated chicken.

4. Spinach

Vegetables haven’t shown up much on this list of foods that boost the immune system, but that’s about to change. Why? Because leafy greens are among the healthiest vegetables you can eat if you want to ramp up your immunity. Spinach is especially great for this purpose thanks to its high concentration of vitamin C, beta-carotene and folate.

If you’ve never heard of folate, it’s a compound that the immune system needs to regulate its response to infection. This potent combination of immunity-boosting nutrients makes spinach one of the best foods that boost the immune system.

5. Shellfish 

Zinc is one of the most important nutrients for your immune system but it can be hard to get. Many foods that boost the immune system are zinc-rich and shellfish is one of them.

Some types are high in zinc, supporting healthy immune cells, but also in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. So if you’re looking for an excuse to splurge on lobster tail next time you go out to eat, just tell your tablemates that good health is priceless - you’re simply loading up on foods that boost the immune system.

6. Citrus Fruits 

You’ve definitely heard this one before. If you’ve ever had a cold you were desperate to get rid of (and who hasn’t?), you’ve probably tried snacking on orange slices — and there’s some merit to that. No one food that boosts the immune system can guarantee illness prevention or a fast recovery, but vitamin C-rich citrus is still one of the best foods to boost the immune system.

That’s because vitamin C helps immune cells function at their best, making citrus fruits some of the healthiest fruits you can eat during flu season. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, consider drinking a big glass of water mixed with the juice of a lemon for the same powerful vitamin C punch.

7. Olive Oil

When it comes to holistic health, few approaches to food come close to the Mediterranean diet. It’s been shown to positively impact nearly every aspect of your health and you can’t talk about the Mediterranean diet without mentioning olive oil.

It shouldn’t be surprising that olive oil is one of the top foods to boost the immune system. Olives have anti-inflammatory properties, helping to regulate and strengthen your immune response.

8. Dark Chocolate 

Chocoholics, rejoice: your favorite food might just help you beat flu season! Not only is dark chocolate a deceptively healthy snack in moderation, but it contains antioxidant compounds called flavanols that contribute to a stronger immune response. 

Would you ever have guessed that chocolate was a food that boosted the immune system? It’s the perfect excuse to go out and treat yourself to a nice bar. Just keep in mind to choose a low-sugar option and that only dark chocolate offers an immunity boost.

9. Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse among foods that boost the immune system, containing vitamin A, vitamin C and various important antioxidants like beta-carotene. Eating sweet potatoes will promote healthy immune cells, wound healing and reduced inflammation.

Interestingly, many orange foods have these qualities — keep an eye out for a few more on this list! So on a cold winter evening, a warm baked sweet potato is both comforting and nourishing as your body prepares to fight off the next bug that goes around.

10. Blueberries

You may have heard that eating blueberries is a safeguard against memory loss. And while more research is needed on that topic, what we know for sure is that blueberries should be counted among the foods that boost the immune system. 

They’re rich in antioxidants and flavanols, which help to reduce inflammation and protect your immune cells from being damaged by free radicals. So if you’ve worn oranges out and you’re looking for a fruit to snack on, blueberries are a great bet. Regardless of your reasons for eating them, blueberries are a win-win: no matter what the scope of their health benefits turns out to be in the future, you’ll be better off for having eaten them.

11. Sunflower Seeds 

Sunflower seeds are an important food that boosts the immune system because they are very rich in a hard-to-get nutrient: selenium. Most frequently found in nuts and seeds (with the exception of eggs), selenium is involved in immune response in two ways. 

First, it regulates immune response, curbing inflammation when there’s no infection to fight. Second, it’s involved in signaling your immune cells to respond to a threat, so a selenium deficiency is a pretty big problem for your immune response. You may not make sunflower seeds a snack too often, but this food that boosts your immune system has a lot going for it — if you don’t know where to start, try throwing them into a salad for some extra crunch.

12. Mushrooms 

How’s that for an unexpected food that boosts the immune system? It turns out that mushrooms have strong anti-viral properties, helping your immune system to prevent and fight off viral infections like flu and colds. That’s thanks to the many bioactive compounds mushrooms contain, which all do their part to bolster your immune system. 

What’s more, the cremini and portobello varieties are good sources of selenium. While every variety of mushroom has slightly different nutritional content, you can count on mushrooms in general to be one of the best foods that boost the immune system.

13. Chicken Soup

Your favorite sick-day food might actually have immunity-boosting properties thanks to the power of poultry. One reason that chicken is a great food that strengthens your immune system is because it’s full of lean protein, which gives your body energy, but the benefits to your immune system are more specific than that. 

Firstly, poultry is high in zinc, so eating chicken helps your body to grow healthy immune cells. Secondly, chicken is a good source of vitamin B6, which is necessary for the production of white blood cells — those are the ones that fight infections. You may have thought that the benefits of chicken soup for a cold were just an old wives’ tale, but think again. This chicken gnocchi soup will offer you much more than just warmth and comfort.

14. Almonds

Grab a handful as a snack, slice them up and toss them into your salad — whatever you like to do with almonds, they’re another food that boosts the immune system. That’s because a single serving of almonds fulfills your entire recommended daily intake of vitamin E, which plays a critical role in immunity. 

Among other things, Vitamin E helps to grow and protect immune cells, moderates communication between cells and can help signal your immune system to stop producing an inflammatory reaction. Clearly, it’s a critical nutrient for a healthy immune system! Thus, almonds are an easy way to get an immune-boosting nutrient in your diet.

15. Broccoli

In addition to its near-countless other health benefits, broccoli is a food that boosts your immune system. Vitamin C is probably the nutrient most associated with the immune system, and for good reason. But it’s also almost always associated with fruits like citrus and strawberries.

Did you know that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are great sources of vitamin C, too? It’s true! A serving of broccoli contains about 84% of your recommended daily vitamin C intake, a figure that might keep you from reaching for yet another orange.

16. Bell Peppers 

Bell peppers, like many red and orange fruits and vegetables, are high in vitamin A and beta-carotene, two immunity-boosting nutrients. But they’re most notably a rich source of vitamin C, giving you yet another alternative to citrus if you just can’t take another glass of orange juice. This food that boosts the immune system also has smaller amounts of folate and Vitamin B6.

17. Beans 

Beans are best known for their impact on your digestion and that goes hand-in-hand with immunity. Why? A healthy gut means a healthy immune system, and beans have earned their reputation for being great for digestion. Whether you like green beans with your steak, a side of pinto beans with your tacos or just a hearty soup loaded with beans, they’re one of the best foods to boost your immune system.

Learn to Cook With Immune-Boosting Foods 

Some foods that boost the immune system require no preparation at all, making them easy to eat more of. But for others, you might not know where to start. If you’re a novice with mushrooms or you don’t quite know what to do with a sweet potato, why not trust an expert to teach you how best to cook the foods that boost your immune system? 

If cooking classes near you are offered, you’ll have the chance to learn new dishes hands-on with the guidance of a professional chef. If not, healthy online cooking classes are an option — and you’ll be able to learn in the comfort and familiarity of your own kitchen. When in doubt, ask an expert how to make the best of the foods that boost the immune system.

Although there’s no magic food that’ll guarantee a robust immune system, food absolutely plays a role in our bodies’ ability to fight off infection. These 17 foods are a great start, but remember, what makes these foods immune superstars is the nutrients they contain.

Keep your eyes open for other foods with similar nutritional profiles for even more options. And what’s truly most important is eating a balanced diet with lots of variety. Avoiding the bug going around town can be hard, but eating for a healthy immune system doesn’t have to be.

For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other activities happening on Cozymeal.