Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (2024)

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Sure, you could add elderberry syrup to everything you eat, but that flavor profile is going to get a little old.

And seriously, eating for a strong immune system is more than just adding whatever immunity booster is trending to your plate. There are a wide variety of foods that contain vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients your body uses to keep its cold- and flu-fighting powers in tip-top shape.

Brush up on some of the foods your immune system loves, here. Then, get cooking with the recipes, below, that feature multiple ingredients that help keep bacteria and viruses (ew) at bay.

10 Recipes to Eat for a Strong Immune System

  • Afternoon Sipping Broth

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (4)

    Chicken broth is already famous for its ability to prevent (and help cure) illness. Add antioxidant-packed veggie juice and turmeric to the mix, and you’ve got an immune system superstar.

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  • Green Tea Yogurt

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (6)

    Fun fact: gut health and immunity are seriously linked. Yogurt contains probiotics (AKA good bacteria) that help support your immune system. And this recipe incorporates matcha, which is filled with powerful antioxidants.

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  • Sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms with Ginger and Watercress

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (8)

    Small studies have shown eating shiitakes daily is associated with increased immunity. Ginger and garlic, meanwhile, are a dynamic duo when it comes to defending your body against germs.

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  • Western Omelet

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (10)

    More mushrooms, here, and eggs are a good source of zinc, a mineral that keeps your immune system strong. Plus, red peppers have twice the vitamin C of most of the fruits and vegetables you think of when you think about the vitamin, even oranges. Research shows that increasing vitamin C intake can reduce the length of a cold as well as the severity of symptoms.

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  • Blueberry Ginger Overnight Oats

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (12)

    Where to start? Oats and kefir support gut health, while ginger works its anti-inflammatory antioxidant magic to support your immune system. Blueberries, meanwhile, contain vitamin C.

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  • Shrimp Soba Noodles

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (14)

    This flavorful dinner includes ginger and mushrooms, plus honey, which contains many phytonutrients that act as immune system-boosting antioxidants, as well as antibacterial compounds that ward off bacteria to help fight infection in the body. Shrimp is also an excellent source of zinc.

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  • Low-Sugar Berry Smoothie

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (16)

    Sugar promotes inflammation, which is bad for your immune system. So, with this smoothie, you avoid excess sugar and get tons of antioxidant power, including from vitamin C, thanks to blueberries, strawberries, and spinach.

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  • Ginger Carrot Squash Soup

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (18)

    Orange you glad we created this recipe? The color, from both the carrots and butternut squash, means its filled with powerful antioxidants called carotenoids. The simple two-step soup (all you have to is saute and blend) is perfect for cold and flu season, since it also contains immunity-boosting chicken broth and ginger.

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  • Garlic Lemon Marinade

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (20)

    Marinate all of your meats (or tofu or tempeh) with this simple blend to stay healthy 24-7: The citrus provides vitamin C, and garlic contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs.

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  • Ginger Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

    Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (22)

    Sip on this before be. Not only is it warming and sooo delicious, it contains ginger and cinnamon, which acts as an antioxidant and contains compounds that are anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal.

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About Nutritious Life Editors

The Nutritious Life Editors are a team of healthy lifestyle enthusiasts who not only subscribe to — and live! — the 8 Pillars of a Nutritious Life, but also have access to some of the savviest thought leaders in the health and wellness space — including our founder and resident dietitian, Keri Glassman. From the hottest trends in wellness to the latest medical science, we stay on top of it all in order to deliver the info YOU need to live your most nutritious life.

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Eating for a Strong Immune System: 10 Simple Recipes to Try (2024)

FAQs

What is the best drink to boost the immune system? ›

Here are six dietitian approved options:
  1. Drink your greens. Eating (or drinking) more fruit and veggies is a great way to support and strengthen your immune system. ...
  2. Honey and Lemon. ...
  3. Almond milk (with B12) ...
  4. Infused Water. ...
  5. Boosted smoothies. ...
  6. Ginger tea.

How can I boost my immune system quickly? ›

Vaccines, such as the flu vaccine, build immunity against specific diseases. Some additional ways you can strengthen your immune system are eating well, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough sleep, not smoking, and avoiding excessive alcohol use.

What to eat to fight infections? ›

Foods that help your immune system
  • Try new veggies and fruits. Specific veggies and fruits that reduce inflammation are apples, berries, tomatoes, celery and onions.
  • Add fermented foods. Fermented foods have “good bacteria,” a.k.a. probiotics that help your immune system. ...
  • Drink more water. ...
  • Get some omega-3s.

What drink helps white blood cells? ›

Green tea

Green tea is also rich in L-theanine, an amino acid that is thought to help your white blood cells produce germ-fighting compounds.

What food kills bacteria in the stomach? ›

Extra virgin olive oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil; Fatty fish: Mackerel, salmon, tuna; Nutritional nuts: Chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. The above foods have the effect of eliminating HP bacteria, restoring the lining of the stomach and reducing the risk of stomach ulcers.

How can I boost my immune system in 24 hours? ›

Top 7 Tips to Boost Your Immune System In 24 Hours...
  1. Hydrate! Our need for hydration increases when we're fighting infections, so you'll need to double down on water and comforting cups of herbal tea (Guide to Herbal Tea). ...
  2. Drink Bone Broth. ...
  3. Up your vitamin C. ...
  4. Step outside. ...
  5. Stock up on zinc. ...
  6. Rest up. ...
  7. Fermented foods.
Oct 9, 2023

What is signs of a weak immune system? ›

Symptoms
  • Frequent and recurrent pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, ear infections, meningitis or skin infections.
  • Inflammation and infection of internal organs.
  • Blood disorders, such as low platelet count or anemia.
  • Digestive problems, such as cramping, loss of appetite, nausea and diarrhea.

Why do I get sick so often? ›

You may get sick more often if you have certain health conditions. It could be related to a vitamin deficiency, dehydration, or diet, among other possibilities. If you get sick often, it may be due to your immune system function or other health conditions that affect it.

What are signs that your immune system is fighting a virus? ›

Signs Your Body Is Fighting a Cold
  • Body aches.
  • Congestion.
  • Cough.
  • Decreased appetite.
  • Fatigue.
  • Feeling rundown or unwell.
  • Mild headache.
  • Low-grade fever (99 F to 100.3 F)
Jul 24, 2023

Which fruits increase white blood cells? ›

Vegetables and fruits high in beta-carotene are carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, and mangoes. This fruit has the ability to increase the production of white blood cells or lymphocytes in the body because it is loaded with vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Can multivitamins boost immune system? ›

The bottom line. There is no evidence that mega-doses of vitamins and nutrients can boost the immune system. The best way to ensure that the immune system functions well is to have a balanced diet, get enough sleep, exercise, and take the vaccinations that are offered.

Are bananas good for the immune system? ›

Bananas are not only a prebiotic food – supporting gut health – they are high in vitamin B6. This vitamin is needed to keep the immune system functioning properly. Bananas are an excellent base for your next smoothie! Other foods high in vitamin B6 include cold-water fish, lean chicken breast, chickpeas and potatoes.

What weakens the immune system? ›

Your immune system can also be weakened by smoking, alcohol, and poor nutrition. AIDS. HIV, which causes AIDS, is an acquired viral infection that destroys important white blood cells and weakens the immune system. People with HIV/AIDS become seriously ill with infections that most people can fight off.

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