Fuel Your Immune System With Food

Fuel Your Immune System With Food

As we age, eating better is one way to help keep our immune systems going strong.

Healthy foods aren’t a cure-all. But they do provide a wide range of nutrients we need tohelp defend against infections and disease.

Eat for stronger immunity

It’s best to enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods — rather than focus on specific

nutrients. But some nutrients, in particular, may be good for your immune system.

Here are a few to include in your healthy eating plan:

Vitamin A. You may find it in many colorful veggies. Think carrots, kale, red bell peppers, spinach and sweet potatoes.

Vitamin C. You know citrus packs vitamin C. Other good options: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, red bell peppers and strawberries.

Probiotics. These “good bacteria” may be found in foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, miso and tempeh, as well as in fermented dairy foods, like low-fat or nonfat yogurt and aged cheeses.

Protein. Good sources include beans, eggs, lean meat, seafood, skinless poultry, tofu, and unsalted nuts and seeds. A bonus: Many of these foods also provide zinc. It may help the immune system too.

Think big picture

Healthy foods provide other nutrients — from folate to vitamin E — that may influence your immune response. That’s why a nutritious eating plan is a varied one.

Sources: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Agriculture