15 Unbelievable Foods to Boost the Immune System Against Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Vitamin C helps to build up your immune system. It increases the production of white blood cells which are key to fighting infections.

Popular citrus fruits include; grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes and clementines.

The body does not produce or store it, so you need daily vitamin C for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C.

Red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus. They are also a rich source of beta carotene. Besides boosting your immune system, vitamin C may help maintain healthy skin. Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy.

Broccoli is packed with vitamins (A, C and E) and minerals as well as many other antioxidants and fibre. It is one of the healthiest vegetables to eat. It is better to cook as little as possible or best not to cook it at all.

Garlic adds a little zinc to food and it’s a must-have for your health. It is known to fight infections. Garlic may also help lower blood pressure and slow down hardening of the arteries. Garlic’s immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.

Learn more about the benefits of garlic.

Ginger may help decrease inflammation, which can help reduce a sore throat and other inflammatory illnesses. It may also help decrease nausea.

While it’s used in many sweet desserts, ginger packs some heat in the form of gingerol, a relative of capsaicin. Ginger may help decrease chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties.

Read more on the benefits of ginger.

Spinach is also rich in vitamin C and packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of your immune system. Similar Like broccoli, spinach is healthiest when it is cooked as little as possible so that it retains its nutrients. However, light cooking enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid.

More about the health benefits of spinach.

Look for yoghurts that have “live and active cultures” printed on the label, like Greek yoghurt. These cultures may stimulate your immune system to help fight diseases. Try to get plain yoghurts rather than the kinds that are preflavored and loaded with sugar. You can sweeten plain yoghurt yourself with healthy fruits and a drizzle of honey instead.

Yoghurt can also be a great source of vitamin D, so try to select brands fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and is thought to boost our body’s natural defences against diseases.

Almonds contain vitamin E which is key to a healthy immune system. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed properly. Nuts, such as almonds, are packed with the vitamin and also have healthy fats. A half-cup serving, which is about 46 whole, shelled almonds, provides nearly 100% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin E.

Turmeric is a bright yellow, bitter spice has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, the high concentrations of curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinctive colour, can help decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

Green and black teas are packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. However, green tea has higher levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to enhance immune function. The fermentation process black tea goes through destroys a lot of the EGCG. Green tea, on the other hand, is steamed and not fermented, so the EGCG is preserved.

Green tea is also a good source of the amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

Papaya also contains a lot of vitamin C. You can find 224% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C in a single papaya. Papayas also have a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects.

Papayas have decent amounts of potassium, B vitamins, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.

Like papayas, kiwis are naturally full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection, while kiwi’s other nutrients keep the rest of your body functioning properly.

When you’re sick, chicken soup is more than just a feel-good food with a placebo effect. It helps improve symptoms of a cold and also helps protect you from getting sick in the first place. Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is high in vitamin B-6. About 3 ounces of light turkey or chicken meat contains 40 to 50% of your daily recommended amount of B-6.

Vitamin B-6 is an important player in many of the chemical reactions that happen in the body. It’s also vital to the formation of new and healthy red blood cells. Stock or broth made by boiling chicken bones contains gelatin, chondroitin, and other nutrients helpful for gut healing and immunity.

Sunflower seeds are full of phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They are also incredibly high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.

Vitamin E is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function. Other foods with high amounts of vitamin E include avocados and dark leafy greens.

Some types of shellfish are packed with zinc.

Our bodies need zinc so that our immune cells can function as intended.

Varieties of shellfish that are high in zinc include:

• crab
• clams
• lobster
• mussels

Too much zinc can actually inhibit immune system function. For adult men, it’s 11 milligrams (mg), and for women, it’s 8 mg.