Good nutrition is essential to a strong immune system! The best approach for fostering a healthy immune system is to eat a nutritious diet that meets all your body’s needs – even more reason to make every bite count, with delicious, whole foods bursting with nutrients.
Focus on these important nutrients and foods to help support your immune system this winter:
• Protein is an essential part of your body’s defense system. Sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, legumes, soy products and unsalted nuts and seeds.
• Vitamin A helps prevent infections by keeping the skin and tissues in the mouth, stomach, lungs and intestines healthy. This nutrient, found in sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach and red bell peppers, also helps the body regulate the immune system.
• Zinc is important for a healthy immune system and proper growth. Find zinc in lean red meat, fish and poultry as well as wholegrain cereals, legumes, reduced-fat dairy foods and nuts.
• Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to keep you healthy. Find it in seafood, whole-grain cereal, wheat germ, oatmeal, lean meats or Brazil nuts. People who want to get more vitamin E in their diet should eat sunflower seeds, almonds, sunflower or safflower oil, hazelnuts, peanut butter or spinach.
• Include yoghurt in your diet. Regularly eating probiotics or “good bacteria” found in foods like yogurt and sauerkraut may help your immune system to work better and improve digestion.
• Vitamin C has been shown to help fight infection by enhancing immune function, and can be sourced from a myriad of fruits and vegetables. The most obvious sources are citrus fruits (oranges, mandarins, grapefruit and lemons), which are in season in winter. But if you’re looking for sources beyond those, consider bell peppers, broccoli and kiwifruit, which are also a source of Vitamin C.
• Healthy eating and energy intake can impact the immune system and function. Very low calorie or very high calorie diets can decrease your immune function and impact rates of infection and illness.
Also keep in mind that foods contain a synergy of nutrients that work in unison to provide health benefits, whereas supplements only provide one or two nutrients at a time. Focus on foods first to achieve your nutrient requirements, and only consider a supplement if you at risk of falling short of any nutrient. You might also want to read this article on whether or not we need nutritional supplements.
Did you know?
Pick n Pay is committed to promoting health and wellbeing among South Africans, and employs a Registered Dietitian to provide free nutrition-related advice to the public. Contact Leanne Kiezer via the Pick n Pay Health Hotline on 0800 11 22 88 or healthhotline@pnp.co.za to start your nutrition conversation. You can also visit www.adsa.org.za to find a dietitian in your area who is registered with the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA).
