Good nutrition is essential for a healthy immune system, which may offer protection from seasonal illness and other health problems.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends focusing on food to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs to stay healthy.
The Academy encourages everyone to make informed food choices and develop sound eating and physical activity habits they can follow all year long.
The Academy recommends obtaining nutrients primarily through food, because multivitamin and mineral supplements are not scientifically proven to prevent disease.
They can benefit those who are unable to meet vitamin and mineral requirements through food or have been diagnosed with a deficiency.
The researchers recommend the following nutrients to help support a healthy immune system:
Beta carotene is found in plant foods, such as sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, mango, broccoli and tomatoes.
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, bell peppers, and strawberries or foods fortified with vitamin C, such as some breakfast cereals.
Vitamin D is found in fatty fish, eggs and milk and 100 percent juices fortified with vitamin D.
Zinc tends to be better absorbed from animal sources such as beef and seafood, but also is in plant-based sources such as beans, nuts and seeds.
Probiotics are “good” bacteria that promote health. They can be found in cultured dairy products such as yogurt and in fermented foods such as kimchi.
Protein is found in animal sources such as seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, and plant-based sources such as beans and peas, soy products, nuts, and seeds.
Source: The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
