Boost Your Immune System Easily With These Foods

It's important that you consume more immune-supporting nutrients...

To help protect your immune system during the COVID-19 outbreak, Mediclinic experts encourage you to focus on eating a variety of foods within each of the basic food groups to boost your intake of vitamins and minerals.

Here are the top nutrients you should include in your diet to help boost your immunity...

Vitamin A maintains the structure of the cells in the skin, respiratory tract and gut. It is found in oily fish, egg yolks, cheese, tofu, nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.

B vitamins particularly B6, B9 and B12, contribute to your body ’s first response once it has recognised a pathogen. B6 is found in cereals, legumes, green leafy vegetables, fruit, nuts, fish, chicken and meat. B9 (folate) is abundant in green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and is added to commercial bread-making flour.B12 (cyanocobalamin) is found in animal products, including eggs, meat and dairy, and also in fortified soy milk.

SEE ALSO: How to maintain a healthy state of mind, according to experts

Vitamins C and E are essential to boost the immune system and help protect cells from oxidative stress. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, kiwi and papaya. Vitamin E is found in nuts, green leafy vegetables and vegetables oils. Zinc helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Good sources of zinc are shellfish, eggs, legumes, nuts whole grains and red meat (in moderation).

Glutathione is important since your immune system works best when there is sufficient glutathione; eating mushrooms is one way to top up your glutathione levels easily in your diet.

To book a consultation with a Dietician at Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital, please press click to contact.