To say it with the famous Game of Thrones words, “Winter is Coming!”
So it is about the right time to give our body some extra love and strengthen our little army to fight the cold and flu germs.
Winter means colder temperature – yes it also happens here in the tropics – and spending more time indoors. This makes it easier for bacteria and viruses to spread and make us sick. The best way to protect yourself is through strengthening your immune system and make sure your body has enough fighting power to eliminate all those incoming intruders.
Add these yummy immune-boosting foods to your daily diet and give your body the best possible nutrients to be ready for the fight.
10 Yummy Immune Boosting Foods
1. Eat your greens
Leafy greens are packed with immune-boosting and body strengthening nutrients. Folate helps to build new cells and repair DNA damage. Apart from folate leafy greens are also an excellent source of fiber, iron, vitamin C, and many other beneficial antioxidants.
2. Probiotics
If you are serious about your health and strengthening your immune system, you should consider adding probiotics to your daily diet. These friendly gut bacteria are one of the best ways to balance your inner system. They keep your gut clean and fight incoming intruders.
Fermented drinks and veggies or homemade (coconut) yogurt are an excellent way to start your fermenting adventure.
ALSO READ:
Homemade Cultured Turmeric-Ginger Ale Soda
Probiotics 101 – All You Need To Know About Friendly Gut Bacteria
3. Blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries
Maybe my most favorite foods on earth… still working on the growing berries in the tropics. Hope to get some fruits soon. They are packed with antioxidants and other phytochemicals to boost your immune system and fight disease.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Swap the good old potato on your dinner table for sweet potatoes. Next to filling you up, they are packed with beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, which fights free radicals boosts the immune system and slows down the aging process of cells and tissues.
ALSO READ: Nutritional Benefits Sweet Potato vs Regular Potato
Scroll down for more immune boosting food
5. Tulsi or holy basil tea
Recently we started to drink this tea, almost on a daily basis, as we found a local organic grower of moringa trees and Tulsi. Going to visit their farm soon-ish, I’ll definitely post some pics and a video of that. Tulsi tea has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for ages to support the immune system, memory, heart health, and vision. And it is packed with a broad range of antioxidants too.
6. Moringa powder or tea
Another habit we recently picked up is adding moringa leaf powder to our morning smoothies. We get it from the same local farm as the tulsi tea. Its leaves are packed with vitamin A and C, magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium. And what’s more, moringa provides all essential amino acids your body needs to maintain practically everything in your system and it helps with digestion as well.
ALSO READ: Organic Moringa Farm Visit In Pictures + The Many Uses and Benefits Of The Mighty Moringa Tree
7. Broccoli
Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables are packed with body repairing and immune-strengthening nutrients such as vitamin A and C, and glutathione.
8. Coconut Oil
A must-have for every home. We cook nearly all our dishes with coconut oil. Its medium-chain fatty acids help to strengthen the immune system and it helps to absorb more nutrients from other foods we eat too.
FYI: extra virgin or refined coconut oil, what’s the difference? Find it out here. Both are great oils btw, even the refined version!
9. Herbs and spices
Not only do they add a delicious flavor to your meals, but they also house a broad range of health promoting and immune boosting nutrients. Black pepper, turmeric, oregano, parsley, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, ginger, thyme… you options are endless.
10. Elderberries
And if you do get sick, elderberries are an old folk remedy that actually works. When we still lived in Belgium, my granny used to make us syrup from the elderberry tree in her garden.
Click the link below to get her recipe or make elderberry cough drops for a portable cure.
Homemade Cough Syrup with Elderberry-Echinacea
Homemade Cough Drops with Elderberry-Echinacea
Nourish your body with these yummy foods and let winter come. Even here in the tropics winter is coming 😉 which is still quite warm but a jumper is needed these days… and a common cold is making its way through town too.
Thanks for reading. I hope this information was helpful. Until next time!
Amy Goodrich
Crazy cat lady, life and food lover, certified biologist, and holistic health coach.
