This cold and flu season, try reaching for relief in your refrigerator instead of the medicine cabinet! Even better than getting over a cold quickly is preventing yourself from catching one to begin with. Building up your immune system is key and eating the right foods is an easy place to begin. Start with the superfoods below, known for their immune system boosting powers:
1. Sweet Potatoes
Superpower: Vitamin A
Sweet potatoes get their orange color from the antioxidant beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A helps boost immunity to fight infection, research has shown, by stimulating immune cells, like T and B cells.
2. Beef
Superpower: Zinc
Zinc is known for being an immunity-boosting mineral and one serving of lean beef will give you half your recommended daily amount of it.
3. Brussels Sprouts
Superpower: Soluble fiber
Brussels sprout get a bad rap, but when cooked right they can be flavorful and help protect your immune system from nasty viruses. Soluble fiber found in foods like brussels sprouts has been shown to decrease inflammation in the body.
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