3 Key vitamins for a healthy immune system.

We’re currently living in uncertain times. With the COVID-19 outbreak wreaking havoc across the world, I thought I would share my knowledge on the ways in which you can support your body’s immune system naturally. I’ve also shared some resources to back up what I’ve shared in this post.

One of the most important things you can do, whether it’s simply during cold and flu season or in the midst of a pandemic is to ensure you are maintaining your health as best you possibly can by eating foods rich in vitamins that help support your body’s immune system. Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables is one of the most effective ways to prevent illness and support recovery if you do fall ill.

There are three key vitamins that are essential for boosting the immune system.

Vitamin C

First and foremost, vitamin C is probably the most important vitamin for boosting immunity against disease. A lack of this vitamin can even increase your risk of getting sick, so it’s really important that you get enough vitamin C from your diet. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits like oranges and lemons, dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale and red fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, raspberries and bell peppers. Your body is unable to store vitamin C so you must ensure you are getting enough every single day. You need a minimum of 40mg of vitamin C every day but some health professionals would recommend around 60mg per day. One orange will contain enough – about 53mg, whereas one bell pepper contains around 243mg of vitamin C. You really don’t have to eat a huge amount of food to get enough vitamin C and you shouldn’t need to supplement it unless advised by a doctor. When you consume a large amount of vitamin C, your body will simply excrete what it doesn’t need when you pee.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is important because the body needs it in order to make cells of the immune system. It helps to improve immune response when fighting disease by supporting the production of antibodies. Foods high in Vitamin B6 include avocados and chickpeas. Nutritional yeast is probably the best plant-based source of B6. You can also get it from fish and chicken, but please ensure that if you are buying animal products that you opt for sustainable options that are organic and free-range where possible as they tend to have a smaller carbon footprint and are better for your health. Please don’t ever support intensive farming. The recommended daily intake of B6 is between 0.1mg and 1.7mg depending on your age and gender. 5g of nutritional yeast contains about 1.7mg of B6 and there is about 0.5mg of B6 in 100g of chickpeas or one medium avocado. I recommend Engevita nutritional yeast flakes by Marigold Health Foods. They have a savory cheesy taste and can be used as a substitute for Parmesan cheese on pasta dishes or in soups and stews for added flavor. You can also use them to make plant-based cheeses!

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight infection. It’s found mostly in nuts and seeds. Some of the best sources of vitamin E include sunflower seeds, almonds and peanuts. You can also find a good amount of vitamin E in some fruits and vegetables including avocados, spinach and butternut squash. The recommended daily intake of vitamin E is 3-5mg. There is around 35mg of vitamin E in 100g of sunflower seeds.

Immune system superfoods

Below I have listed some of the best foods for boosting immunity and supporting the body’s recovery from illness.

Spinach

This wonderful dark green leafy vegetable contains all three of the key vitamins listed above, making it a super food for the immune system. Spinach has powerful disease fighting properties and could even help to prevent cancer, while also regulating blood pressure and supporting eye health. Spinach is best eaten raw to maximise the amount of nutrients you obtain from it. It’s great added to smoothies or juices or in salads. 100g of raw spinach contains 2.03mg of vitamin E, 28.1mg of vitamin C and 0.2mg of vitamin B6.

Avocados

Similarly to spinach, avocados contain vitamin C, E and B6. One medium avocado contains around 12mg of vitamin C, 3mg of vitamin E and 0.3mg of vitamin B6. Avocados are also a fantastic source of healthy unsaturated fat, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels.

Green Tea

Green tea is packed with flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants, in particular EGCG which has been shown to improve immune function. Green tea also contains L-theanine, an important amino acid for healthy immune function. Matcha is probably the best form of green tea for an immunity boost as your body will absorb more of the tea’s nutrients when it has been ground into a powder. If you don’t like the taste of Green Tea, Matcha can be added to smoothies or soups to mask the taste. My favourite brand of Matcha is PureChimp. I discovered them at Plant Based Live – a food expo in London.

Pure Chimp Matcha — Check out the PureChimp Website

Turmeric

This sunshine yellow spice is well known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, but it’s also a very effective immunomodulator, helping to stimulate immune function. I’ve written a more in depth post about turmeric here, where I mostly talk about how I use it for inflammation, but including turmeric in your diet on a regular basis could also help support a healthy immune system as well. The anti-inflamatory properties of turmeric could also help to sooth a sore throat after a cold. Try adding a little bit on lemon and honey to turmeric tea for a soothing cold and flu remedy.

How to use turmeric for inflammation.

I hope that you’ve found this useful. Here’s to good health and longevity. Stay safe and well.

Thanks for reading. Have a beautiful day.

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Sources:

‘7 Proven Ways Matcha Tea Improves Your Health’ – Healthline.com: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-matcha-tea

’10 Proven Benefits of Green Tea’ – Healthline.com:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea

‘Spinach 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits’ – Healthline.com:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/spinach

’12 Proven Health Benefits of Avocado’ – Healthline.com:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado

’10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin’ – Healthline.com:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric

NHS information about vitamin C:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-c/