Living a healthy lifestyle is something everyone strives to do. Taking vitamins, exercising, eating right, getting enough sleep, it’s a lot of work but so worth it. You work hard for the life that you have, so you want to do everything in your power to enjoy it, and that includes keeping your Immune system strong and ready to defend against sickness! Maintaining a well-balanced diet is vital to your overall health. But did you know the foods you consume affect your immune system? Incorporating immune-boosting foods into your diet is extremely beneficial for your overall health. 

According to the CDC, “Fewer than 1 in 10 adults and adolescents eat enough fruits and vegetables.”

Your immune system helps protect your body from sickness and disease. Eating nutrient-rich foods that help boost your immune system is vital to keeping your immune system strong, but it’s also important to watch out for foods that weaken your immune system, such as sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats. While there isn’t one magic food you can eat each day that covers all of your health needs, there are many nutrient-rich foods you can incorporate into your daily diet that work together to help give your immune system a natural boost. Here are 5 of our favorite foods that help boost your immune system!

Why is chicken soup the go-to meal for anyone feeling under the weather? Is it effective or just something your mom told you was helpful when you were a kid because her mom told her the same thing? It’s delicious and comforting, so surely it’s beneficial, right? RIGHT! But it’s the bone broth in chicken soup that makes it an immune-boosting food and so beneficial and healthy for your body.

The slow, low heat cooking process of chicken or beef bones draws the essential minerals, nutrients, and collagen into the broth that helps build and strengthen our bodies. 

“The healing benefits of chicken soup are numerous according to the National Institutes of Health. Not only is grandma’s home remedy heartwarming, but it also has properties that fight inflammation, promote hydration and get mucus flowing.” Mayo Clinic

You don’t have to actually make a pot of chicken soup to reap the benefits of Bone Broth. You can sip it from a mug or add it to your favorite recipe. But you really can’t go wrong with a traditional bowl of homemade chicken soup. Make sure you use chicken bone broth or beef bone broth and not just broth or stock. Bone broth is the key to making this nutrient-rich food good for your immune system. So the next time you feel under the weather or want something warm and comforting, give your immune system a natural boost and enjoy a cup of delicious bone broth!

Check out these helpful bone broth cookbooks to start enjoying delicious bone broth recipes at home! Or, buy this delicious already made chicken bone broth or beef bone broth in bulk to always have some on hand!

• The Essential Bone Broth Cookbook
• Bone Broth Secret: A Culinary Adventure in Health, Beauty, and Longevity

Incorporating immune-boosting foods into your diet can be easy and delicious! Citrus is an excellent immune-boosting food that will help your body fight off unwanted germs. Citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are nutrient-rich foods naturally high in Vitamin C, giving your immune system a natural boost! Add lemon juice to your water or herbal tea each morning, eat an orange or grapefruit with breakfast or as a snack throughout the day. Just be wary of drinking citrus juices like orange juice that are packed full of added sugar. The added sugar in the juice can suppress your immune system instead of boosting it! When it comes to anything with sugar, moderation is key!

If you love a glass of orange or grapefruit juice in the morning, invest in a juicer or juice press to make your very own juice at home, free of any added sugar! Or, for a more simple approach, check out this helpful lemon and lime squeezer to help get all of that delicious citrus juice into your water, tea, or cocktail! But it is important to remember that fresh squeezed juice still contains natural sugar, so drink in moderation and make sure you have plenty of fiber and protein to balance out your meal or snack. 

Greek yogurt is full of natural probiotics and anti-inflammatory properties that help boost your immune system! But make sure you are eating the right kind of yogurt! There is a difference between yogurt and Greek yogurt, so make sure you know the difference. According to healthline, “Greek yogurt contains about half the carbs and sugar as regular yogurt while packing almost twice as much protein. It also has less calcium and sodium.” But even some Greek yogurt brands sneak in added sugar to the yogurt, which can suppress your immune system, not boost it. So give your immune system a natural boost and make sure you select a plain Greek yogurt with no added sugar. 

Great yogurt is a delicious and immune-boosting food that is perfect for breakfast or as a healthy snack! Add it to a smoothie packed with other nutrient-rich foods, or enjoy it with some fresh berries, nuts, and honey. You can also use Greek Yogurt in place of other common ingredients to add this delicious and popular nutrient-rich food to some of your favorite recipes! Need some inspiration? Here are a few Greek Yogurt cookbook suggestions. 

•  The Greek Yogurt Cookbook
• Grand Recipe Ideas to Try with Greek Yogurt
• The Greek Yogurt Kitchen

Sweet potatoes. Yummy and delicious sweet potatoes. These delicious vegetables are best in every way possible and healthy, immune-boosting food. Baked, mashed, or served as fries, sweet potatoes are naturally delicious. Sweet potatoes have plenty of Beta Carotene, a natural immune-boosting nutrient that your body converts to Vitamin A. Sweet potatoes are also full of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two more immune boosting vitamins! 

“The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.” Erica Julson, MS, RDN, CLT, healthline 

While eating sweet potatoes alone will not give you a perfect immune system, eating sweet potatoes will help give your immune system a natural boost. They can play an important and delicious role in providing healthy fuel for your body. 

• 365 Tasty Sweet Potato Recipes
• The Sweet Potato Lover’s Cookbook
• The Sweet Potato Cookbook

Spinach. A rich leafy green vegetable packed full of nutrients. Spinach is rich in Vitamin E and Magnesium, both important in boosting your body’s immune system. When discussing the health benefit of spinach, Nourish by WebMD says, “From boosting the immune system – your body’s defense against germs – to helping your heart, its advantages might surprise you.” 

For some, spinach can be very bitter and unpleasant to taste. So if you don’t enjoy eating spinach raw, try adding it to some of your favorite meals! Spinach is the perfect sidekick for so many nutritious foods! Add spinach to your favorite salad, throw it into the blender to give your smoothie an extra boost, or sauté it with a bit of salt and olive oil to serve with your favorite protein. If you aren’t sure where to start, purchase a spinach cookbook to help you find new ways to add spinach to your favorite recipes! 

Incorporating immune-boosting foods into your diet is important, but that is just one step in keeping your body healthy and strong. Always talk with your doctor and nutritionist about any questions or concerns you have or if you ever consider drastically altering your diet in any way.

What are some of your favorite immune-boosting foods? Did any of your favorite foods make our list? How often do you eat foods that help boost your immune system? Comment Below!