HOW IS
IMPORTANT
DIET
FOR
HEALTHY
IMMUNE
SYSTEM? Written By Sharon Clare
In winter, when viruses such as flu are more likely to circulate, there are often claims made that you can boost your immunity by eating particular foods, but do they stack up? A healthy, balanced diet is important for supporting your immune system. You need sufficient energy and nutrients for the immune system to function properly, and poor nutrition can compromise it. But there is “no individual nutrient, food or supplement that will boost immunity, or stop us getting highly infectious viruses”, says Sarah Stanner, Science Director at the British Nutrition Foundation. So do you need to make changes to your diet for the sake of your immune health? The importance of five a day Aim to eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables to ensure you get all the nutrients your immune system needs. “Each micronutrient plays a different role in the immune system – don’t make a hero of just one”, says Stanner. Fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and chemical compounds known as phytochemicals, which NHS Dr. Rupy Aujla says can be converted by your gut microbes into beneficial metabolites that fight inflammation in the body.
A
