EATING
well
EATING TO BOOST
OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
The pandemic has seen lots of rumours about diets and superfoods that help ward off COVID, but can eating actually improve immunity? Diabetes WA dietitian NARELLE LAMPARD investigates. With winter approaching and COVID circulating, now is the time to focus on keeping our immune systems strong. One way to do this is by eating plenty of healthy foods. Optimising our nutrition can help us resist infection, strengthen our immune response and recover from illness more quickly. Despite what some might claim, there are no magic foods that can completely protect us from bacterial or viral infections. What is true is that we all need adequate energy and nutrients for our immune system to function properly, and not eating well can compromise that. Instead of hunting down superfoods, the best advice is simply to eat a wide variety of nourishing foods – foods that will support our immune system to function at its best. Likewise, while vitamin supplements are often sold as being ‘magic bullets’ to ward off illness, studies suggest you’re
much better off just eating good food! What does good food look like? When it comes to boosting immunity, there are two key dietary elements: 1.
foods that provide an abundance of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
2.
foods that promote a healthy gut microbiome.
Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants If it’s to work efficiently, your immune system relies heavily on a range of nutrients being readily available within the body. A deficiency in any of these can alter immune function. We know that people who lack Vitamin D (which most Australians get from exposure to sunlight), for example, are at increased risk of a wide range of health conditions including osteoporosis and rickets.
Vitamin A
Eggs, dairy products, oily fish (salmon, tuna, sardines) and liver. Beta-carotene, which is converted into Vitamin A is found in orange-coloured vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, apricots and mango.
Vitamin C
Citrus fruits (oranges, mandarins, lemons, limes), kiwifruit, green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, kale, cabbage), berries, tomatoes and red capsicum.
Vitamin D
Oily fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), eggs, milk and mushrooms exposed to light.
Vitamin E
Wheatgerm oil, spinach, seeds (sunflower seeds, tahini), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), avocado and salmon.
Zinc
Seafood (oysters, mussels, crab), lean meat, tofu, legumes, nuts (cashews), seeds, liver, chicken, milk and wholegrains.
Iron
Lean red meat, chicken, fish, green leafy vegetables, legumes, eggs, nuts, pumpkin seeds, fortified breads and cereals. Eat these with food containing Vitamin C to boost absorption.
Selenium
Brazil nuts, fish and seafood, meat, chicken, dairy, eggs, wholegrains, sunflower seeds and legumes. Compounds with names such as flavonoids, polyphenols, lycopene, lutein, allicin and anthocyanins. Found in abundance in plant-based foods, some examples include:
Antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables – blueberries, cranberries, spinach, artichoke, tomatoes, red cabbage, beetroot and corn. Legumes, nuts and seeds – beans, pecans, walnuts and chia seeds. Herbs and spices – Turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, chilli, basil, coriander, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, sage. Other – green tea, coffee, red wine, dark chocolate and honey in small amounts.
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