Top 10 Immune-Boosting Foods for Health

Vitamin C is considered the key to effectively boosting immunity, as it helps the body increase the production of interferon - a type of protein produced by cells to fight off disease-causing agents, promoting better immune system activity. Almost all citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges, lemons, and limes are rich in vitamin C.

However, the human body does not naturally produce or synthesize vitamin C, so it needs to be supplemented daily to ensure the body stays healthy. Remember, vitamin C can help the body recover faster from colds, coughs, fevers, etc., so these fruits are chosen by many to enhance immunity during the pandemic.

In fact, studies show that these powerful citrus fruits can help prevent kidney stones, fight cancer cells, and protect against diseases and infections. These fruits are low in calories but rich in important nutrients such as fiber and vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin B1, according to Dr. Axe.

Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables, providing a wealth of vitamins (rich in vitamins A, C, and E), beneficial for immune health. Sulforaphane in broccoli is an antioxidant that reduces stress, slows immune system decline, and protects the respiratory mucosa.

Broccoli is excellent for adult health, especially for children. The key to retaining the nutrients of broccoli is to cook it as little as possible, or even better, not at all. Studies have shown that steaming is the best way to retain the most minerals in vegetables.

One of the biggest benefits of broccoli is its high content of essential nutrients. The vitamins, minerals, fiber, and some bioactive compounds in broccoli are very good for health. Broccoli contains plenty of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B9 (Folate), and some minerals such as Potassium, Phosphorus, and Selenium.

Broccoli can be eaten raw or cooked, both ways are beneficial for health but have different nutritional components. Different cooking methods such as boiling, stir-frying, or steaming can alter their nutritional composition, especially vitamin C, protein, and carbohydrates. Steaming is the method that preserves the nutrients the best. However, steaming or eating raw both provide good amounts of vitamin C to the body. About 78g of steamed broccoli will provide 84% of the body's minimum energy requirements.

Red bell pepper is an effective immune-boosting food as it contains a lot of vitamin C, three times more than citrus fruits. Additionally, red bell pepper is also a source of vitamin A, B, E6, phytochemicals, and carotenoids, especially beta carotene (the precursor of vitamin A). Besides contributing to eye health and skin benefits, it also effectively fights oxidation and inflammation.

Red bell pepper is also known as sweet pepper. Its effects are evident in enhancing vision, preventing anemia, and many other diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases. Anemia leads to a lack of oxygen supply to the body's tissues. This condition makes you look pale, faint, ringing in the ears, dizzy, and quickly tired. More severe symptoms include digestive disorders, fatigue, rapid heartbeat.

What does red bell pepper do to prevent anemia? Red bell peppers are rich in iron, helping improve anemia due to the body's iron deficiency. Besides, they provide up to 300% of the daily requirement for vitamin C. Vitamin C is not only a powerful antioxidant but also helps enhance iron absorption in the intestine.

You can eat red bell peppers raw as a fruit to supplement nutrients for the body. Combine with other iron-rich foods such as red meats, liver, broccoli to ensure the body gets enough iron and avoid the risk of anemia.

Ginger is a food that many people turn to after waking up sick. It can reduce inflammation, sore throat, and other infections. Moreover, it can effectively reduce nausea and is a crucial 'medicine' for the immune system. According to recent studies, ginger helps alleviate pain symptoms and slows down cholesterol formation. Ginger can be processed in various ways, used as a spice in meals, or cooked, used in desserts, or brewed into ginger tea.

Raw ginger, also known as sheng jiang, disperses wind-cold, and prevents vomiting. Dried ginger, also known as gan jiang, is hotter than sheng jiang and can warm the middle burner. Charred ginger is called hei jiang. Hei jiang has a bitter taste and is often combined with copper to warm the kidney and eliminate fire toxins.

Ginger peel, called jiang pi, has a diuretic effect. Thanks to this, in pharmaceutical formulations, ginger can also help the physician achieve some important purposes. Cooking radix codonopsis with ginger will limit the cooling nature. Selling radix ginseng with ginger to detoxify. Some other drugs such as ginseng, dangshen... are also often seasoned with ginger, stir-fried to increase warmth and guide into the stomach.

Garlic is not just a commonly used spice in cuisine, but also considered a 'miracle' remedy for preventing colds, respiratory infections, high blood pressure, cholesterol,... Garlic contains abundant iodine and essential oils (rich in glucogen and allicin, phytoncides) that have antibacterial effects by inhibiting enzymes containing necessary sulfur for bacteria, effectively combating inflammation.

In addition, garlic also contains large amounts of vitamin A, B, C, D,... and numerous essential minerals such as iodine, calcium, magnesium,... That's why garlic is a top food not only for boosting immunity but also for preventing other diseases.

Garlic is very nutritious. Research shows that in 100g of garlic, there are 6.36g of protein, 33g of carbohydrates, 150 calories and nutrients such as B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6), iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus,... The main active components in garlic are sulfur organic compounds and glycosides. Furthermore, garlic also contains high levels of germanium and selenium.

Especially, the germanium content in garlic is higher than in other herbs such as ginseng, green tea, red tea,... The fundamental effect of garlic mainly comes from allicin. Fresh garlic does not contain free allicin, only its precursor alliin. When garlic is finely chopped, the enzymes in garlic are activated to stimulate the formation of allicin from alliin.

Yogurt is one of the foods containing a large amount of beneficial bacteria for the body and is an excellent source of vitamin D. Not only does it boost the body's natural defense against viruses perfectly, but it also helps you maintain a balanced figure and smoother skin. It's important to limit the consumption of sweetened yogurts. Instead, you can make yogurt at home using healthy fruits and honey.

According to research, 100g of yogurt contains 100kcal, 3g of protein, various vitamins, minerals, and 125mg of calcium. Most of these substances are essential for everyone's body. Just with vitamins, minerals, and energy, the body has a good shield against common disease-causing bacteria. Therefore, consuming unsweetened yogurt helps prevent allergies, respiratory diseases, and even the flu.

As you know, yogurt is rich in calcium, which is very supportive in weight loss. Moreover, unsweetened yogurt is low in fat. These two factors complement each other, and yogurt is a popular choice in many women's weight loss menus.

Kale (or borecole) is not only rich in vitamin C but also contains plenty of antioxidants and beta-carotene, which enhance the immune system and boost the body's ability to fight infections. Similar to broccoli, cooking kale for a shorter period of time retains the most nutrients.

Kale contains antioxidants like alpha-lipoic acid, which helps reduce blood sugar levels, improves the body's insulin sensitivity, and prevents oxidative stress in individuals with diabetes.

Kale and other leafy greens are shown to contain a lot of chlorophyll compounds that help prevent the formation of heterocyclic amines produced when cooking food at high temperatures. Therefore, these foods also support cancer prevention. Some studies suggest that individuals who consume more foods rich in beta-carotene such as peaches, broccoli, watermelon, pumpkin, carrots, and kale are less likely to develop low-grade asthma than those who rarely eat these types of foods.

Sunflower seeds are packed with essential nutrients, including phosphorus, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E,… Additionally, sunflower seeds are also rich in selenium. These minerals provide numerous benefits to the body, such as reducing bad cholesterol levels, alleviating stress, preventing depression, and maintaining immune system function.

Sunflower seeds are highly nutritious. A suitable serving of sunflower seeds (unshelled) for a typical meal is about 28g, roughly ¼ cup or 4 tablespoons (about 1-2 finger lengths high). They contain a significant amount of beneficial fats. Each serving of sunflower seeds provides about 14g of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Nutrition researcher Alissa Rumsey suggests that the two types of fats found in sunflower seeds offer many health benefits to humans, especially for heart health and preventing heart diseases. Moreover, each serving of sunflower seeds also contains 6g of protein and 2.5g of fiber. Rumsey also argues that fats, fiber, and protein play a crucial role in creating a lasting feeling of fullness.

When it comes to preventing and fighting colds, the first thing that comes to mind is the supplementation of vitamin E. This fat-soluble vitamin is crucial for the body, but it requires a certain amount of fat for proper absorption. That's why nuts, such as almonds, are the perfect source of vitamin E as they are rich in healthy fats and vitamins beneficial for health. Nutrition experts suggest that a serving for adults consisting of half a cup containing 46 whole almonds with skins will provide 100% of the daily recommended vitamin E intake.

Almonds also contain copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and phosphorus. Additionally, almonds are rich in phytic acid, a compound that binds certain minerals and prevents their absorption. Although phytic acid is often regarded as a potent antioxidant, it also reduces the absorption of iron, zinc, and calcium from almonds.

Almonds are an excellent source of antioxidants. These compounds help protect against stress, prevent cellular damage, and contribute to inflammation, aging, and diseases like cancer. The potent antioxidants in almonds are primarily concentrated in the brown skin.

A clinical trial involving 60 herbal cigarette smokers showed that consuming approximately 84 grams of almonds per day reduced oxidative stress biomarkers by 23. Incorporating almonds into main meals helps reduce some signs of oxidative damage.

Turmeric is a type of food that our ancestors have used as medicine in traditional medicine for many generations. With a high content of the valuable compound curcumin, turmeric is widely known for its benefits in skincare, liver protection, stomach, and is highly regarded for its potential in supporting the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and more.

Especially, with the advancement of science and technology, recent studies have shown that curcumin effectively enhances immunity. Specifically, curcumin helps to eliminate harmful agents in the body, increase the number of T lymphocytes, enhance macrophage activity, and indirectly participate in the production of interleukins to enhance the body's immunity. This is very useful information, especially during seasonal transitions and epidemic outbreaks like the present.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric, with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, the amount of curcumin in turmeric is not high, accounting for about 3% of the weight of turmeric. But curcumin is not easily absorbed, so black pepper seeds are often used with curcumin because black pepper seeds contain piperine, a natural compound that increases the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000 times. Piperine is also fat-soluble, so it is often used with fatty meals.