In this article, Nutritionist Jane McClenaghan shares her top food recommendations for supporting your immune system. With over 20 years of expertise in nutrition and wellness, Jane is Northern Irelands most recognised Nutritionist and her she helps us explore supporting your immune system naturally through food.

As the nights draw in and the days get colder, it is a perfect time to shake up your shopping list and add some seasonal superfoods to help nourish your body and support your immune defences.

Our immune systems need a whole range of nutrients to keep infections at bay. We have the power on our plate to ensure we get adequate nutrition to help keep us fighting fit right through the winter months.

Here are some of my favourite immune-supporting foods to add to your diet this winter season.

1. Colourful fruit and vegetables - As the seasons change, so should our diet. Eating a rainbow of colourful fruit and veg will ensure you are packing your diet with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are essential for a healthy immune system.

Antioxidants like vitamin C, β-carotene, vitamin E, selenium, copper, iron and zinc support immune function and help protect against infections from bacteria and viruses, so packing your diet with a rainbow of colourful, seasonal fruit and vegetables should be part of your immune defence plan.

There is an abundance of local, seasonal produce to add to your diet at this time of year, and the more colour we can pack into our diets, the better.

  • Red and blue foods like berries, cherries, apples, redcurrants, raddichio, red cabbage and beetroot can help support a healthy inflammatory response. Packed with antioxidants and carotenoids like astaxanthin and lycopene, the red coloured fruit and vegetables anti-inflammatory properties to help support your immune system
  • Green and orange coloured, seasonal veggies like sweet potato, butternut squash, carrot, kale, chard, cabbage and brassicas are a good source of the vitamin A pre-cursor, beta carotene is required for a healthy immune response, white blood cell production, supporting mucosal barriers and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Of course, most of us know how important vitamin C is for our immune systems. Good sources include citrus fruit, peppers, berries and blackcurrants, broccoli, kiwis and Brussel sprouts!

2. Flaxseeds and Hemp - Seeds like flaxseed and hemp are perfect foods to add to your daily diet at this time of year. They are packed with some of the most important nutrients that we need for our immune systems to function well.

Linwoods Immune Support is a great product to add to your shopping list this season. A blend of sprouted milled flaxseed, hemp seeds, milled Brazil nuts and probiotic cultures, this one contains selenium, iron and zinc, along with omega-3, protein, fibre and a host of nutritious vitamins and minerals like vitamin D3, vitamin C and vitamin B12, all of which contribute to a normal immune response.

Get into the habit of adding a spoonful to breakfast to set yourself up well for the day ahead or stir into your favourite soup at lunchtime for a little mid-day boost.

3. Protein Rich Foods - Our immune cells need a steady supply of protein to function properly. Amino acids are essential for the product of cytokines and antibodies to help protect us against bacteria, viruses and pathogens.  

Good protein sources include eggs, meat, fish, chicken, dairy products (especially cottage cheese and natural/Greek yoghurt), nuts and seeds, pulses and tofu. Because protein is not stored, it is important to ensure you have some protein at each meal.

 

Easy ways to do this are to add some hemp seed to smoothies or porridge, make soups with beans or lentils as the base and build dinner around meat, chicken, fish or pulses.

 

4. Herbs & Spices - Get spicy with your favourites like ginger, garlic, cumin, rosemary and thyme. All of these are packed with antioxidants and have been shown to help support immune function in different ways.

 

Perfect in winter-warming, one-pot wonders like curry, chilli or stew, your favourite herbs and spices go beyond just making your food taste good.