Bootcamp Jess & Co Tip of the Day

Boost that Immune System by eating food!

So Which Foods Best Boost Your Immune System?


Nutrition experts say much of what our bodies need to fight off infection can be found in foods.

A poor diet is a top factor in making us susceptible to illness.

Here are the top five foods that give your body the best immunity:
1. beef (sparingly one to two meals per week)
2. sweet potatoes
3. mushrooms
4. tea
5. yogurt (low in sugar)

Of course don't forget a healthy well balanced diet is important too with lots of veggies and fruits.

Rest is another important factor to help boost that immune system.

Beef It Up a Little

Of the five immunity-boosting foods, beef may be the most surprising, considering health experts recommend limiting our red meat intake. But moderation is still key.

Don't go out and order that 24-ounce porterhouse. Keep it to a three-ounce portion of very lean beef that is low in fat. This is a great source of zinc.

Zinc deficiency can greatly increase your risk of infection. Zinc helps develop white blood cells, the cells that we really need those to fight off foreign bacteria and viruses.

Vegetarians and those who do not eat red meat can look for their zinc supply in poultry, pork, fortified cereals, yogurt and milk. If you like oysters, they are also a fantastic source of zinc.

We should also be eating orange vegetables daily, especially this time of year. Sweet potatoes, or any of the orange vegetables, are a great way to add vitamin A to our diets. Vitamin A is important for our skin, which is the first line of defense for our immune systems.

Orange, foods like sweet potatoes,carrots, squash, pumpkin are all great, especially because they are all in season this time of year. They all are great sources of beta-carotene, which the body quickly turns into vitamin A.

Mushrooms are another high-immunity food.

Mushrooms help in the production of white blood cells in the body.

The very best kinds of mushrooms are shiitake and maitake, which are available in most supermarkets.

A cup of black or green tea a day to help fight off that cold. You can find caffeine free teas.

Tea is a great source of polyphenols. Polyphenols clean up free radicals, damaging compounds that can hurt your DNA and accelerate aging.

Antioxidants take care of the free radicals, and tea has more antioxidants per part than fruits and vegetables.

Yogurt, another immunity-boosting food, is especially important to eat, particularly after you have been prescribed antibiotics. Brands that contain active cultures are a good source of healthy bacteria for your stomach. You can find low sugar yogurts under 4 grams.