HEALTH - Boost your immune system for winter

Eat a vitamin rich diet and you might make it 

through winter without so much as a sniffle

 

If you are one of the many currently battling the sniffles, it could be time to make sure your diet is not leaving you vulnerable to nasty bugs. While there is no strong evidence that links one particular food to cough and cold prevention, there are a number of foods that are crucial for optimal immune system functioning.

If you think vitamin C when you think colds and flu, think again. While an optimal intake of vitamin C is important for immune functioning, so too is zinc. Few people have a low intake of vitamin C, but many more have a low intake of zinc, particularly women and children. Zinc is found predominantly in lean red meat and seafood, and in smaller amounts in wholegrain bread, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals.

Zinc is involved in the development and functioning of the body's infection-fighting white blood cells. Adults need eight to 12 milligrams of zinc a day, half of which is found in a palm-sized piece of lean red meat, and almost all in a single oyster. Once your zinc is taken care of, then you can concentrate on your fresh fruit and vegetables, which are rich sources of a number of powerful antioxidants, including vitamin C, that help to protect the body's cells against damage and infection.

Keep in mind that the brighter the vegetables and fruits are, the better they are likely to be for you. Beetroot, sweet potato, broccoli, oranges, red capsicum and pumpkin are all chock-full of nutrition and can either be juiced, thrown into stir-fries, or baked and served with warming casseroles and soups.

Finally, don't forget to keep your fluid intake up. Dehydration can not only make cough and flu symptoms much worse, but it is not good for your digestion in general. If you find that you are drinking much less water in winter, switch to green tea, which is packed with antioxidants and has also been shown to increase metabolic rate if three or more cups are consumed every day. Warm water served with a slice of lemon is also a great fluid choice.

Top 10 winter foods

1. Broccoli - exceptionally high in antioxidants.
2. Carrots - full of the antioxidant beta carotene.
3. Red capsicum - massive hit of vitamin C.
4. Kiwifruit - just one contains your entire daily requirement of vitamin C.
5. Oranges - just one contains your entire daily requirement of vitamin C.
6. Green tea - powerful antioxidant.
7. Mushrooms - rich source of antioxidants.
8. Lean beef - rich in zinc.
9. Oysters - exceptionally high in zinc and iodine.
10. Berries - packed with antioxidants but few kilojoules.

Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/