Fight-off germs and strengthen your immune system this cold and flu season with these 7 immune boosting foods!
So what happens when you get a flu shot, wash or sanitize your hands like crazy, and still get a head-pounding cold? Well that’s what I asked myself earlier in the week when I was down for the count with a cold. Which turned into a major sinus infection. I had an ah-ha moment when a friend recommended a garlic lemonade recipe. FOOD Katherine! The answer is FOOD! So how did I get rid of my cold? I kicked it in the rear with immune boosting foods!
I’m a firm believer that there’s more to eating than just enjoying the taste of food. Food does so many good things for our bodies beyond nourishment— for instance, certain foods can help prevent colds and help to boost our immune systems. By stocking your fridge or pantry with some of these foods, you can power through cold and flu season. So here are 7 immune boosting foods you’ll find at my house. Yes, there’s more than this list has to offer… but these are pretty much in my grocery cart on a weekly basis!
7 Immune Boosting Foods:
1. Chicken Soup: This isn’t just a folklore remedy for the common cold. In fact, a study found chicken soup might actually help fight infection. If you do get a cold, consuming hot liquids like chicken soup can help keep you hydrated too!
If you are a homemade chicken soup lover like me, then you’ve got to try one of my Chicken Noodle Soup 5 Ways recipes. 
2. Yogurt: The live cultures found in yogurt, otherwise known as probiotics, are healthy bacteria that help keep your gut and GI tract free of germs. Look for labels that say “live and active cultures.”
An easy way to get more yogurt in your diet is to add it to smoothies! Here are a few of my favorite smoothie recipes.
3. Tea: Green or black tea contains concentrated amounts of catechins, antioxidants that help blood vessels relax, which is helpful for your heart! Catechins also help to prevent cell damage from free radicals— which essentially means they help to prevent and fight disease. Consider hot tea a healthy multitasker.
4. Oatmeal: You probably know that oatmeal may help you fight heart disease. But this great whole grain may also help keep your immune system strong. Bonus? Filling up on oatmeal can also help keep your weight in check by helping you feel fuller longer.
I can’t remember the last time I had a bowl of warm oatmeal, but I love these Overnight Oatmeal Bars for a quick snack or breakfast on the go!
5. Garlic: My favorite. In fact my Mom often asks me if I bathe in garlic because apparently it’s my new perfume scent. Besides being a staple in my diet, evidence suggests garlic may help to prevent colds. Eating garlic regularly may also help protect against heart disease and cancer.
I’m still on a chicken noodle soup kick here… see what happens when you add roasted garlic to my full-proof recipe!
6. Broccoli: One of the most convenient and easy-to-find foods at the grocery store, broccoli is packed with Vitamin A and C, and antioxidants [glutathione] that protect your body from damage.
My favorite way to eat broccoli? Roasted. With cauliflower and a balsamic sauce. Get the recipe here!
7. Beef: Beef is an excellent source of zinc, a mineral our immune systems need to fight off bacteria and viruses. Beef is also an excellent source of protein— which helps you feel fuller longer.
I have a LOT of beef recipes on this blog. Just search for your favorite here!
While it might seem easy to take a supplement or mix Emergen-C with water, I can assure you real food tastes better, and offers the same nutritional value as a lot of those power pills on the market. So have your chicken soup, and eat it too! Your immune system and taste buds will thank me!
