Can Certain Foods Boost Your Immunity?

3 min read

As the days are getting shorter and we’re moving towards winter, many of us are wondering how to avoid the dreaded seasonal coughs and colds. So, are there certain foods that we can eat that will help us boost our immunity? We asked Heidi, one of our experts, to look at some of the usual remedies we hear about in the media.

Garlic

Garlic has long been claimed to fight against colds, whether you’ve been told to munch it raw, or to shove it in your socks at night, but there are actually not many studies on humans about its effect on immunity.

It is believed that garlic’s sulphur containing amino acids and other compounds could increase the activity of the immune system and thus fight off colds.

Some clinical trials have shown garlic extract (as a supplement) to reduce the number of colds, the duration, and the severity of upper respiratory infections, but the trial dosages vary, which makes it difficult to ascertain how much you would need to see the benefits. So yes, garlic could definitely have some good benefits it but hard to pin down how much you might need to eat to feel them!

Lemon

Lemon is probably one of the most well known food suggested for cold remedies, we see it in flavours throat lozenges and hot drinks, not to mention the many celebs who swear by hot water and lemon in their morning routines.

With all the hype, you would be surprised that there aren’t many human studies on the subject. However what has definitely been shown to play a part in immunity is Vitamin C, the key part of the lemon that we hype up.

Put very simply, free radicals are unstable molecules which can damage our immune cells. They are produced by our bodies naturally and due to environmental stressors like cigarette smoke and UV light. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which works to help protect from free radical damage, which in turn can help protect our immune cells. So, Vitamin C rich foods are often associated with the benefits of that.

Fruit

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Again, the sayings that fruit and vegetables help protect your immune system are often down to the nutrients they contain.

In studies, vitamin C has not shown to prevent colds, but some studies have reported reduction in the length and severity of symptoms. Vitamin C is a water‐soluble vitamin, meaning it is not stored in the body and is therefore needed from our daily diet ; why regularly including vitamin C rich foods in your diet can help.

The UK recommendation is 40mg per day, which equates to about 2‐3 satsumas. You may be surprised to know however, that citrus fruit may not be the best source of Vitamin C, with red cabbage packing 55mg of vitamin C per 100g, and strawberries 57mg per 100g! The saying eat a rainbow is a brilliant option t

Ginger

Ginger has been used for centuries, in both Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, for various ailments. Scientific studies have shown some anti‐inflammatory effects of ginger oil, as well as high concentrations of ginger root possibly stimulating the secretion of cytokines (small proteins), which counteract viral infections.

The tricky part is that the concentrations of ginger oil vary depending on growing conditions, which makes dosage difficult to determine. That said, I think we can all agree on ginger tea’s nice, warming effect on a sore throat!

Berries

Berries have been getting a lot of press coverage in the past few years as a 'superfood'. Along with Vitamin C (again!), some of the effects are down to antioxidant activity, but also the anthocyanins found in red, purple, and blue berries. Anthocyanins are flavonoids, which have been shown to play an important role in the defence system of the respiratory tract.

No specific dosage has been determined yet, but it can’t hurt to throw some more berries on that morning porridge; as an example, blackcurrants have an amazing 200mg of vitamin C per 100g!

Honey

Honey has been used for centuries in natural medicine, whether it be for healing wounds or soothing sore throats. This is based on its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activity.

Some studies have shown honey to promote B- and T- cells, which are important parts of our immune response, as well as having a soothing, anti‐inflammatory effect on sore throats.

There are several different types of honey on offer these days; regular, raw, and Manuka honey are all options you might spot. The difference is that regular honey is pasteurised while raw honey is not. Manuka honey comes from New Zealand, from bees that feed on the manuka plant and has a difficult collection process that shows in the price tag.

So can your diet boost your immune system?

The reality is yes and no. No particular food is going to be a miracle worker (no matter how many times it is called a superfood!) but a varied diet packed with nutrients is definitely going to play a role in keeping us healthy throughout the year.

It is also worth remembering that we can all also do with a helping hand sometimes - a vitamin D supplement is recommended during autumn and winter months when our sunlight exposure is minimal