7 Foods to Eat for a Stronger Immune System, According to Registered Dietitians
From berries and sweet potatoes to oysters, consider adding these wholesome foods to your diet.
Your immune system works hard to keep you healthy. After all, it’s in charge of fighting harmful germs, controlling disease, and recognizing dangerous substances. Genetics can play a big role in how your immune system works, but lifestyle factors—including exercise, stress levels, and diet—matter too.
On the food front, a well-balanced, plant-forward diet is generally associated with optimal immune function. This includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, but are there specific options worth calling out? To find out, we consulted registered dietitians for the seven best foods to eat for a strong and healthy immune system.
Leafy Greens
In addition to being deliciously versatile, leafy greens like kale, spinach, and bok choy are teeming with immune-supporting nutrients. This includes vitamins C and A, according to registered dietitian Roxana Ehsani, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. Vitamin C is required by white blood cells (i.e., immune cells) to properly find and destroy harmful germs, while vitamin A regulates the immune response. Both nutrients are also potent antioxidants, meaning they protect healthy cells by reducing oxidative stress.
To get your fill of leafy greens, aim for 2 to 3 cups per day, says Ehsani. You can easily meet the mark by adding a handful of greens to your go-to recipes, such as smoothies, omelets, soups, or chili.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are unique in that they’re one of the few foods in the produce aisle that contain vitamin D, explains Ehsani. It’s all thanks to UV light or sunlight exposure, which increases vitamin D levels in the fungi. This is noteworthy because “your immune system needs vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses,” says Ehsani. “Mushrooms also contain selenium, which works as an antioxidant that protects the body from infection, reduces inflammation, and helps support immunity.”
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Berries
Whether blended in smoothies or tossed in salads, berries are some of the best foods to eat for a strong immune system. This includes all types of berries, from juicy blueberries to sweet-tart raspberries. “Berries have a ton of antioxidants and vitamin C,” explains Vanessa Rissetto, MS, RD, CDN, and the co-founder of Culina Health. These nutrients can help quell oxidative stress, reduce inflammation, and repair skin wounds, a mechanism that keeps harmful germs out of the body. Berries also benefit the gut (and therefore, immune system) thanks to their fiber and prebiotics, which are compounds that feed good gut bacteria.
Fermented Foods
Another way to support your immune system is to nosh on fermented foods. They contain probiotics, the good bacteria that live in your gut so the bad bacteria don’t take over. This keeps your gut microbiome in balance, making it easier to efficiently manage your immune system. “Try to incorporate one source of probiotics per day, such as 1 cup of yogurt at breakfast or lunch, or use 1 cup of kefir to make [a] smoothie,” says Ehsani. You could also add kimchi to dishes like sandwiches, paninis, or stir-fries, she says.
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Sweet Potatoes
Need another reason to make more sweet potato dishes? The tasty tuber is excellent for immunity, thanks to its high content of beta-carotene, a compound that turns into immune-supporting vitamin A in the body. What’s more, beta-carotene is an antioxidant itself, meaning it protects the body against oxidative stress and inflammation caused by free radicals, according to Ehsani. Sweet potatoes also offer vitamin C and fiber, a nutrient needed to keep good gut bacteria in tip-top shape. This is key because the gut regulates immunity—and if your gut is happy, so is your immune system.
Oysters
When you think of the best foods for immunity, oysters probably don’t come to mind—but the briny delicacy certainly fits the bill. Oysters are the top source of zinc, an essential mineral that supports healthy immune system function, says Ehsani. In fact, “a mild deficiency [of zinc] can slow down the activity of cells that work to protect the body from viruses and bacteria,” she says. To get your fill of zinc, try frying oysters to crispy perfection or tucking into a creamy oyster stew.
Fatty Fish
To keep your immune system in tip-top shape, try adding two servings of fatty fish to your weekly menu. (One serving is about 3 ounces, or ¾ cup of flaked fish, according to the American Heart Association.) Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, powerful anti-inflammatory fats that are beneficial for immunity, says Rissetto. Specifically, omega-3 fats help immune cells travel to the site of infections and, once there, destroy harmful germs. Choose from fatty fish like salmon, anchovies, herring, sardines, bluefin tuna, and mackerel, just to name a few varieties.