5 vitamins and minerals that boost immunity

Maintaining healthy eating habits over time is how one can build a strong immune system. Learn about some of the vitamins and minerals that are useful in the diet.1. 5 types of vitamins and minerals to help strengthen the immune system

A strong immune system helps your body fight illnesses like colds and flu. It can also help you recover from injury and maintain high energy levels for daily activities.

Choosing foods with suitable vitamins can help you build your immune system. The more often you choose a vitamin-rich diet, the more likely you are to strengthen your immune system in the long run.

Julia Zumpano, a licensed dietitian at Cleveland Clinic, says the following vitamins and minerals are good for boosting immunity:

Vitamin C is the best immune system booster

Vitamin C is one of the best immune system boosters of all the essential vitamins. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, which means it can protect your body from inflammatory toxins in the body.

In fact, researchers say a lack of vitamin C can make you more likely to get sick. Therefore, regular vitamin C supplementation is essential for good health because your body does not produce this vitamin on its own. It also doesn't store it for later use. The good news is that vitamin C is found in so many foods that most people don't need a vitamin C supplement unless advised by their doctor.

Foods rich in vitamin C

Foods rich in vitamin C

Vitamin C is most commonly known for its orange citrus fruits, but you can get vitamin C from a variety of fruits and vegetables. Dr. Zumpano suggests the following 10 foods, ranked from highest to lowest:

• Bell pepper

• Guava

• Orange

• Grapefruit

• Kiwi

• Mango

• Broccoli

• Strawberry

• Kale

• Parsley

Vitamin B6 is essential for the body

Vitamin B6 is important for supporting biochemical reactions in your immune system. One of its main roles is to produce white blood cells and T cells. These are cells that help your body respond to "invaders" like viruses and bacteria.

Foods rich in vitamin B6

• Green bean

• Beef and beef liver

• Cold water fish: salmon and tuna 

• Chicken breast

• Potato

• Avocado

• Banana

• Cheese

• Red pumpkin

Vitamin E - a powerful antioxidant

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps your body fight infections. Researchers say vitamin E is one of the most effective nutrients for your immune function since it helps keep your T cells working at peak performance.

Foods rich in vitamin E

Foods rich in vitamin E

• Wheat germ oil   

• Seeds: sunflower seeds 

• Nuts: almonds, peanuts and nut butters 

• Spinach 

• Broccoli 

• Kiwi 

• Mango 

• Tomato

• Spinach

Zinc - 'gatekeeper' of the immune system

Zinc is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Researchers call it the "gatekeeper" of your immune system because it's responsible for making all your immune cells work properly.

According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Hung - National Institute of Nutrition, zinc does not exist in the body as a reserve, so it must be supplemented daily. Zinc is an essential mineral for the body, it participates in the structural and functional components of the synthesis, breakdown of proteins and nucleic acids. Zinc helps slow down the oxidation process, helping to prevent many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases.

Foods rich in zinc:

Oysters are the richest food source of zinc. Other foods to increase your zinc intake include:

• Beef (lean parts only) 

• Blue crab 

• Pumpkin seeds 

• Grilled pork ribs 

• Turkey breast 

• Cheddar cheese 

• Shrimp lentils 

• Pilchard 

• Greek Yogurt 

• Milk

Selenium

Sele or selenium in the diet is an optimal way to keep you healthy. According to the researchers, it not only activates your immune system when there's a threat but it also tells your immune system when to "brake". That means it can keep your immune system from being overworked, protecting you from chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and psoriasis…

Eating a variety of foods helps your body get the optimal amount of vitamins.

Foods rich in selenium:

Dr. Zumpano recommends getting enough of these selenium-rich foods. Foods listed higher on this list contain the most selenium:

• Nuts: cashews, almonds 

• Tuna 

• Halibut 

• Pilchard 

• Lean 

• Cheese 

• Brown rice 

• Egg 

• Oatmeal 

• Milk and yogurt 

• Lentils 

• Nuts and seeds 

• Peas

2. A colorful diverse diet will help you get the right amount of vitamins

Zumpano recommends eating a variety of foods and trying to eat fruits and vegetables from all colors of the rainbow. Your dishes will be more appealing and you will ensure that you are getting as many vitamins and nutrients that promote good health.

Your body absorbs and uses vitamins and nutrients better when they come from the foods you eat than from supplements.

Some supplements can also have side effects, especially if taken before surgery or with other medications. Supplements can also cause problems if you have certain health conditions. And the effects of many supplements have not been tested in children, pregnant women, and other groups.

Vì vậy, hãy luôn tham khảo ý kiến của bác sĩ hoặc chuyên gia dinh dưỡng trước khi bạn muốn bổ sung bất cứ loại thực phẩm chức năng hay thực phẩm bổ sung nào.

So always consult your doctor or nutritionist before you want to take any dietary supplements. 

According to VOV