Volume 17, No. 4, Fall 2009
By Debra Gibbons, R.D.
The flu season is here and many of us are seeking ways to keep ourselves healthy. Look to your diet to help improve your immune system.
The general recommendations from The American Institute of Cancer research suggests including 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The USDA food guide along with the DASH eating plan that helps prevent high blood pressure recommends four servings of fruit and five servings of vegetables. That means eating at least 4½ cups of fruits and vegetables daily. Yet the average American consumes only two or three servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
There’s a common thread running through these recommendations: modifying your intake to emphasize plant food sources can be very beneficial. Now is the time to heed their advice. And note that real foods rather than supplements are preferential.
Why more fruits and vegetables?
First, they provide essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies cannot produce. They add necessary fiber to aid in bowel regulation and in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. They keep us from getting hungry too quickly and there are many to choose from, thus adding a variety of tastes to your meal. They also may help prevent some cancers or help fight an existing cancer. In addition, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants may help fight off infections.
Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that protect and repair cells from damage caused by what we call free radicals. These can interfere with your immune system, but antioxidants help fight off this damage to keep your immune system strong. The three major antioxidant vitamins are beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. Others that may help boost your immune system are zinc and selenium.
Berries, broccoli, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kale, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, red, yellow and green peppers, and tomatoes are among the high Vitamin C sources.
Vitamin E-rich sources are broccoli, carrots, greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red pepper and sunflower seeds.
Beta-carotene and other carotenoids are found in apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, collard greens, green peppers, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato and tomatoes to name some.
Other foods rich in antioxidants are prunes, apples, raisins, all berries, red grapes, and onions.
Just imagine a rainbow of the most colorful fruits and vegetables. If a fruit or vegetable has a pungent smell or taste that’s probably a good indicator it is a fighter and more so if it, like red wine, stains your clothing.
(Ms. Gibbons is a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator.)