COVID and other viruses leave you tired, stuffed up, and off your game. Even a mild case is a drag, so now is the time to strengthen your immune system by eating all the right foods, getting sleep, exercising, and taking care of yourself. Here are the 17 best foods to choose to help you stay healthy all winter long by boosting your immune system.

There are simple things you can do to supply your killer T cells and other immune responses with all the ammo required to fight off viruses. Eat healthy and incorporate into your daily diet the best immunity foods that have been shown to help fight off COVID, both before or after you are exposed.

Below is a list of the best immune-boosting foods to add to your diet. To further strengthen your immune system get plenty of sleep, fit in your daily exercise, and do all the self-care rituals that help you relieve stress.

Read More: Try the 3-Day Immunity Boosting Meal Plan

A Plant-Based Diet and COVID

Soon after the first wave of the pandemic hit, doctors and immunological experts began to recommend that their patients most vulnerable to serious symptoms (with a pre-existing condition or who have diabetes or lung conditions) switch to a mostly plant-based diet, which is known to bolster up the immune system.

One doctor urged his patients to eat mostly fruit and vegetables and stay away from inflammation-causing meat, dairy, and processed food, in light of COVID-19. And of course, get the vaccinations and boosters that are available to you.

The Best Immune-Boosting Foods to Eat

1. Apples

Apples are the reigning prince of fruit when it comes to fiber, with 4.4 grams per fruit, which helps shift your microbiome to lower inflammation and fight diseases from heart disease to diabetes and even cancer. The more fiber in your diet, the more your immune cells can sweep for “other problems” including attacking agents like viruses or other infections.

To understand the role of soluble fiber and immunity, scientists studied how fiber can help shift the gut microbiome to lower inflammation in the body and strengthen immunity in a study that showed the immune cells “change” from having to work on inflammatory diseases to instead focus on invaders from outside.

“Soluble fiber changes the personality of immune cells – they go from being pro-inflammatory, angry cells to anti-inflammatory, healing cells that help us recover faster from infection,” said Gregory Freund, a professor at the U of Illinois College of Medicine. This happens because soluble fiber causes increased production of an anti-inflammatory protein.

How much soluble fiber to eat in a day: The recommended amount is that women need at least 25 grams of fiber a day and men should get at least 38 grams of fiber a day, but more is better. An apple has more than 4 grams of fiber, but you can also get fiber from oats, as well as black beans, broccoli, pears, sweet potatoes, figs, avocados, nectarines, flax seeds, sunflower seeds as well as other fruits and vegetables.

2. Citrus Fruits

Your body does not produce vitamin C, which means you need to get it daily to have enough to create healthy collagen (the building blocks for your skin and healing). Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient found in leafy greens and citrus, especially grapefruit, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, and clementines. It acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals.

How much vitamin C do you need a day? The recommended daily amount to shoot for is 65 to 90 milligrams a day, which is the equivalent of one small glass of orange juice or eating a whole grapefruit. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C. With such a variety to choose from, it’s easy to get your fill.

3. Red Peppers

Want even more vitamin C than that orange you eat every morning? Add red bell peppers to your salad or pasta sauce. One medium-sized red bell pepper contains 152 milligrams of vitamin C, or enough to fulfill your RDA.

Peppers are also a great source of beta carotene, a precursor of vitamin A (retinol). Vitamin A is important for healthy skin, mucous membranes, and your immune system. Beta carotene helps keep your eyes and skin healthy, as well. One cooked pepper has 19 percent of your daily recommended amount of beta carotene.
How much beta carotene do you need a day? You should try to get 75 to 180 micrograms a day which is the equivalent of one medium bell pepper a day. But a red pepper has more than two and a half times your RDA for vitamin C so eat them all winter long.

4. Broccoli

Broccoli may be the most super of all the superfoods on the planet. It’s rich in vitamins A and C as well as being a good source of lutein, a powerful antioxidant, and sulforaphane, another potent antioxidant.

Broccoli also contains additional nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, lutein, and iron which support your immunity. Lutein is one of 600 known naturally occurring carotenoids and is found in high quantities in green leafy veggies such as spinach and kale.

There’s another thing you need to know about broccoli, and why it’s important to not overcook it. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a compound that is a killer to a bug chewing on the stalk in the garden and equally deadly to “invaders” like viruses when they enter the body. Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in several cruciferous vegetables like bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale, but broccoli has the most.

How much should you eat in a day? There is no RDA for lutein, but experts say to get at least 6 milligrams. That means try to eat a half cup or more of broccoli a day. Throw it in sauces, salads, and grain bowls.

5. Garlic

Garlic isn’t just a great flavor enhancer, it’s essential for your health. Ancient humans valued garlic as an infection fighter, which is why so much of our traditional diets include it as a first ingredient (making pasta sauce for instance). Value it and use it liberally for fighting infections.

Garlic’s immune-boosting properties are tied to its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Allicin is thought to improve your immune cells’ ability to fight off colds and flu, and viruses of all kinds. (Smelling more garlic on the subway? It could be smart coronavirus management.) Garlic also has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties thought to fight off infections.

How much should you eat in a day: The optimal amount of garlic to eat is more than most of us can fathom: Two to three cloves a day. While that may not be doable, realistically, some people take garlic supplements to get 300 mg of dried garlic in a powdered tablet.

6.  Ginger

Ginger is another ingredient that has super properties when it comes to fighting off illness. It has been shown to decrease inflammation, which can help if you get swollen glands or a sore throat, or any inflammatory ailment.

Gingerol, the main bioactive compound in ginger, is a relative of capsaicin and can be used in sweet or spicy dishes. It has been found to alleviate pain and fight nausea, which is the reason ginger ale was given for upset stomachs, back when it contained actual ginger. Now few store-bought formulations do. Make your own ginger tea. Gingerol is responsible for many of its medicinal properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

How much ginger should you eat a day? Most recommendations land on 3–4 grams of ginger extract a day, or up to four cups of ginger tea, but no more than 1 gram a day if you are pregnant. Some studies have linked high dosages to an increased risk of miscarriage.

7. Spinach

Spinach is not only packed with vitamin C but also antioxidants and beta carotene, both of which give your immune system the healthy boost it needs to fight off invaders.

Don’t overcook your spinach, since the more it’s cooked the less active the antioxidants will be. If you eat it raw or lightly steamed you’ll keep more of the nutrients intact.

How much should you eat a day: Aim for 1 cup of fresh spinach or 1/2 cup cooked per day, but this is the right moment to try the raw or slightly wilted approach. Order warm or wilted spinach salad when you go out, or make it yourself with olive oil, pine nuts, and vegan parm.

8.  Almonds

Vitamin E in almonds will help ward off colds and flu and is key to your immune system humming along. It’s a fat-soluble molecule, meaning it requires the presence of fat to be absorbed, so nuts are the perfect package for E to make it into your system.

How many almonds should you eat in a day? A half-cup serving, or 46 whole, shelled almonds, provides almost 100 percent of your RDA of vitamin E. Almonds are great for you but they don’t come with a  “free” pass, since 1/4 cup is a serving and has 162 calories, so double that for your RDA and you’re eating about 325 calories. Throw them into smoothies instead.

9. Turmeric

If you ever feel healthier eating curry, it is probably because of turmeric, which is an ingredient that gives it its burnt orange color. But this highly pigmented spice is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. The ingredient curcumin has been found to decrease muscle soreness after a hard workout. How does it help immunity? decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.

How much turmeric should you eat in a day? Try adding extra turmeric to your diet during periods of stress or during flu season. Or take 500-2,000 mg of curcumin to help fight inflammation and power up your immune system.

10. Green Tea

Teas have been shown to help boost immunity and fight aging since they are packed with antioxidants and powerful phytochemicals. Whether you prefer green tea or black tea, you will benefit from the compounds called flavonoids, powerful antioxidants in most herbal teas. Green tea has high levels of EGCG, (epigallocatechin gallate) another hard-working antioxidant.

EGCG is known to boost immune function, and originally all tea leaves contain this anti-oxidant, but when black tea is fermented it deactivates most of the EGCG. Green tea is steamed so the EGCG is still active when you drink it.

Green tea also contains L-theanine, an anti-oxidant that appears to help in the production of T-cells in your body, the killer  L-theanine may aid in the production of germ-fighting compounds in your T-cells.

How much green tea should you drink in a day? The optimal amount is three to five cups in a day, but most people won’t get to that level. Any amount is better than nothing. Swapping out a usual beverage daily for green tea could improve your health.

11. Papaya

Papaya delivers over twice your recommended daily amount of vitamin C in one fruit –– though you’re likely to eat a few slices on a salad or in a smoothie. It also contains an enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects, and inflammation is one factor in most illnesses, so avoiding it can help your body fight off bacterial infections like sinusitis.

Papayas contain potassium, vitamin B, and folate, which is a powerful cell rebuilder. Exactly how folic acid works to build immunity is linked to its role in protein synthesis, and researchers think that any mechanism in which cells proliferate can be affected (which is why it’s critical for pregnant women). People who are folate-deficient have compromised immune systems.

How much folate should you eat a day: Whether you are pregnant or not, folate (vitamin B9) is a great vitamin to keep your cells healthy and strong. The recommendation is 400 micrograms a day, or get it from legumes, spinach, papayas, and avocados.

12. Kiwi Fruit

When you think of anti-oxidants, you should think of fruits that grow in the sun, since their vitamin pack comes from having to fight off the oxidation of the strong rays that beat down on them in the tropics. Kiwis are a great example. They are full of folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, and potassium.

These vitamins in combination work in the body to build healthy cells, fight infection and keep your immune system humming along. Vitamin K deficiency is rare but when people don’t have enough they suffer from weak bones and compromised immune systems. The inflammation system in the body is also dependent on vitamin K, especially your killer T cells that mobilize and fight cancer and other diseases.

How much vitamin K should you eat in a day? Vitamin K is one of the unsung heroes of the body. Women should get 90 micrograms a day, and men should have 120 micrograms.

13. Sunflower Seeds

Most seeds are filled with nutrients since they give the plant a healthy start. But sunflower seeds are especially healthy since they provide phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin B-6 as well as vitamin E. Your immune system needs vitamin E to function at full throttle. You can also get vitamin E from avocados and spinach and broccoli.

How many sunflower seeds should you eat in a day? Anywhere from 1 ounce (30 grams) per day to a healthy handful is considered healthy, but because they are high in sodium you might want to refrain from eating the entire bag. The raw seeds have 204 calories per quarter cup.

14. Miso Soup or Paste

You’ve had miso soup at your favorite Japanese restaurant and perhaps even thought: “This tastes incredibly healthy! If a bit salty.” Both thoughts are true. Miso is a fermented paste that adds a salty umami flavor to many Japanese dishes and soups. Most miso is made in Japan, where the ingredient has been used since the eighth century.

Miso needs no preparation and adds a touch of saltiness to soups, marinades, and dressings. Some people credit miso as a factor in Japanese longevity. Japan has more centenarians per capita of the population than anywhere else in the world –– and Japan has one of the lowest rates of obesity.

The nutrients in miso, which is a soybean paste that has been fermented with salt and a koji starter, boost immune system function by delivering healthy probiotics to the gut, making your microbiome healthier. How does Miso benefit your immune system?  It is a “SIRT” food, which are foods that contain high levels of ‘sirtuins’ or proteins that regulate cells and activate metabolism. A diet high in sirts is believed to lead to weight loss, increased wellness, and longevity.

How much miso should you eat in a day? Researchers believe that consuming one bowl of miso soup per day, as is the tradition in Japan, lowers the risks of breast cancer. Other than its high sodium content there is no reason to stay away from miso with all its varied health benefits. We say cheers to that.

15. Blueberries

Nothing helps your body fight off infection better than a bowl of mixed berries, especially blueberries, which contain powerful antioxidants that give the fruit its vibrant color.

Blueberries contain a flavonoid called anthocyanin, which helps boost your immune system and fight off systemic stress of any kind including toxins.

In a recent study, researchers found that flavonoids play an essential role in your respiratory tract’s immune defense system, especially helpful in the case of infections that target the lungs such as COVID-19. People who eat a diet rich in flavonoids are less likely to get sick from an upper respiratory tract infection, or common cold than those who don’t eat berries regularly.

How many blueberries should you eat? Get one cup of berries a day in a smoothie or bowl, as a snack or dessert. The calories burn slowly thanks to the fiber in the fruit, so you can eat them and not worry about a spike in blood sugar.

16. Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been shown to help support the immune system, in study after study. They are high in antioxidants like selenium that help support immune function and protect your cells from disease-causing damage. Mushrooms are also a rich source of vitamin D, which is critical for the immune system and lower levels of vitamin D have been tied to worse symptoms of COVID.

All mushrooms contain vitamin D and some mushrooms increase their vitamin D levels when exposed to sunlight or UV light, according to the Mushroom Council. The nutrients found in mushrooms have also been shown to suppress growth and help prevent the recurrence of hormone-dependent breast cancers, studies have shown.

How many mushrooms to eat in a day? Even just adding one small mushroom a day was linked to a decrease in the risk of breast cancer. When it comes to immunity, the more mushrooms you eat the healthier you’ll be.

17. Carrots

Beta carotene is one of the “server” antioxidants that helps your body use vitamin A, which is a vital nutrient for cell growth and in supporting your eyes, heart, lungs, and kidney function. A large carrot contains six milligrams of beta carotene, enough to convert to 1,000 mcg of vitamin A.

How many carrots to eat in a day? You can eat carrots or drink carrot juice. One study showed that drinking 16 ounces of carrot juice a day for three months helped to significantly increase the total antioxidant profile and lowered markers for inflammation, heart disease, and blood pressure. Carrot seeds and extract have been shown to have powerful anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

 Bottom Line: Eat These Immunity-Boosting Foods to Fight Viruses.

The fact that COVID is hanging around means that we should eat immune-boosting foods daily and do everything possible to boost our immune system. Try incorporating these 17 foods that have been shown to strengthen your immune system, and help you be stronger and healthier on a cellular level.

For more research-backed advice, visit The Beet’s Health & Nutrition articles. 

The post 17 Immune-Boosting Foods to Help You Fight Off Viruses appeared first on The Beet.

Hopefully, you have mild symptoms, that resemble nothing more than a cold, due to the fact that you are vaccinated and boosted. But no matter what your immunization status, there are ways to help your immune system fight off a case of COVID just as it needs to battle the flu or even the common cold since all these viruses trigger the body’s immune defense. If you eat immune-boosting foods and take care of yourself, you may even experience fewer severe symptoms and get through your COVID case that much faster.

For what to eat to strengthen your immune system against COVID (either before or after you get it) we spoke with an immunologist and specialist, Dr. Robert Lahita, Professor of Medicine at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine who has been affiliated with Weill Cornell and other venerable hospitals. He is the author of Immunity Strong, which tells readers how to kick up their immune systems to live longer, healthier lives. Dr. Bob (as he requests to be called) has some very practical and actionable advice for what to do if you get COVID and pretty much every other virus or infection out there.

“Your immune system is like the police department in a big city and that city is your body, and it has to watch out for crimes big and small and do its job to keep everything and everyone safe and sound,” Dr. Bob told The Beet. In more scientific terms, the driver of the immune system, the dispatch that signals to the body that everything is quiet, or to sound the alarms, is your gut and the microbiome living within it.

The billions of tiny organisms found in the gut are not bad for you but co-exist in a way that acts as the body’s first line of defense, so when you eat a diet rich in probiotics (like fruits and vegetables) and prebiotics (like fermented foods and drinks such as kombucha) it is a great way to give your microbiome all the energy it needs to create a healthy immune system that can head off any infection.

The 7 Foods to eat that will help you if you get COVID

Here are the best vitamins and minerals to help boost your immunity, but first, Dr. Bob says, he highly recommends that you take a multivitamin every day to fill in the gaps

“I would not have always recommended this, but at the point, we are now at with COVID and our poor diets, I think it’s wise,” he says. “With nine out of 10 Americans not eating the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables a day – or not even getting three if they’re lucky – it may be time to bring back the multivitamin.”

Of course, it’s better to get your nutrients naturally, from diet, but at this point, the standard American diet is not providing what the immune system needs to function properly, Dr. Bob warns us. The most important vitamins and minerals we should be eating more of, that we are not getting from the diet, are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and zinc. “These are immune co-factors that help strengthen your immune system and help fortify it. Zinc, he says, is too often overlooked.

“I strongly recommend everyone take a multivitamin every day. I have a dispenser and I take it every day,” says Dr. Bob. “Multis have been ‘poo-poo’d’ or dismissed. I remember doing a magazine article years ago when this was the case. Everyone thought that only children needed a multi.”

But today most Americans don’t get all the nutrients they need from their diet. Only 10 percent of Americans get the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. In fact, you’re lucky if you get three, says Dr. Bob. “And there are specific immunity drivers that are essential now in the days of Covidd, such as Vitamin C, D, A, and E that you need to supplement. Iron and zinc are especially hard to get enough of if you are plant-based,” explains Dr. Bob. “So instead of worrying about it, just supplement.”

Immunity Booster 1. Vitamin C

Your daily intake should be well over 500 and up to 1000 milligrams a day is healthy, says Dr. Bob. The easiest way to get it is from citrus fruits like oranges. “I eat a clementine in the morning and one at dinner time,” he says since they have about 35 mg each. “And I get vitamin C in the multivitamin I take each morning. We know from research that a vitamin C dose of over 500 milligrams a day can help combat the common cold – and guess what? The omicron is related to the common cold.”

Eat citrus fruits like an orange in the morning                                                                                                                                                                                                                  m                                          (51 mg of vitamin C), or drink lemon water when you wake up (a lemon has 30 mg of vitamin C on average). Grapefruit is also high in vitamin C (38 mg for half a grapefruit) but Dr. Bob adds: “Make sure your medications are compatible since grapefruit can accelerate drug elimination or it can potentiate blood thinners – if you are taking those.”

Bottom Line: Eat as much citrus as you like to get vitamin C all day long

Immunity Booster 2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for immunity and most people only get a fraction of what they need, especially in the winter months when we are not exposed to as much sunlight as the rest of the year. Dr. Bob says you can either frontload your D vitamin for the week and take one large dose once a week, or you can take it daily and make sure to take it with calcium so your body absorbs what you need.

“You need 50,000 units a week or 500 a day with calcium,” he says. “I advise every patient to get a Vitamin D test from their doctor since during the winter our D levels drop. So chances are you are deficient and don’t know it. And for women or anyone with autoimmune diseases, who I see a lot in my practice, they are often short on D. So just assume you need to take vitamin D.

But don’t overdose with vitamin D. You only need an average of 500 mg a day, and some people who have taken five times that amount or more on a daily basis have had adverse side effects, such as kidney stones. As for taking it once a week, yes, your body can sustain that big amount once a week. Add it to juice, so it gets absorbed without disturbing your digestion.”

Bottom Line: Take 500 mg of vitamin D a day with calcium for best immune function

Immunity Booster 3. Zinc

Zinc is one of the key elements that you should take for general immunity, and studies have shown that it can help reduce the symptoms of COVID-19. How? zinc helps the body build the lymphocytes that your body needs to send out the immune cells into the body to kill off invaders of all kinds, and even shorten a common cold. “Zinc is crucial for normal development and function of cells mediating nonspecific immunity such as neutrophils and natural killer cells,” according to one study.

Zinc is also helpful in metabolism function. The Mayo Clinic website states: “Evidence suggests that if zinc lozenges or syrup is taken within 24 hours after cold symptoms start, the supplement can help shorten the length of colds.” Women need 8 mg daily and men 11 mg.

The best foods for zinc include tofu, hem, lentils, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, shiitake mushrooms, black beans, green peas, and cashews.

Dr. Bob says it’s easier to take zinc than to get it in diet, so he keeps zinc lozenges on his desk and pops one a day. In fact, they are so popular that as he reached for one his supply was out. “I keep them right here on my desk but the nurses take them. They work! You can get them at the supermarket.”

Bottom Line: Take zinc (either 8 or 11 mg depending) to shorten the symptoms of the virus

Immunity Booster 4 & 5. Vitamin A & E for Immunity and function.

Studies show that Vitamin A is crucial for promoting healthy growth and development of cells and protecting the epithelial tissue that surrounds all your organs and that infections or viruses have to pass through to attack any parts of the body. It is also essential to creating healthy mucus which lines the nose and helps capture invading airborne agents that you might inhale. “Vitamin A is also known as an anti-inflammation vitamin because of its critical role in enhancing immune function,” studies have found.

“I take vitamin E for my skin and immune support,” Dr. Bob adds. Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant in the human body that also helps the immune system fight infections. One way it does this, studies show, is that It widens blood vessels and this helps to keep clots from forming in them.

“It’s hard to get all the vitamin E you need from your diet, so do take a supplement. I take 200 units of E every day.” Vitamin E, which is found in nuts, oil, and other foods, has anti-aging benefits and can prevent inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease and some cancers, studies have found.

Bottom Line: Take Vitamins A and E to boost immunity, either a supplement or in food

Immunity Booster 6. Iron

Iron is essential to the immune response in the body, studies have shown. “The role of iron in immunity is necessary for immune cells proliferation and maturation, particularly lymphocytes, associated with the generation of a specific response to infection,” according to one study.

“Most people think iron only comes from animal products but in fact, watercress is high in iron,” says Dr. Bob. So are spinach and arugula. Beans are rich sources of iron, as are pumpkin seeds and quinoa. Eat white mushrooms, lentils, potatoes, tofu among other high iron foods. It’s actually easy to get enough iron on a plant-based diet.

“Many vegetables and most legumes contain iron,” says Dr. Bob. Men need 8 mg a day while women need over double that amount, or 18 mg a day.

The best way to get all these every day is simply to take a multivitamin, says Dr. Bob.

Bottom Line: You need iron to create healthy immune cells. Get it in beans and vegetables

Immunity Booster 7. Take pre-and pro-biotics for gut health

And Dr. Bob adds: “We need to think about the microbiome, the billions of bacteria that live in the but as well as the lungs, around the hear, in every part of our bodies, which should not be thought of as bad – but rather as co-existing with us to help keep the body running smoothly. You need probiotics and prebiotics, in the form of fiber-filled foods or fermented drinks like kombucha, to feed these organisms and let them signal to the immune system that everything is a-okay.”

The easiest way to support your microbiome is by eating high-fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables and drinking Fermented juices. Kombucha. WheatGrass, and other fermented foods.

Bottom Line: Eat a diet rich in fiber to create a healthy gut microbiome to spur immunity

Exercise daily. Get on the elliptical or the bicycle every day, or swim or take a walk. You need to move every single day to show your immune system that you are healthy and able. This motion not only makes your heart healthier but also every other cell in your body.

 Bottom Line: Take a Multivitamin to Help you FIght COVID If You Get It

An immune specialist says that in order to strengthen your immunity against COVID and other viruses, take a multivitamin. It’s the easiest way to make sure you are getting all the nutrients such as Vitamins C, D, A, and E plus zinc and iron, right now.

The post What to Eat If You Get COVID-19 to Help Ease Symptoms and Get Better Faster appeared first on The Beet.

As COVID-19 cases surge and Omicron spreads like a wildfire, focusing on the aspects of health that are within our control is of utmost importance. Once you’re vaccinated, boosted, masked, and socially distanced, you can still do more to help your immune system fight off a virus or infection. Get plentiful sleep, exercise often, manage stress, and eat a nutrient-dense plant-based diet.

The vegan food pyramid is a simple model you can follow to ensure you’re packing in as many immune-boosting phytonutrients as possible. (As timely bonuses, a diet that follows the vegan food pyramid will also help you achieve your New Year’s weight loss goals – and battle the effects of climate change, too.) Follow this simple graphic as a way of planning your meals and adding more antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your plate.

For Immunity and Weight Loss, Follow the Vegan Food Pyramid

For anyone who wants to eat to improve immune function and promote effortless weight loss an optimal approach is a whole-food, plant-based diet. Yet there is no easy-to-follow infographic that dictates which foods to eat in abundance, or in what quantities.

The closest thing to a new food pyramid is the vegan food pyramid, created to help remedy this. We asked Jill Edwards, MS, Director of Education for the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, for the latest version of a vegan food pyramid based on scientific studies and research that shows which types of food to eat the most of and the least of, for your healthiest day of plant-based eating. Here is her take on what foods would appear on the Vegan Food Pyramid, and in what order of priority, as well as a few examples of satisfying meals that comply with these guidelines.

What Foods Make Up the Vegan Food Pyramid?

The short answer is vegetables and fruits on the largest (bottom) row, whole grains, legumes, and seeds on the next level up (meaning eat them freely and make them the second biggest part of your diet), and whole-food fat sources at the top (so you’d eat these the least), according to Edwards. These foods appear on the pyramid in order of how nutrient-dense – and also immune-boosting – they are.

The idea of eating the largest quantities of foods that have the greatest immune benefit is not new, though it’s never been more important than it is today, in this latest wave of rising COVID cases.

Back in 2003, Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD, created the Nutritarian Food Pyramid, a diagram that organized foods by their Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) score. Foods that had the highest number of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) per calorie, such as kale and collard greens, scored 1,000 on the ANDI scale. Foods that were calorie-dense and had no nutritional value, like soda added sugar, and fried chips, scored in the single digits.

Dr. Fuhrman’s pyramid was not designed to be vegan or even plant-based, but because plant foods are by nature the most nutritious, the pyramid was made up almost completely of them. Here, we take it a step further to create the ideal 100% vegan, disease-preventing, weight loss-inducing food pyramid.

Vegan Food Pyramid Tier 1: Leafy Greens, Vegetables, and Fruits

The base (largest part) of the vegan food pyramid is made up of vegetables and fruits, with a focus on leafy greens. These are the foods that should be consumed in the highest quantities, filling the majority of your plate at every meal.

One revelatory study showed immune cells vital for gut health are produced in response to our eating cruciferous vegetables — and these same cells are also believed to help control food allergies, obesity, and some cancers. Collard greens, kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower are all examples of superfoods that have this magical effect on the gut microbiome. These nutrient-dense vegetables are credited with a plethora of other health benefits – from improving brain function to fighting belly bloat – and should be eaten as often as possible. But don’t get stuck in a dietary monochromatic way of eating.

“You want to eat as many different colors of fruits and vegetables as possible each day because every color provides us with different nutrients and phytonutrients,” she said, noting that starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes and potatoes, for example) are included on this tier of the pyramid. Sweet potatoes are an uber-rich source of beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A — a crucial nutrient for fighting inflammation and supporting your body’s immune response to viruses and other infections. Potatoes, often misconstrued as a non-nutritive food, are a good source of folate, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C.

Red bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oranges, and spinach are also rich in vitamin C, and vitamin C intake has been linked to increased white blood cell production. Since white blood cells are crucial warriors in fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses like the coronavirus, it makes sense to eat foods from this category every day for a natural immune boost.

Berries are also among the fruits that pack the biggest immune-boosting punch, and many nutrition experts recommend eating them daily. The humble little blueberry you’ll find on any grocery store shelf is one of the biggest standouts. Blueberries have been linked to lower blood pressure and higher metabolism, mostly due to the fruit’s powerful anthocyanins (the pigment that gives them their deep periwinkle hue).

One study showed berries to be effective in improving memory and cognitive function, making them a possible aid in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Many others have found them to lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and improve a number of other markers of cardiovascular health.

There are too many powerhouse immune-boosting foods on this tier of the pyramid to call out individually, but suffice it to say that eating a rainbow (that’s salads, not Skittles!) is a crucial component of building your body’s defenses against illness and chronic disease.

Vegan Food Pyramid Tier 2: Whole Grains and Legumes

The second tier up from the bottom is split between whole grains and legumes. Brown and black rice, quinoa, amaranth, barley, oats, whole wheat, and sprouted grains are examples of whole grains to seek out; white flour, white rice, and other highly processed and refined grains are best to avoid, Edwards said.

As far as legumes, focus on eating beans, peas, and lentils which are also a cheap source of clean protein. They’re also full of fiber (a cup-and-a-half of beans supplies your minimum daily intake of 30 grams a day), which makes them a superior food for weight loss.

Fiber has no calories, but makes you feel satisfied by filling you up and slowing digestion, which keeps blood sugar levels steady, and prevents them from spiking, which in turn leads to insulin spikes and signals the cells to store excess energy as fat. Legumes are also high in prebiotics, meaning they “feed” the good bacteria in the gut, and therefore help prevent gut-related illnesses — and there are a lot of illnesses associated with the gut.

Seeds also fall into this food pyramid rung (such as chia, flax, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds). since although they’re not legumes, seeds are powerful protein sources and contain fiber and heart-healthy fats —including omega-3 fatty acids. These so-called good fats help regulate heart rate, lower blood pressure, improve blood vessel function and potentially reduce inflammation —and should therefore be eaten regularly.

This second tier of the pyramid is vital to healthy eating and especially for anyone trying to lose weight, since they may assume that because these foods are thought of as full of carbs they need to be avoided. But in fact, these foods help the body regulate energy use and can be beneficial to helping the body burn fuel steadily, and that can help with natural weight loss.

Foods on this tier of the pyramid are low on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t cause the blood sugar spikes you’d experience with refined carbohydrates (like white bread, white rice and added sugar). Instead, whole grains and legumes help stabilize blood sugar and provide a significant source of plant-based protein and overall calories vegans need to function at their best.

Failure to include whole grains and legumes at every meal is one of the most common reasons people abandon attempts at going plant-based since they end up hungry and reach for the wrong foods. “Nine times out of ten, they’re not eating enough of the right foods that are satiating, so they’re not getting full,” Edwards explains. “Whole grains and legumes are the foods that are going to really fill people up.”

And eating these complex carbohydrate foods won’t cause weight gain, she adds, especially if you’re filling most of your plate with fiber-rich vegetables and fruits from the base of the vegan food pyramid.

“When we look at the evidence and the research, predominantly plant-forward, minimally processed diets are the ones that are going to aid long-term weight loss the best,” Edwards said. “Trying to drastically limit carbohydrates on a keto diet may work for short-term weight loss, but it also comes with long-term health implications and is hard to sustain.”

Vegan Food Pyramid Tier 3: High-Fat Whole Foods

Avocados, nuts, olives, coconut, and other high-fat whole foods sit at the top of the pyramid and should be eaten sparingly, Edwards said. While some dietary fat is essential, low-fat diets have been shown to provide the biggest health benefits, especially when it comes to lowering the risk of heart disease.

Not on the Vegan Food Pyramid: Extracted Oils

Notably absent from this pyramid are oils — even olive and coconut oils. This may be confusing for those who have long read about the amazing health benefits of coconut oil or olive oil. But if you’re scoring foods based on nutrient density, these fats are too calorie dense for the bargain and don’t make the cut. While each packs 100 calories of pure fat per tablespoon, their micronutrient contents are negligible. It’s better to get your dietary fats from whole foods (even a cup of oats has five grams!) than from extracted oils.

Also missing from this version of the pyramid are sugar and highly processed foods (like store-bought plant-based meat alternatives and cheeses made from cashew or coconut or oat milk, for example). But if you can’t imagine life without these goodies, don’t be deterred.

“Those faux animal products have a place,” says Edwards. “They’re fantastic for the transition for people trying to eat less meat for health reasons, and their environmental impact is better than beef burgers. Just use them as a treat and sparingly, because, from a health perspective, they’re not fantastic.”

How Much Should I Eat on the Vegan Food Pyramid?

If you like to eat, there’s good news: In terms of quantity, you’ll likely be eating more on a whole-foods, plant-based diet than on a meat-and-dairy centric diet. As far as exact portion size, Edwards offers guidance but advises that you put the measuring cup and scale aside.

As long as you’re eating a varied whole-food, plant-based diet, you don’t have to get caught up in measuring and counting servings and portions. Just follow the pyramid.

Fruits and vegetables: Six to seven servings per day (a serving equals one cup, cooked). These are the most crucial foods for building a healthy immune system and they’re as calorie-light as they are nutrient-dense, so they’re great for weight loss as well.

• Whole grains: Between six and eight servings (a serving is a half-cup, cooked or a slice of bread). Oats, quinoa, and amaranth are among the most potent disease-fighting foods in this category, though amaranth and quinoa are technically seeds).
• Legumes and seeds: Three half-cup servings per day of cooked legumes and a tablespoon of seeds. Beans are essential for weight management and gut health.
• High-fat foods: These are at the top of the pyramid. Limit the intake of these foods, such as nuts and avocados, to one small serving per day.

What Do You Eat Following the Vegan Food Pyramid?

Edwards does not especially like to cook, so she favors recipes that require a minimum of time and effort, while still checking all boxes for nutritional excellence.

For a healthy plant-based breakfast, she favors easy banana pancakes made from bananas, oats, and plant milk, and topped with antioxidant-rich berries and applesauce; or a green smoothie with frozen banana, flaxseed, cucumber, and carrot.

“Smoothies are a great way to get in those base-of-the-pyramid items,” said Edwards, who makes a priority of consuming inflammation-fighting leafy greens with every meal, which goes a long way toward keeping her rheumatoid arthritis in check.

For lunch, black beans over brown rice, with greens, tomatoes, avocado, or another authentic Mexican-style meal is plant-based, satisfying, and delicious. Another bowl she favors – this time with a Japanese spin – is the Vegan Sushi Power Bowl.

For dinner, a hearty lentil soup or an easy plant-based chickpea curry are low-maintenance, highly nutritious meals with plenty of protein and antioxidants.

As far as snacks, Edwards, who touts the myriad benefits of intermittent fasting, thinks it best not to graze all day. “Our digestive system needs a break,” she explained. But if snacking is a necessity, she said reaching for carrots and hummus; a piece of fresh fruit; roasted chickpeas; or a whole-food packaged snack like a Larabar would be the best bet.

What’s the Macronutrient Breakdown of a Healthy Vegan Diet?

The Vegan Food Pyramid breaks down to about 70 to 80 percent carbohydrates, 10 to15 percent protein, and 15 percent fat.

Is That Enough Protein?

The USDA guidelines support a diet in which fewer than 10 percent of calories come from protein, even for people who are active. This is easily achievable on a plant-based diet, as many plant-based foods are composed of more than 10% protein. Oats, for example, are around 13% protein; lentils are about 25% protein, and spinach is 50% protein. (Calorie for calorie, that’s higher than steak’s protein composition.) The point is, if you eat a variety of plant-based foods – including many from the second tier of the vegan food pyramid – you will easily meet your protein needs.

And besides, as much attention as the vegan protein question gets, most Americans are actually getting much more than they need.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is .8 grams per kilogram (g/kg) of body weight. Some experts recommend slightly higher amounts or about .9 to 1 g/kg of body weight, and fitness enthusiasts may also need more, or closer to 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg of body weight. If you weigh 145 pounds that equals 66.7 kg of body weight. An active person would need about 9 x 66 = about 59 grams of protein a day.

“People in this country don’t have health issues because of protein deficiency. They have health issues because of fiber deficiency. There are decades of misinformation on this,” Edwards said.

Bottom Line: To Boost Immunity and Weight Loss Follow the Vegan Food Pyramid

Whole plant foods are naturally packed with immune-boosting phytonutrients and fiber to regulate blood sugar. When you eat according to the Vegan Food Pyramid you naturally boost your immunity and make it possible to lose weight effortlessly. The closer you can get to a diet that aligns with the Vegan Food Pyramid, the better your odds of reaping the many health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.

The post For Better Immunity and Natural Weight Loss, Follow The Vegan Food Pyramid appeared first on The Beet.

Protein plays an important role in powering your body’s T-cells, the agents that go out and attack opportunistic invaders that can get into your bloodstream and cause infection, and if you lack adequate protein intake, it can impair immune reaction, studies have found. A diet low in protein leaves you open to fatigue, weakness, and low immune response, all the more reason you need to get your essential amino acids from the food you eat (which is better than supplements). Meanwhile, your body is just as happy to get its full complement of protein from plants.

The protein you eat helps repair tissue and fight off viral or bacterial infection

Proteins make up the framework of your cells, including the cells of the immune system and just about every other. But you don’t have to worry if you’re eating mostly plant-based foods, since the source of protein is less important than getting a full array of essential amino acids, specifically the 9 ones your body can’t make enough of on its own.

In rare cases of protein deficiency (very seldom in a healthy US population other than those patients being treated with chemo), your immune system can stall, but the more frequent scenario of eating too much protein can also dampen down your immune system by overtaxing your kidneys, which can’t flush it fast enough. Americans, while obsessed with eating enough protein, are likely to eat too much, according to experts. On average we eat up to twice as much protein as they need, about 100 grams a day when 60 is closer to the average that most people should get. The latest studies show that the right amount of protein is critical for your immune system to be healthiest.

In hospitals where patients lack appetite and treatments can zap their immunity, especially when someone is on chemotherapy for cancer, they are often given arginine, an amino acid that contains the most nitrogen of any, and has been shown to help boost immunity and speed up healing, according to the latest research. Another amino acid, glutamine, travels in your blood cells to offer your intestinal cells curative effects, which can prevent microbial contamination from the food you eat. But for most of us, supplements are not the answer, a healthy diet with a variety of vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, and seeds will do it.

How much protein is the right amount to support a healthy immune system

“The truth is that most Americans, including vegetarians and vegans, consume more than enough protein to help support basic physiological demands, and consuming more protein than you need won’t ‘boost’ your immune system,” says Katie Mikus, Manager of Scientific Affairs for Glanbia, which makes a plant-based supplement called Gold Standard 100% Plant. “Most healthy adults should aim to get around 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day –or roughly 55 to 80 grams of protein a day for a 150 lb adult.”

For the right amount of protein for your size, activity level, age, and gender, check out this handy calculator.   “Those looking to build or maintain muscle mass may wish to consume as much as 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day,” she adds.

What are the best sources of plant-based protein?

When it comes to protein quality, look for protein sources that are easily digested and contain all 9 essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that must be consumed through whole foods or supplements because the body cannot make sufficient quantities to meet demand.

The richest plant sources of proteins tend to be legumes like soybeans, chickpeas, and beans and whole grains like quinoa and amaranth as well as certain vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruit. For a complete list of the best sources of plant-based proteins, see the 20 top vegetables for protein, compiled by The Beet.

Incomplete proteins versus complete proteins, and how to get what your body needs

Many plant-based proteins are “incomplete,” meaning they lack one or more of the 9 essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own. “Complimentary incomplete plant proteins can be combined to create a complete protein. For example, grains tend to be low in lysine and high in methionine and cysteine, whereas legumes tend to be high in lysine and low in methionine and cysteine,” Mikus explains. “So combining rice and beans will give you a complete protein, or peanut butter and whole wheat bread are examples of complementary proteins that make a complete protein when eaten together.”

Complimentary plant proteins don’t necessarily have to be eaten together as long as you consume protein from a variety of plant sources throughout the day. For more on how to get your complete proteins, see The Beet’s story on perfect plant-based proteins.

Complete proteins are found in these plant foods:

• Miso (32 grams per cup)
• Tempeh (31 grams per cup)
• Tofu (with 10 grams a cup)
• Edamame (17 grams per cup)
• Amaranth (9 grams of protein per cup)
• Quinoa (8 grams per cup)
• Buckwheat (with 5.7 grams of protein per cup)
• Ezekiel bread (4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per slice)

But rather than worry about getting all 9 essential amino acids at one sitting, simply eat a varied plant-based diet throughout the day and your body can take care of the rest. One easy way is to combine rice and beans, but you can also just make sure to get a variety of plant-based foods and be sure to include legumes like chickpeas in your lunch salad. You don’t have to eat all the building blocks at once, as nutritionists once thought since your body has the extraordinary ability to assemble them into the necessary proteins to operate at peak performance.

How can you create a perfect meal or day of eating for the best immunity?

Eating to support a healthy immune system is as simple as following the basic principles of healthy eating. Your best bet: Consume a variety of foods and try to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, and make at least half of the grains you eat whole grains.  Try to limit processed foods, excess sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats which drive up inflammation. In addition to proper nutrition and hydration, getting adequate sleep, minimizing and managing stress, and incorporating regular physical activity are all healthy lifestyle choices that help support a healthy immune system.

The post Eat Protein To Boost Your Immunity. Here’s Exactly How Much You Need appeared first on The Beet.

Enter the three-day Immune-Boosting Diet from Plantable, the plant-based food delivery service that has made it easy to join the ranks of plant-based eaters, as a healthy and convenient (and delicious) way to the on-ramp to a plant-based diet. You choose the foods, they send them to you frozen, you heat them up (stovetop or microwave) to enjoy a meal of healthy ingredients.

Plantable was launched on the idea that eating healthy plant-based food should be accessible to all, and they have focused on creating meals to help promote overall health, with cancer-fighting agents and meals the let your body tap into natural weight loss.

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Fighting inflammation and boosting immunity happens with your fork

Now Plantable has introduced a special 3-day immune-boosting meal delivery service that will help you jump start your body’s fighting defenses by packing your diet full of nutrients: Vitamins C, E, and A, plus powerful plant compounds, that act as antioxidants, as well as minerals like zinc and iron, along with filling fiber-rich foods, to give you energy as you fortify your system against any and all invaders–including the dreaded COVID-19 virus.

One of the biggest immune zappers is stress, so to know that you are doing everything you can to eat an immune-boosting diet for three days should send stress packing, along with unwanted bloat, toxins, and chemicals that sneak into your regular meals (preservatives), and help you bolster your immunity in just 76 hours. Plantable has gluten-free options as well as nut-free, soy-free, and all of the ingredients are natural and could have been bought at the farm stand.

Founded by a quantum chemist, Dr. Nadja Pinnavaia, who has devoted her professional life to helping others eat a healthy plant-based diet, after losing her father at a young age and her mother later to breast cancer, Plantable has been sending delicious, easy-to-plate, chef-designed frozen meals to your door for an affordable price now for nearly 2 years. The company was founded to make eating a plant-based diet easy, “either to kickstart a new lifestyle or to provide busy people with the ease of prepared meals, made from scratch, with real, clean ingredients,” Nadja explains.

The 3-Day  Immunity Cleanse is one of the ways she is doing this. You can also opt for an á la carte box (choose your own meals and assemble your own plan for $162.50) as well as a Quick Start Plan for one week ($225) and a total Reboot, for four weeks ($175 billed weekly). The programs work to get back on track.

“In today’s world, now more than ever, we need to support our immune system. Eating a clean, plant-based diet is the easiest way to restore our immunity and keep us strong ?,” Pinnavaia says. So she created this plan.

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Immunity can be built from within, with the right foods and ingredients

By choosing the “3-Day Cleanse” you are committing to your body’s natural immune-boosting powers, adding foods like Thai Coconut Vegetable Soup for lunch, with nearly 75 percent of your daily recommended Vitamin A and loaded with anti-inflammatory veggies and herbs. Each meal takes the guesswork out of getting your daily immune-boosting ingredients, such as:

• Vitamins C and E: Found in oranges, strawberries, broccoli, mangoes, lemons, and red peppers.
• Beta-Carotene: Found in sweet potatoes, carrots, and green leafy vegetables.
• Zinc: Sources include nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and legumes.

The Cleanse costs $129 and includes: (You get 15% off with the code THEBEET15)

3 days of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Your choice of a selection of meals that feature top anti-inflammatory ingredients

• Whole food, plant-based meals chef-prepared from scratch and shipped frozen
• Online support to accompany you on your journey
• Pick your ship date and receive your meals 1-2 days later

The best part: With meals like Cherry Tomato and Pesto Flatbread and Burrito Bowl with Cilantro Lime Rice and Avocado Crema, and Ginger Carrot Soup with Seed Crumble, you’ll never be hungry or feel like you’re compromising taste for health. With the 3-Day Immunity Cleanse, you’ll feel great in just 1 to 2 days, and satisfied every single time you eat one of these delicious and tasty frozen meals.

Salut! To Your Health. And when you check out, remember to put in THEBEET15 for 15% off!

The post The 3-Day Immunity Diet: Sign Up for Meals That Deliver Powerful Antioxidants appeared first on The Beet.

Vitamin C-rich Foods

There are four main nutrients that support your immune system, each in their own unique way. First up is vitamin C, which studies have shown is an important contributor to immune function. “Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a vitamin your body needs to form blood vessels, cartilage, muscle and collagen in bones… and is vital to your body’s healing process,” according to The Mayo Clinic. Hokanson adds that “vitamin C helps stimulate the formation of antibodies” so it boosts immunity. Ascorbic acid is also an antioxidant, which helps protect your healthy cells against damage from free radicals, the registered dietician shared.

It’s no surprise that vitamin C is present in high levels in citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit as well as red bell peppers, kiwi, mangoes, and strawberries, as well as greens such as spinach, Brussel sprouts, and broccoli. Since the body doesn’t produce its own Vitamin C it must be obtained from the foods and supplements. The recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adult men is 90 milligrams (mg) and for adult women is 75 milligrams, according to The Mayo Clinic.

Top sources of Vitamin C:

• Kiwis contain about 167 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving
• Red bell peppers contain about 120 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving
• Oranges contain roughly 95 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving
• Strawberries contain roughly 90 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving
• Grapefruit contains about 72 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving
• Mangoes contain about 60 milligrams of Vitamin C per 1 cup serving

Vitamin A-rich Foods

The next major nutrient that supports your immune system is Vitamin A, which “helps protect against infection,” says Hokanson. It’s also vital for maintaining overall health. “Vitamin A (retinol, retinoic acid) is a nutrient important to vision, growth, cell division, reproduction, and immunity, The Mayo Clinic adds.

Some excellent plant-based sources of Vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. Leafy greens such as spinach, especially when cooked, also provide ample amounts. Mayo recommends adult men get 900 micrograms (mcg)  and adult women get 700 micrograms daily.

Top Sources of Vitamin A Include

• Cooked spinach contains about 943 micrograms of Vitamin A per one-cup serving.
• Sweet potato contains roughly 860 micrograms of Vitamin A per one-cup serving
• Carrots contain about 509 micrograms of Vitamin A per one-cup serving
• Broccoli contains roughly 120 micrograms of Vitamin A per one-cup serving

Vitamin E-rich Foods

Next is Vitamin E, which is important to vision, reproduction, and the health of your blood, brain and skin, according to The Mayo Clinic. It’s also been proven to help protect against cancer and is key to immune function. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant to prevent healthy cells from getting damaged by free radicals. Get your Vitamin E by eating sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, and peanut butter. Whole almonds are another great source, as is almond milk; given a choice, almonds have more Vitamin E than almond milk. Adults should try to consume 15 milligrams of Vitamin E per day.

Top Sources of Vitamin E

• Raw almonds contain about 37 milligrams of Vitamin E per one-cup serving
• Sunflower seeds, salted, contain roughly 37 milligrams of Vitamin E per one-cup serving
• Plain peanut butter contains about 24 milligrams of Vitamin E per one-cup serving
• Hazelnuts contain roughly 29 milligrams of Vitamin E per one-cup serving
• Almond milk, unsweetened, contains about 14 milligrams of Vitamin E per one-cup serving

Zinc-rich Foods

Another immune system booster is Zinc, which Hokanson says is also very helpful for wound healing. The Mayo Clinic continued, “Zinc, a nutrient found throughout your body, helps your immune system and metabolism function. Zinc is also important to wound healing and your sense of taste and smell.” Additionally, Zinc has anti-inflammatory properties, essential for the function of the immune system, according to various studies.

While sources like meat and seafood are ideal for adding Zinc to one’s diet, there are plenty of plant-based sources to utilize instead.  These include legumes like chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), kidney beans, and baked beans. Hannah added that “other plant-based Zinc food sources are pumpkin seeds (sometimes called pepitas), and cashews. According to The Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) for women and 11 milligrams for men.

• Pumpkin seeds contain about 11 milligrams of Zinc per one-cup serving
• Cashews contain roughly 7 milligrams of Zinc per one-cup serving
• Baked beans, canned, contain about 6 milligrams of Zinc per one-cup serving
• Chickpeas, canned, contain roughly 2 milligrams of Zinc per one-cup serving
• Kidney beans, canned, contain roughly 2 milligrams of Zinc per one-cup serving

For easy ways to add these healthy immune super-foods to your diet, try some of The Beet’s recipes that contain these 2o foods, such as our Moroccan-inspired Salad, with carrots, chickpeas, orange juice, and almonds.

Other easy choices are this immune-boosting smoothie, Spicy Roasted Cashews with Turmeric, Vegan Sweet Potato Tacos with Cilantro Lime Avocado Sauce, and Roasted Red Pepper & Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Rigatoni Pasta. To find even more healthy plant-based recipes using these uber-healthy foods, simply enter the ingredient into our convenient search bar to see tons of ways to use these items.

The post Eat These 20 Plant-Based Foods to Help Boost Your Body’s Immunity appeared first on The Beet.

It is an interesting question to be addressed as more data becomes available. There is quite a bit of data on the overall topic of diet and immune health, but what about plant diets?

What Do We Know About Plant Diets and Immune Function?

There are few studies to answer the question of immune function and plant diets. It would seem intuitive that any diet that reduces or eliminates added processed foods, excess salt and sugar, industrial seed oils, antibiotic and hormone residues, and excess saturated fats would offer an advantage in terms of immune health. Here are a few scientific tidbits.

1) Follow the Anti-Inflammatory Cells. Researchers in Italy studied fecal samples of 155 healthy volunteers divided by diet into omnivore, vegetarian and vegan. The stool samples were analyzed for their anti-inflammatory capacity in a model of mouse cells and no significant differences were reported.

2) Plant-Based Diet Wins. An international team of scientists studied the impact of 3 months of a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet on immune health in volunteers that were omnivores. The diet change did result in changes in the diversity of the bacteria in stool samples including the appearance of bacteria producing IgA, an immunoglobulin felt to protect the GI system. The balance  of pro vs anti-inflammatory factors measured favored the plant-strong diet.

3) White Blood Cells Count. Australian researchers performed a review of the literature regarding vegetarian diets and inflammatory and immune health. The reported that inflammation markers like CRP were lower in vegetarian-based dietary patterns along with white blood counts and fibrinogen levels (an inflammatory and clotting marker). They called for more studies to further evaluate these findings.

Micronutrients and Immune Function

Beyond food patterns, science also exists as to the role of specific micronutrients and well-functioning immune systems. A new review article on the topic detailed the role of some of these nutrients and the specific pathways of immune defense they participate in, particularly in regards to defending against viral illnesses.

The nutrients that were highlighted were adequate levels of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D E, and folate, along with the trace elements of zinc, iron, selenium magnesium, and copper. Finally, omega-3 fatty acids (like EPA and DHA) were analyzed. Inadequate intake of these nutrients are widespread and can lead to a decrease in resistance to infections. The authors concluded that supplementation with these nutrients, along with omega-3 fatty acids, was safe, effective and a low-cost strategy to help support optimal immune function. Recommendations for specific doses and types of supplements were included in the article.

What Do I Do?

I have eaten a whole food plant diet for over 40 years. Although my plate is covered with fresh (often organic) rainbow covered plants, some cooked and some raw, I have upped my game even further.

I have begun sprouting at home and eat fresh sprouts every day. I have added more colors with purple cabbage, red bell peppers, and daily servings of garlic and onions. Mushrooms of every type are part of the menu.

I have increased the heaping tablespoons of ground flax and hemp hearts. In addition, I take a daily multivitamin developed for vegans that contains: Algae omega-3, zinc, iodine, B12, vitamin D3, selenium, and magnesium.

I add to this supplemental vitamin C. I also re-mineralize my home water (filtered by reverse osmosis) to return to the water a broad range of trace minerals.

What do you do? That’s up to you.

Dr. Joel Kahn is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and author of the bestsellers: The Whole Heart Solution, Dead Execs Don’t Get Bonuses, Vegan Sex: Vegans Do It Better, The Plant-Based Solution and owner of GreenSpace & Go.

The post For a Well-Functioning Immune System, Eating a Vegan Diet May be the Answer appeared first on The Beet.

If you’re following a plant-based diet, that’s a start, and the good news is that you can push your diet and lifestyle habits even further to get that immune system in better shape. Yet can you really strengthen your immune system? “That’s somewhat of a misleading term, as people with autoimmune disease are struggling with an immune system that’s attacking their body, and they don’t want to make it stronger,” says Brooke Goldner, M.D., plant-based autoimmune disease specialist and telemedicine doctor. “Yet you can optimize your immune system to stimulate cellular repair, eliminate inflammatory processes and attack viruses.” By giving your immune system the right tools, it can help keep you healthy and make you more resistant to illness.

Now is a great time to start to optimize your immune system

And it’s never too late to start. “You might be blaming COVID-19 as a reason not to change your diet, but before that, it was work or family stress or a holiday,” Goldner says. “In other words, it’s never a convenient time to get healthier, but it’s always the right moment right now.”

So instead of lapsing into Netflix binges or indulging in too many “quarantinis,” both of which will send your health spiraling downward, commit to that immune system by following these 11 strategies from leading plant-based physicians and experts:

Immune Building Tip 1. Make fiber king

Fiber, found only in plants, is the foundation of a 100 percent whole-food, plant-only diet, but if you’re not there yet, getting your fill of fiber is especially crucial now. “Although there aren’t studies yet regarding fiber and COVID-19, a high-fiber diet has been shown in several studies to protect against respiratory viruses,” says Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., board-certified gastroenterologist in Charleston, S.C., gut health expert and author of the upcoming Fiber Fueled. Prebiotic fiber feeds the gut microbes, which get stronger and multiply, turning that fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). As studies have shown, those SCFAs activate the immune system to fight infection. Just increase your fiber intake slowly so that your gut microbiome can adapt to it.

Immune Building Tip 2. Increase your water intake

You’ve heard that you should drink 64 ounces (or eight eight-ounce glasses) of water a day? Now add 32 ounces to that. No joke – you really should be drinking 96 ounces a day. “Your cells and immune system will work better as a result,” Goldner says. And remember that anything with caffeine will count against your water intake.

Immune Building Tip 3. Add vitamin C-rich foods to your daily menu

Vitamin C helps improve the function of infection-fighting cells and may improve inflammation, says Arti Thangudu, M.D., physician and founder of Complete Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. Yet skip the supplements, especially high doses which can put you at risk of vitamin C toxicity and side effects like abdominal pain and kidney stones. Instead, get vitamin C from whole fruits and vegetables like citrus, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes and tomatoes.

Immune Building Tip 4. Sip a daily smoothie

Drinking 96 ounces of water will seem like an overwhelming task, which is where smoothies come into play. The bonus? “You’ll be loading your body with anti-inflammatory foods at the same time you’re getting your water content up,” Goldner says. Her basic recipe? 75 percent greens and 25 percent fruit (to make it taste better). Then add a handful of flax or chia and water to the same level of the greens (about 30 to 40 ounces) and sip on it all morning. (Sign up for TheBeet’s Daily Smoothie of the Day recipe here: https://thebeet.com/sign-up-for-your-smoothie-of-the-day-each-has-immune-boosting-properties/)

Immune Building Tip 5. Get your share of vitamin D

Vitamin D has been shown to optimize the immune system functioning. What’s more, “deficiency of this vitamin may impact your ability to recover from this virus,” says Gemma Newman, M.D., plant-powered family medicine physician in the United Kingdom. You can get some vitamin D from foods like sun-soaked mushrooms and fortified plant milks and cereals, but sunshine is the best source, which is why Newman recommends getting 15 minutes of exposure daily. You might even need to supplement during winter if you live in a northern climate, popping about 2000 IU per day (unless otherwise directed by your physician).

Immune Building Tip 6.  Focus on omega 3 fatty acids

Flax and chia are fantastic plant-based sources, even more so than walnuts and hemp, which also contain omega 6. That’s problematic only because most people eat too many omega 6s and not enough omega 3s. “When people come to me with compromised immune systems, I shut off the valve for omega 6s,” Goldner says. She kicks meat, dairy, oils, hemp and nuts out of the diet and asks them to eat half cup of flax and/or chia and gradually increase. “The immune system kicks in hard core and eliminates inflammation.” Her patients also report that they don’t get colds or flu as the result, but if they do, they recover quickly.

Immune Building Tip 7. Keep alcohol in check

Contrary to popular belief, alcohol has no health benefits, Goldner says. Worse? “Alcohol is inflammatory and suppresses immunity,” she adds. While you need to weigh the decision to drink carefully, if you’re an otherwise healthy individual, a few alcoholic beverages a week probably won’t hurt you – as long as you don’t let that drinking get out of control. If you’re sick, though, abstain completely.

Immune Building Tip 8. Eat your ‘shrooms

Mushrooms are a good source of vitamin D, which is important for supporting immune function, says William W. Li, M.D., an internationally renowned physician, scientist and author of the New York Times bestseller Eat to Beat Disease. They also contain a dietary fiber called beta-glucan, which boosts immunity, in part, by feeding healthy gut bacteria that influence immune response. A study in Australia gave healthy people white button mushrooms to eat for a  week, about one and one-third cups a  day, and compared to people who ate a regular diet, those who ate the mushrooms had a  55 percent increase in protective antibodies in their saliva, which lasted two weeks after they stopped eating mushrooms. An insider tip? “Beta-glucan is found at higher levels in mushrooms stems than caps so eat both caps and stems,” he says.

Immune Building Tip 9. Load up on zinc-rich foods

Zinc has been shown to reduce viral replication within cells, and although this isn’t specific to COVID-19, it makes sense to ensure that your zinc levels are optimized. Newman says. Zinc-rich foods include chickpeas, lentils, sesame seeds, tahini, pumpkin and squash seeds, pine nuts, cashews, and almonds. Also, to help zinc get to the cells that need it, add onions, berries, green tea, and matcha to your diet.

Immune Building Tip 10. Cut the crap

Exclude all processed, sugary and high-sodium foods from your diet. “They not only increase inflammation but also contribute to mood swings and weaker mental health,” says Lamiaa Bounahmidi, founder of WeTheTrillions, a company changing how women approach chronic diseases by offering plant-based foods as medicine and leveraging technology to do so.

Immune Building Tip 11. Log your Z’s

When you’re sleep deprived – or stressed, for that matter – you’re more susceptible to getting infections, Goldner says. While concerns about the virus are affecting Americans’ sleep habits – 50 to 70 million Americans are chronically sleep-deprived, according to a National Health Institutes Study – there’s never been a more critical time to get the slumber you need. Shoot for at least seven hours a night and then work on doing stress-relieving activities, whether that’s meditating, taking a bath or coloring.

The post Stay Healthy Now: 11 Tips to Boost Your Immune System During COVID-19 appeared first on The Beet.

Webb sat down with The Beet to share her morning ritual to help you start the day in a positive mindset and clean, immune-boosting nutrient-dense energy. Her de-stressing ritual involves deep breathing exercises, a 10-minute meditation, and vigorous movement (whether that is a jog, dancing in your living room or doing 12 sun salutes). Here, she shares her favorite smoothie to help you start the day with immune-boosting superfoods and clean, vegan protein powder.

Her Get Loved Up Protein Powder, a vegan, non-GMO pea protein powder with 17 grams of protein per serving that is formulated to maintain energy levels while protecting against free radicals. The Ashwagandha helps with stress and the immune system and has anti-inflammatory compounds, and the Oil of Oregano contains phenols that are also powerful antioxidants. Zinc is believed to enhance immune function, stabilize blood sugar levels, and help keep your skin, eyes, and heart-healthy; zinc can speed healing and improve acne symptoms.

The post Smoothie of the Day: Koya Webb’s Immunity-Boosting Smoothie With Herbs and Zinc appeared first on The Beet.