foods to fight the flu

I can’t tell you how many people I see walking around this time of year sniffling, sneezing, coughing all over and I wonder just how many germs find their way into my system. Apart from getting flu shots each year, I am sure to take a multi-vitamin with echinacea and zinc, and eat right to boost my immunity. I did a bit of research and found 10 foods to fight the flu to help you stay healthy this Winter. Check out this easy list of foods to add to your diet and some recipes to help you get started!

1. Fruits! I could list an assortment of different fruits but bottom line is they all provide important vitamins and minerals, and antioxidants. Eating a variety assures you get a good variety of immune boosters. Tops on the list are citrus fruits, blueberries, cranberries, apples, and bananas.

2. Veggies! Surprise… bet you didn’t see that coming. Same goes for veggies as the fruits. While eating your greens is our go-to, foods such as squash, carrots, and red pepper offer just as much healthy healing powers!

Read our Know Your Fruits and Veggies series on Daily Dish Magazine!

3. Yogurt! Yogurt contains probiotics (healthy bacteria) which boost your immunity by controlling your germ population within your gut. Yogurt Recipes on Daily Dish

4. Tea! Tea is full of antioxidants and makes a great side to any meal. Not a fan of traditional teas? No worries, there are a ton of recipes out there to mask the taste so you can still benefit like Coconut Mango Iced Tea!

5. “Milk… It Does a Body Good” True statement. Milk contains a high amount of Vitamin D which our bodies use to boost our immune system when the sun shines on our skin. Simply add some to your morning coffee, cereals or drink up a big glass!

6. Fish! Another important component to boosting your immunity is the addition to Omega-3 Fatty Acids to your diet which help to reduce chronic inflammation. A simple way to add this to your diet is fish. Try Salmon, Mackerel and Tuna for a big punch of Omega-3! Salmon Recipes on Daily Dish

7. Garlic! This one I have heard for years and the reason why is again those amazing antioxidants. Eating garlic raw delivers the highest amount of antioxidants, but supplements will due if you don’t love the flavor. (I prefer a hot pickled garlic myself, YUM!) Garlic Recipes on Daily Dish

8. Oats! Not only do you get a great amount of fiber in oats, but you also get a boost in respiratory protection from the beta-glucan from that fiber. Yay oats! Oatmeal Recipes on Daily Dish

9. Mushrooms! Mushrooms again are full of antioxidants, as well as B-vitamins. Add to soups to sneak them into your diet easily or saute with that garlic with a bit of olive oil or butter for a special treat!

10. Dark Chocolate! YES… don’t forget the chocolate! It is full of antioxidants and zinc but eat only a small amount due to the sugars and fat in this delicious treat. Stick to a higher cocoa content for the biggest boost.