Best Fruits and Vegetables to Help Boost Immune System

Regularly eating fresh fruits and vegetables is the natural way to boost your immune system. These great-tasting fruits and vegetables are nature's way of keeping you healthy. Natural foods that are high in Vitamins A, C, E, B-6, zinc and folic acid are beneficial in supporting the immune system [1]. It is much more fun to eat your way to health than to take pills or supplements anyway, so here are six great fruits and six great vegetables that are sure to give your immune system the boost it needs this winter.

Kiwi is loaded with Vitamin C despite being very low in calories. Two medium kiwi add only 90 calories to your diet but deliver a whopping 240% of the daily value for Vitamin C. The kiwi will also provide 450 mg of potassium and four grams of dietary fiber. That is a lot of benefit from such a small fruit. Kiwi is great eaten alone, in a fruit medley, or as a topping for yogurt.

Oranges are frequently associated with Vitamin C. One medium-sized orange delivers 130% or the daily value for Vitamin C. An orange also provides 250 mg of potassium yet has only 80 calories. Oranges are great eaten plain or easily juiced to make a nutritious drink.

Grapefruit are also very high in Vitamin C with one-half of a grapefruit containing 100% of the daily value for Vitamin C. Grapefruit are surprisingly low in calories. Half of a grapefruit contains only 60 calories. Grapefruit are often linked with diets and weight loss but are also an excellent citrus fruit for boosting your immune system. Grapefruit are often eaten plain (sometimes with a sweetener added though) and are also easily juiced to make a refreshing, healthy fruit beverage.

Cantaloupe provides a high level of Vitamin C and Vitamin A. Vitamin A supports healthy skin - our first line of defense against illness and infection [2]. Cantaloupe contains 80% of the daily value of Vitamin C and 120% of the daily value of Vitamin A in one-fourth of a melon. This serving size contains only 50 calories.

Strawberries are another Vitamin C storehouse with eight berries delivering an astonishing 160% of daily value for Vitamin C. These strawberries will also provide 170 mg of potassium while only adding 50 calories to your diet. Strawberries are great to eat alone or easily mashed into a sauce to serve as a dessert with biscuits. Strawberries also go well with a fruit salad.

Blueberries are high in Vitamin B, another important immune system booster. Blueberries are easily eaten plain and are also good as a topping for yogurt or cereal.

Spinach may cause many of us to think of Popeye and large muscles, but it also plays an important role in immune function because of its naturally high antioxidants [1]. Spinach can be cooked and eaten with butter and salt or eaten raw as a salad green.

Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C with one stalk containing 220% of the daily value. This one stalk of broccoli also provides 460 mg of potassium, three grams of dietary fiber, and four grams of protein. Broccoli can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, or served in many other cooked dishes and contains only 45 calories.

Carrots deliver 110% of the daily value for Vitamin A along with 250 mg of potassium and two grams of dietary fiber. The Vitamin A is useful for immune function support as well as skin and eye health. A carrot has only 30 calories. Carrots can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed, or served in soups, stews or casseroles.

Bell peppers are high in Vitamin C with one medium pepper containing 190% of the daily value for Vitamin C. Bell peppers also 220 mg of potassium and two grams of dietary fiber. A bell pepper has only 25 calories. Bell peppers can be eaten raw or cooked with just about anything to spice up the meal.

Cauliflower is also a good source of Vitamin C with 100% of the daily value contained in one-sixth of a cauliflower head. This serving of cauliflower contains only 25 calories yet has 260 mg of potassium and two grams of dietary fiber. Cauliflower may be eaten raw or cooked.

Sweet potatoes contain 120% of the daily value for Vitamin A in one medium-sized potato. This potato also offers 440 mg of potassium and two grams of dietary fiber. Sweet potatoes may be boiled or baked before serving.

These fruits and vegetables provide tasty ways to support your immune system. A variety of green and yellow-orange fruits and vegetables is the natural way to support your immune system or give it the boost that it deserves. Do yourself a favor next time you are at the market and stock up on nature's immune system boosters.

The nutrition information and daily values were obtained from the US Department of Agriculture. For more nutritional information about fruits and vegetables visit Nutrition.gov.

[1] Dustin Driver, "Boost Your Immune System", AskMen.com
[2] Judy Muller, "Boost Immune System", MindBodyHealth.com
Natural Therapy Clinic, "Boost Immune System: What Is The Function of the Immune System", NaturalTherapyClinic.com
USDA, "US FDA/CFSAN - Nutrition Information for Raw Fruits, Vegetables and Fish", Nutrition.gov