Nutrition Tips to help Fight Off Winter Colds

With the rise of different cold and flu strains over the past few years, supporting our immune system has never been more important. If you’re determined to stay cold and flu free, we’re sharing three simple steps in today’s article that you can take that might help you dodge those bugs.

Supporting your immunity isn’t just about taking extra vitamin C (although this can certainly help). There are plenty of fruits and vegetables that are packed with protective nutrients, as well as other foods you can eat and further actions you can take to give yourself the best chance of feeling fit and healthy, especially over the winter months when cold and flu season hits. Bolster your natural defenses with these practical and tasty suggestions…

1. Eat the rainbow

Eating a variety of different fruit and veg is a great starting point to support our body’s natural defenses. Vegetables such as sweet potatoes, butternut squash and beetroot are rich in beta-carotene which our bodies convert to vitamin A. We need vitamin A to keep the mucosal linings in our nose and lungs robust enough to defend against infection. Other foods to include are orange and red fruits such as oranges, mango, apricots and melon.

Head to the My Meals section on zeno to try delicious recipes like Butternut Squash Lentil Curry, Beetroot & Mixed Berry Smoothie and Sweet Potato Cottage Pie.

2. Get enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for overall health and studies have shown that people low in this vital vitamin are at a greater risk of infection, including those of the upper respiratory system. In the winter months, low levels of sunlight mean we need to obtain vitamin D from our diets. There are only a few food sources, of which the best are oily fish such as salmon and mackerel, eggs and mushrooms. Including a selection of these foods regularly throughout the winter months is a good way to top up your vitamin D levels.

You could try our recipes via My Meals – our vitamin D boosting faves are Coddled Egg with Salmon, Simple Superfood Salad and Mushroom & Spinach Frittata.

3. Eat more oats and barley

Grains such as oats and barley are rich in a water-soluble fibre called beta-glucans, which as well as keeping us full and satisfied, has a valuable immune modulatory effect – increasing the number and function of protective immune cells.

Try these gorgeous grain recipes from My Meals: Apple, Date & Vanilla Bircher,Carrot Cake Overnight Oats and Nut Free Flapjack.