The weather outside isn’t getting any warmer any time soon, which means cold and flu season tends to take over our homes and places of work. Whether you’re still working from home, or back in the office part-time, the risk for those pesky viruses to make us miserable goes way up when the temperatures outside drop. Nourishing our bodies with the right foods, rest, and taking precautions can help us not only prevent catching a bug in the first place but shortening the duration of our symptoms. We’ve put together a list of our favorite winter superfoods and recipes to help arm your immune system with the nutrition it needs to keep viruses at bay.

Winter Superfoods – Easy Ingredients for Cold Weather Support

While it’s true that the spring and summer seasonal produce is a little harder to find during the winter months, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a bounty of rich and delicious, fully nutritional food items to be had. Check out some of our favorite winter superfoods below, as well as some delicious winter recipes to hit the spot when you’re not feeling your best.

• Wild Salmon – Salmon is rich in zinc, and peer-reviewed studies have impressed upon us the importance of zinc and flu and cold prevention and reduction of symptoms. Not a fan of fish? Legumes like chickpeas, lentils, and beans are another great source of zinc, along with hemp seeds, eggs, and most types of meat.
• Root vegetables – A wide variety of root vegetables like beets, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots, and turnips are rich in potassium, manganese, many B vitamins, antioxidants, and beta carotene. 
• Nuts – Nuts are great year-round, and depending on the kind of nut you fancy, they can help reduce inflammation, assist the nervous system, and some are high in magnesium and vitamin E.
• Greek Yogurt – This high-protein yogurt is loaded with probiotics, and it’s even great as an alternative to sour cream in sauces, soups, and dips. Probiotics are key to maintaining gut health and some studies show that the healthy bacteria in your gut can encourage antibody development as well as other immune-boosting properties.
• Broccoli and Cauliflower – Known as cruciferous vegetables, these two blooming veggies are great sources of Vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Eggs – Rich in vitamin D, eggs are a great addition to almost any meal. Hard-boiled, Poached, scrambled…the vitamin D is an integral tool in regulating and maintaining your immune system.
• Herbal teas – Ginseng, Green, and other herbal teas are great for treating the symptoms of colds and flu infections, and can actually help boost your immune system to help prevent catching them in the first place. For example, Green Tea is chock full of flavonoids and antioxidants to help keep your immune system going strong.

Herbal teas like ginger tea are known for their immune-boosting properties. Add a little honey and you’ve got a soothing, warm drink to help stave off infections. Herbal teas for immune-boosting have been used for thousands of years.

Need a few other yummy additions to help boost your immune system this winter? Pomegranates, apples, spinach, kale, squash, kiwis, and grapefruits are just a few other tasty ingredients to keep on hand when the days are short.

Of course, there are hundreds more delicious and nutritious foods to add to your diet that can keep your immune system fighting strong, but these are just a few of our favorites. Stocking your pantries and fridge with these winter superfoods can help keep you stocked while the weather outside is chilly. While these food items can’t guarantee you won’t catch a cold, they’ll help your body fight them to the best of its ability. In the unfortunate case that you wind up with the flu, check out our blog about treating your symptoms the natural way.

Stay safe, warm and healthy this flu season! Need an appointment? Head to our contact page to get yourself booked.