Your immune system is always working hard defending your body against diseases, illness and viruses. It’s therefore super important to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to help your immune system perform its best to keep you healthy and at the top of your game. With colds, flus, and COVID-19, keeping your immune system healthy is extra important. One of the ways to boost your immune system is through the foods you eat. And you’re in luck – we just so happen to offer a lot of immune boosting fruits and veggies – all cut and ready to consume!
1. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are going to help boost your immunity. You probably already reach for that vitamin C when you start to get the sniffles, and for good reason. Research shows that vitamin C increases white blood cells, which are key to fighting infections.
We suggest eating in-season citrus, such as the ones in our “What’s in Season – March” blog post. These include TDE Mandarins, Sky Valley Navels, Lemons and more.
2. Yogurt
Yogurt is another one of those products said to help boost your immune system. The probiotics (also known as live active cultures) are the healthy bacteria that your body needs to help keep your guy free of “bad” germs. We use creamy vanilla yogurt in all of our fresh parfaits, which we definitely think you should check out. They’re great as a quick breakfast or a healthy snack, and they get double the points for helping boost that immunity!
3. Papaya
Did you know that papaya has almost double the daily recommendation of Vitamin C in just one piece of fruit? They’re also full of papain, which is a digestive enzyme that has anti-inflammatory effects. We offer fresh-cut papaya that is perfect for an on-the-go, immune boosting snack!
4. Kiwi
Speaking of kiwi, these fuzzy fruits are also full of immune boosting properties. They have a lot of vitamin C, which we know boosts white blood cells, helping to fight off infections. They’re full of other great nutrients including vitamin K and potassium, which are both essential for your health. We love them as a snack or in smoothies!
5. Red Bell Peppers
One of the most surprising ways to get your daily vitamin C isn’t through citrus, but through red bell peppers! We know that it may come as a shock to you, but red bell peppers contain roughly 3 times as much vitamin C as an orange. Crazy, right? They also contain beta carotene, which helps keep skin and eyes healthy.
You’re in luck, because we have pre-diced red bell peppers! They are also in our Stoplight Pepper mix. No prep needed to get all the vitamin C you need!
6. Sweet Potatoes
Staying on that beta carotene train, we have sweet potatoes coming in as a great way to keep your skin healthy. You may think “what does skin have to do with my immune system?” but actually, it’s the first step in preventing unwanted bacteria and viruses from entering our bodies. Vitamin A plays a major role in keeping our skin healthy, and the best way to get vitamin A is full of beta carotene-rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, cantaloupe squash and carrots. We have so many great ways to get your sweet potato nutrients without any prep work:
7. Broccoli
Everyone knows that broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals. They’re packed with fiber and antioxidants and have plenty of vitamin C. This makes broccoli one of the healthiest veggies you could eat. And you don’t need to buy a whole head of broccoli in order to get all the immune boosting nutrients. We have plenty of items with pre-cut broccoli included!
And besides just eating a healthy diet, it’s also recommended to get plenty of good quality sleep, move your body on a regular basis, and keep your stress under control. It’s also highly recommended to keep alcohol intake to a minimum and not to smoke.
No matter what you do, we hope you eat a well-rounded diet full of fresh fruits and veggies to keep your immune system working its best! Stay healthy, everyone!
