Can certain foods/nutrients help in boosting immunity?

All cells in the body, including immune cells, need enough nutrients to function properly. The body may be better prepared for microbial attacks and excessive inflammation if certain dietary patterns are followed, but it is unlikely that particular foods provide any special protection. Numerous macronutrients and micronutrients are necessary at each stage of the immune response. Vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, selenium, iron, and protein have all been found to be essential for immune cells growth and function and one can get these by eating a wide range of plant and animal foods.

A healthy immune system can be adversely affected by diets that lack nutrients, such as those that primarily include foods that have been extremely processed. Additionally, it is believed that a diet low in fruits and vegetables and high in refined sugar and red meat can cause chronic gut inflammation and further may lead to immune suppression by disrupting healthy intestinal microorganisms.

Hence, incorporating probiotic and prebiotic foods into one’s diet might be beneficial. Prebiotic foods contain fiber and oligosaccharides that feed and maintain healthy colonies of beneficial bacteria, while probiotic foods contain live helpful bacteria.¹