Time to boost your vitality with fresh food

Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of antioxidants – a requirement for a healthly immune system. Photo by PTE Simone Heyer

By Anna Niec
Boost your immune power through antioxidant-rich food choices as now is the time to keep your immune system well-tuned.

With the onset of cold and damp weather we are more at risk of catching colds and flus, as well as other respiratory infections.

Some foods can give your immune system some healthy ammunition to combat the bugs.
Foods that contain good amounts of antioxidants are immune friendly.

What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants prevent or neutralise harmful reactions from taking place.

These reactions occur due to free radicals, which are unstable molecules capable of damaging cell components and cell DNA.
Free radicals can damage white cells, the bug-fighter cells of the immune system.

A good amount of antioxidants in the diet help to prevent this type of damage from occurring and keeps the cells in good fighting order.

Types of antioxidants
Three types of antioxidants are particularly important for a robust immune system.

Two of these are vitamins – vitamin C and vitamin E – and the third is a group of plant chemicals called flavonoids.
Let’s have a look at the food choices we should make.

Best sources of vitamin C
Fruit: oranges, mandarins, kiwi fruit, mangoes, pineapple and strawberries.
Vegetables: tomatoes, capsicum, cabbage, broccoli, onions.

Best sources of vitamin E
Wheatgerm (choose wholegrain over white breads), soybeans, avocadoes, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds.

Best sources of flavonoids
A variety of fruit and vegetables as well as green tea and cocoa.

Good health message
To boost your immunity aim to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. The recommended daily amount is about half a kilogram a day of fruit and vegetables combined. Drink black as well as green tea daily and enjoy nuts in moderation.