As colder temperatures begin to settle in and kids head back to school, many families are bracing themselves for the inevitable wave of coughs and colds that accompany the season’s bugs. Nutritionist Lara Giusti from Veloforte has pinpointed several key autumn ingredients that can help bolster your family’s immune system before flu season hits full force.
She suggests incorporating foods that are high in vitamins C, D, and zinc to naturally enhance your immune defenses. Abundant sources of natural vitamin C can be found in berries, citrus fruits, and green leafy vegetables. Meanwhile, excellent natural sources of vitamin D include oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel, along with egg yolks.
If you’re avoiding meat and animal products, mushrooms are a fantastic alternative. “Oyster or shiitake mushrooms, especially those grown in the light during the fruiting stage, offer a superb source of natural vitamin D,” she notes.
Boots nutritionist Vicky Pennington also recommended some easy autumnal recipes that packy a heavy dose of vitamin D:
- Hearty salmon fish pie
- Sardines on toast
- Fluffy omelette with golden yolks
For meals rich in vitamin C, Vicky suggests simply adding one more ingredient to the dishes you already make: “Add kale to soups, toss spinach into stews, or splash a little lemon over dinner for a necessary vitamin C boost.”
Vicky also recommends easy ways to increase zinc intake: “Instead of crisps, opt for cashews, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on porridge, or add chickpeas into curries to strengthen your immune system,” she advises.
In the darker winter months, ensuring sufficient vitamin D intake can be challenging for both adults and kids. Boots reports that over a third of UK adults are at risk of vitamin D deficiency.
This vital vitamin plays a crucial role in immune system function, helping to ward off illnesses.
As such, food and supplement choices become even more critical during the winter. Opting for nutrient-rich foods and recipes can significantly enhance your vitamin levels.
However, natural vitamin supplements can also provide an easy way to ensure you’re getting your daily dose.
Nonetheless, experts are encouraging people to scrutinise their shopping lists this autumn, transforming their kitchen into a fortress against seasonal ailments, rather than just filling up their medicine cabinets in anticipation of the viruses taking hold.
