Foods will not prevent disease, however, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates and fats obtained from foods such as lean meats, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits and vegetables offer nutrition which can help support the immune system and its ability to fight pathogenic infection.
Foods for immunity
There are some foods which can help provide specific nutrition for supporting immunity. These include:
Foods which contain probiotics - such as yoghurt, kefir and even chocolate. Chocolate is made from cocoa obtained from the cacao fruit and is high in antioxidant flavonoids - which have been shown to mimics the effect of prebiotics and probiotics in the gut. Probiotics are live, beneficial bacteria which reside in the gut and are important for immunity. Varieties which state they contain live bacteria are thought the best choices.
Food high in vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a significant role in protecting the body from infection and modulating the immune system. Whist we get the majority of vitamin D from sunshine, there are some foods which contain vitamin D and some which have been fortified with vitamin D. These include milk, eggs, margarine, cheese, yoghurt, bread and fatty fish.
Fruit and vegetables provide many vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwifruit peppers, broccoli and sweet potato are especially high in vitamin C.
Lean meats, poultry and fish provide protein for building a robust immune system and zinc for fighting infections.
Omega-3 fatty acids provides support for the immune system and offer an anti-inflammatory action (helpful in allergic and skin conditions). Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, eggs, salmon, mackerel and sardines. Seeds and nuts can be crushed and added to foods or in baking if children are not a fan of eating them whole.
Vitamin E helps regulate the immune system. Vitamin E can be provided by eating nuts (nut spreads), seeds, leafy greens, avocado, salmon and trout.
Selenium is a mineral which helps the body resist infection. It can be obtained from nuts, whole grains and mushrooms.
Zinc plays a major role in the immune system supporting immunity against bacteria and viruses, allergies and skin integrity in atopic conditions. Zinc is also needed for growth and development in children. A deficiency can be seen in reduced immunity. Zinc-rich foods include: beef, chicken, crab, oysters, lobster, fish, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas and yoghurt.
Hints and tips
- Coloured milkshakes can be entertaining as fruits provide different colours. For example, blueberries make blue coloured milk, strawberries make pink milk, combined they make purple colour, mango is yellow.
- Try some milk alternatives such as nut milks, goat or soy for variety and the different nutrients they will offer.
- Oats, apples, berries and bananas etc can be added to basic baked recipes - such as muffins and pikelets.
- Grow your own vegetables and fruits for children to pick and use in meals.
- Encourage healthy eating by offering fruits and vegetables over treats.
- Reward good behaviour with enjoyable activities.
- Enjoy steamed or raw vegetables with dips for afternoon tea.
- Add fruit to milkshakes, frappes, ice-cream and jellies.
- Choose whole grain for breads and biscuits
Changing the diet
If children are used to a certain way of eating it can be hard to make changes. Keep in mind tantrums, moodiness, fussy eating, restless sleep and lowered immunity can be influenced by the diet. Growth and development in children require an abundance of nutrition which can be provided for by some healthy choices for their diet - even if combined with some not-so-healthy ones.
It can be fun for children to pick which foods they may like to try, with such a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains to choose from, the fun can be endless.
Unusual fruits might include pomegranate, kiwi fruit, dragon fruit, persimmons and raspberries. Choose what is in season for the healthiest choice.
For fussy eaters there are many ways of serving the same ingredient. For example, the humble potato can be mashed, made into chips, patties, or as a salad. Mince can be used in homemade sausage rolls, patties, pies or just on toast.
Following are some nutritional dietary suggestions for kids and the whole family. Substitute some, or all with wholemeal flour for added fibre and nutrition.
- Salmon patties
- Nut butters
- Frozen berry yoghurts
- Berry/fruit milkshakes with added yoghurt and almonds
- Egg frittatas with whatever vegetables added (these can be made in patty pans for easy eating)
- Pikelets and pancakes - add apples, bananas, berries
- Muffins (savoury and sweet)
- Omelettes, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, poached eggs
- Sausage rolls and mince patties can be made with added vegetables
- Make their own salads and pizzas
- Dips with whole-grain crackers and vegetables
References
- Diet and Immune Function https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723551/
- Immunomodulatory diet in pediatric age https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33880904/
- The Role of Micronutrients in Support of the Immune Response against Viral Infections https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33092041/
- Immune-boosting role of vitamins D, C, E, zinc, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids: Could they help against COVID-19? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7415215/
- Chocolate, gut microbiota, and human health https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3566565/
- https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/foods-high-in-vitamin-d
- Regulatory role of vitamin E in the immune system and inflammation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7011499/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1568997214002808
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/#:~:text=Zinc%20deficiency%20is%20characterized%20by,8%2C25%2C26%5D.
- Role of Zinc Signaling in the Regulation of Mast Cell-, Basophil-, and T Cell-Mediated Allergic Responses https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6286780/
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