Due to the absence of any certified vaccine till now, the complete human race is totally dependent on their immune system to fight Covid-19. Today, we all are gradually and safely marching back to our old routines and it’s only because of the presence of a strong immune system within. Well, if the immune system has got so much of work this pandemic, we should also pay attention to provide proper and adequate nutrients to supercharge our immunity.

Are Supplements a good option for Boosting Immunity?

Instead of focusing on complete diet, supplements have become the most demanded option these days. But, do we really know what deficiencies are prevailing in our body? Maybe your body is all loaded with vitamin A and only needs zinc. In this case, when a person takes multivitamin pills, he/she is left with right amount of zinc and excess of vitamin A in the body, leading to some serious health issues, including, liver damage, weak bones, headache etc. It is therefore recommended to have natural immunity boosting nutrients through ‘a Healthy Plate’ than going for artificial pills.

Role of Food Nutrients in Boosting Immunity:

Good nutrition is fundamental for enhancing immunity. We all know that a complete diet keeps us healthy anyway, but, in what way food nutrients actually help in boosting our immunity?

Nutrients help in the normal and healthy growth of the immune cells. Some essential food nutrients are loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties, thus, enhancing the immune system to produce more and more antibodies to fight infections. Besides making the immune system active and alert, these micronutrients makes modifications to reduce the aging effect on the immune system.

At the end of this article, you will have complete knowledge of all the necessary immunity boosting nutrients that should be included in your diet. You need not to worry about changing your diet plan, but, it’s just adding something extra with your regular ‘Chawal Dal’, so that, not only your stomach but also the immune system is full of the essential nutrients. Below are some necessary immunity boosting nutrients discussed back to back in detail.

1.Vitamin C:
Food Nutrients
Majority of us are aware about this essential vitamin, as, it serves a great helping hand to the immune system for producing more and more antibodies, thereby, kicking out the virus cells in no time. Apart from this, it’s also a good antioxidant and fights free radicals to boost your health and age. Also, it has been proved effective in not only reducing the length of one’s illness but also preventing cancer, heart diseases, cartilage loss and much more.

Good Sources:
A variety of food options are available when it comes to having vitamin C. Because our body totally depends on outside source for this nutrient, you should include food items rich in vitamin C in your day to day meal. Some rich sources are, citrus food, red bell pepper, papaya, kiwi, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, sprouts, strawberries and kale.

Daily dosage:
Age between 1-3 years ——————-15 mg
Age between 4-8 years —————— 25 mg
Age between 9-13 years —————- 45 mg
Age between 14-18 years ——— 65-75 mg
Woman 19 years and above ———- 75 mg
Men 19 years and above ————— 90 mg
Pregnant women 19 years
and above ————————————- 85 mg
Breastfeeding women 19 years
and above ———————————– 120 mg

2.Vitamin E:
Food Nutrients An Excellent antioxidant and immune-enhancing nutrient vitamin E is very effective in improving the response of the immune system. This means that the adequate consumption of Vitamin E, the immune system becomes more alert about the presence of harmful cells and starts to function quickly before the virus cells do some damage. Thus, this immunity boosting nutrient is compulsory for an active immune system.

Good Sources:
Again it is recommended that, you should not blindly have pills, as these have been proved to be less effective against food nutrients. Some excellent sources include, spinach, broccoli, whole grains, sunflower oil, almonds, hazelnuts, soybean oil, peanuts, avocado, wheat germ oil, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, fruit juices, and flax seeds.

Daily Dosage:
Age between 1-3 years ——————— 6mg
Age between 4-8 years ——————– 7 mg
Age between 9-13 years —————- 11 mg
Age for 14 years and above ———– 15 mg
Pregnant women 14 years
and above ————————————- 15 mg
Feeding women 14 years
and above ————————————- 19 mg

3.Vitamin A:
A very crucial micronutrient vitamin A is completely responsible for the growth and development of the immune system. This immunity boosting nutrient is vital for the immunological health, as, it builds immune tolerance throughout the gut line. Immune tolerance is essential for good health, as, an intolerant immune may result in a host of illness inside the body. It is due to the presence of this immunity boosting nutrient that our body is all protected against the invisible germs we take along with our food.

Good sources:
This essential nutrient is found in plenty of food items to go for. This mainly includes, carrots, tuna, sweet potatoes, spinach, butternut squash, cantaloupe, red bell pepper, broccoli, pink grapefruit, salmon, lamb liver, goat cheese, butter, cheddar, blue cheese, half boiled eggs and ice cream.

Daily Dosage:
Age between 1-3 years ————— 300mcg
Age between 3-8 years ————– 400 mcg
Age between 8-13 years ———— 600 mcg
Age between 13-18 years
(male) ————————————— 900 mcg
Age between 13-18 years
( female) ———————————— 700mcg
Pregnant woman 18 years
and above ————————- 750- 770 mcg
Breastfeeding women 18 years
and above ——————————- 1300 mcg

4.Vitamin D:
The role of this immunity boosting nutrient has gone much beyond its
classic function of providing calcium and strengthening bones. Vitamin

Food Nutrients
D facilitates the working of immune system by reducing the risk of developing flu and viruses and protecting against many respiratory infections. Recent studies have shown that in take of vitamin D, by a COVID-19 patient, had reduced the adverse effects of the virus to a greater extent.

Good Sources:
Although the sun rays help the body to develop and store Vitamin D, you still have lots of food options to go for. Foods rich in this immunity boosting nutrient are oily fish, egg, red meat, salmon, liver, grains, fortified yogurt, rice drink, and almond milk.

Daily Dosage:
Age between 1-70 years ————– 15 mcg
71 years and above ——————— 20 mcg
Pregnant or breastfeeding
women —————————————- 20 mcg

5.Zinc:
Well known for its ability to fight infections, cold and cough, zinc has proved to strengthen the immune system and provide normal growth. As the body gets older, the immune system weakens and the person becomes more prone to infections. Zinc holds the responsibility of reducing the aging effects and strengthening the immune system. This vital nutrient helps the immune system to fight against unwanted invaders inside, even when you grow old, hence is a compulsory nutrient for your diet.

Good Sources:
Just like Vitamin C, our body gets complete nutrition of zinc only through food intake. Immunity boosting nutrient zinc is present in abundance in a variety of food items, including, peas, almonds, oatmeal, chicken breast, red meat, cheese, yoghurt, beans, lobster, crabs, oyster, cashew nuts, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, kidney beans, milk and cereals.

Daily Dosage:
Age between 1-3 years ——————— 3mg
Age between 4-8 years ——————— 5mg
Age between 9-13 years ——————- 8mg
Age between 14-18 years ————– 11 mg 19 years and above (male) ———— 11 mg
19 years and above (female) ———– 8 mg
Pregnant women 19 years
and above ————————————- 11 mg
Breastfeeding women 19 years
and above ————————————- 12 mg

6.Selenium:
This is a vital immunity boosting nutrient which plays a dominant role in maintaining the health of the immune system. Selenium contains high anti-inflammation properties which are directly related to the enhancement of the immune system. Its deficiency not only harms the immune cells but also slows down the immune response. This nutrient is a boon for those suffering from influenza and other respiratory illness.

Good Sources:
Selenium is present in most of the common food items which makes it easy for you to consume it in your daily diet. Some good sources of this immunity boosting nutrient are cashew, almonds, nuts, corn flakes, peach, carrots, spinach, milk, yoghurt, egg, rice, whole-wheat bread, baked beans, chicken, cottage cheese, shrimp, tuna, and Brazil nuts.

Daily Dosage:
Age between 1-3 years —————- 20 mcg
Age between 4-8 years —————– 30mcg
Age between 9-13 years ————– 40 mcg
Age between 14-18 years ———— 55 mcg
Age 19 years and above ————– 55 mcg
Pregnant women 18 years
and above ———————————– 60 mcg
Breastfeeding women 18 years
and above ———————————– 70 mcg

You now have a complete list of food items brimming with essential immunity boosting nutrients to add to your daily routine. Apart from giving rich taste and flavour, these delicious food items, with boosting nutrients, provide required health and nourishment to the immune system and are therefore crucial for all ages this winter.