Does your kid start to cough and sneeze at the slightest change in the weather? Or do they fall sick easily and have frequent tummy troubles as compared to the other kids their age? Well, chances are, your kid has low immunity which requires a much-needed boost to lead a healthy lifestyle.
A strong immune system can help your child fight off illnesses and infections, and knowing the right ways to boost their immunity can help them stay fit and active, and encourage good growth and development in them. One way to support your child’s immunity is by including various nutritious and vitamin-rich food items in their balanced diet from a young age.
In this post, we have listed the top 10 immunity-boosting foods for kids that ensure a robust immune system over time. Since strong immunity is foundational to good health and lifestyle, make sure to include these foods in your child’s diet regularly and try different recipes to make them more tasty and interesting.
10 Best Immune-boosting Foods For Kids
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are an abundant source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient responsible for strengthening the immune system. In fact, vitamin C is also known to increase the production of red blood cells in the body, which is key to warding off infections in your child. The best is that there’s a variety of citrus fruits you can choose from, and therefore, try to include at least one citrus fruit in your child’s meal every day. The popular citrus fruits that you can give to your child include:
- Oranges
- Tangerines
- Clementine
- Grapefruit
- Limes
- Lemons
Berries
Berries such as strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and blueberries are enriched with essential antioxidants and anthocyanins that combat free radical damage in the body, promote good heart health, and strengthen your child’s immunity over time. You can give them to your child in the whole form, or whip them into delicious smoothies. You can also pack a box of mixed berries and pack them as a light snack that your kid can have at school.
Spinach
While all fresh and seasonal vegetables contribute to building a strong immunity in your kid, spinach goes the extra mile by promoting healthy development in them and strengthening their immune system. Spinach contains essential nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, B, and K, which help enhance your kid’s overall health and immunity.
Based on your child’s age and physical activity, you can give them at least 1-2 cups of spinach every day along with other vegetables.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre. They are also an excellent source of beta-carotene, a plant-based compound, that gets converted to vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A, in turn, increases the production of white blood cells in the body and fights against free radical cells to ward off infections and bacteria. Apart from this, sweet potatoes are also enriched with vitamin C which acts as additional immunity enhancers for your kids.
You can create several tasty recipes using sweet potatoes, such as sweet potato roast, pancakes, or sweet potato mash. If you want to go the desi way, opt for a lip-smacking sweet potato chaat or tikki.
Mushroom
While you may not associate mushrooms as an immune-boosting food, the truth is that this root veggie is full of antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds that contribute to strengthening your child’s immune system and promoting good health. In fact, mushrooms, such as enoki, contain anti-inflammatory properties which help reduce swelling inside the body and also protect your child against viral infections and illnesses.
You can serve mushrooms to your child in different ways, such as adding them to a pasta dish or topping them over a pizza.
Probiotics
Probiotics are healthy, live yeast and bacteria which impart several health benefits. These microorganisms also encourage healthy gut activity, and hence their consumption can positively affect your kid’s overall health and immunity. You can provide this nutrient to your child by including natural probiotic-rich foods in their meals, such as yogurt, kefir, tempeh, miso, buttermilk, and tofu.
Nuts And Seeds
Nuts and seeds provide significant amounts of vitamins (vitamins B3, B6, and E), protein, minerals (zinc, copper, and magnesium), omega-3 fats, and dietary fibre. Additionally, they are enriched with bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, which further help boost your child’s immunity. Some of the healthy nuts that you can include in your child’s diet include cashews, almonds, pistachios, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are essentially shrunk and dehydrated to extend the fruits’ shelf life. They contain micronutrients, bioactive compounds, and healthy fats, such as omega-3 that help strengthen your child’s immunity over time. You may include a handful of dried fruits in your child’s meals every day for maximum benefits. The most common dried fruits that you can add to your child’s meals are figs, dates, apricots, and raisins.
Herbs And Spices
Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, black cumin, and garlic are some herbs and spices that help boost immunity in your child in the long term. These herbs and spices are also rich in dietary fibre, and contain numerous vitamins, minerals, and some phytochemicals that help promote good health in your child and help ward off seasonal infections and diseases. You can add these herbs and spices as flavourings to your food, such as curries and soups.
High-protein Foods
As you may already know, proteins are the building blocks of life. They contribute to cell repair and regeneration and produce necessary antibodies essential for the proper functioning of your child’s immune system. Additionally, proteins contain vital vitamins and minerals, such as zinc and vitamin D that boost immunity in the long term. The protein-rich foods to add to your child’s diet are whole pulses, low-fat dairy, lean meat, eggs, seafood, beans, sprouts, and lentils.
Strong immunity is a vital attribute of good health in your child, and one of the most effective ways to strengthen their immune system is by adding nutrient-rich foods to their diet. The immunity-boosting foods for kids that we mentioned above act as great immunity enhancers, and adding them to your child’s diet can help promote good overall health and immunity.
Also read:
Fruit and vegetable smoothies for toddlers: Check out this list of amazing healthy fruits and vegetable smoothies that your toddler will definitely love.
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