May 19 The link between dairy nutrients and immunity
This post is in collaboration with National Dairy Council. All opinions are my own.
Due to the pandemic, there has been increased concern about keeping your immune system healthy. Many people have turned to supplements or other methods to try to boost their immune system, but many often forget that your first line of defense is a healthy diet. In my book The Family Immunity Cookbook: 101 Easy Recipes to Boost HealthI discuss the importance of eating a well-balanced meal and the role milk and dairy foods play in keeping your immune system healthy.
About your immune system
A healthy immune system is vital to good health. The immune system helps fight any foreign invaders in the body. If your immune system is healthy, it’s easier to fight off bacteria, viruses, or anything else that tries to make you sick. When you say you want to boost or boost immunity, what you probably mean is how can I keep my immune system as healthy as possible to reduce my risk of getting a cold, flu, or even COVID-19?
The immune system is rather complicated. Your body has a network of tissues, cells, and organs that try to keep foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses at bay. This is your immune system. Some of the main players include white blood cells, antibodies and the lymphatic system. All of these parts, and more, actively fight foreign bodies that enter your body.
What can you do to help your immune system?
In my cookbook, I list six habits to help your immune system be at its best. These six habits include staying hydrated, getting plenty of sleep, exercising regularly, drinking alcohol in moderation, reducing stress, and finally eating a healthy and balanced diet. Part of having a well-balanced diet is getting your daily recommended servings of all your food groups, including milk and dairy foods and fruits and vegetables.
Nutrients that support immunity
Vitamins A, D, B6 and B12, protein, selenium, zinc and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are all important for maintaining your immune system healthy. You can get these nutrients from drinking milk and dairy foods and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. However, Only 2 in 10 Americans get the recommended amounts of them.
Here are specific nutrients you get from food that can help keep your immune system healthy:
- Milk: Vitamins A, B12 and D, proteins, zinc and selenium
- Fruit and vegetables: Vitamins C, A and B6
- Nuts and seeds: Vitamin E
- Cheese: Proteins, selenium and vitamin B12
- Yoghurt: Protein, selenium, zinc and vitamin B12
Enjoying the nutrients together
Nutrition is not just about eating individual nutrients or individual foods. It’s about how the variety of nutrients in the different foods you eat work together to keep your body healthy. A favorite snack recipe I share below is Strawberry Kiwi Almond Yogurt Bark made with Greek yogurt, strawberries, kiwi and almonds – where you’ll get vitamins A, C and E, protein, selenium and zinc to keep your immune system healthy.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Lima
Strawberry Kiwi Almond Yogurt Bark
Serves: 6
Serving size: 4 pieces
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
2 cups (500 g) nonfat vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt
Zest from 1 orange
8 strawberries, stems removed and diced
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
1⁄2 cup (125 g) unsalted dry roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
- Pour the yogurt into a medium bowl and stir in half the zest. Spoon the yogurt mixture into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly around the edges. It should be about 1⁄2 inch (1 cm) thick.
- Sprinkle the yogurt evenly with the strawberries, kiwis and almonds, then sprinkle the remaining zest over the yogurt.
- Place the pan in the freezer for at least 4 hours or until the yogurt sets. Gently break the yogurt rind into twenty-four pieces. Store in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe from The Family Immunity Cookbook by Toby Amidor. Published by Robert Rose Books. Photo courtesy of Ashley Lima. All rights reserved.
See you at today’s Dietitian Symposium!
I will attend the Today’s Dietitian Symposium in Bonito Springs, Florida where I’ll be at the National Dairy Council booth (#46) with a few surprises waiting for you on Monday, May 23rd between 3:00 and 3:45 p.m. and on Tuesday 24 May between 11 and 11:45 at stand 46. I hope to see you there!
