5 foods to help beat the cold/flu season blues

Whilst there’s still beautiful blue skies and warmth around, we are well into autumn and winter is not far away. This year, even more so, we are all searching for ways to support our children's immune systems. So, what are my recommendations as to the best foods to eat to help optimise the #immunesystem?

Orange Foods

Now by this, I’m not referring to orange coloured Smarties or Skittles but rather real orange foods like sweet potato, carrots, mangoes and apricots. These are rich in betacarotene, the orange-yellow pigment in foods, which is then converted into Vitamin A within our bodies. The #VitaminA is important for your child’s mucus membranes and, hence, boosting their immune system. Try a carrot soup, or baking sweet potato chips, making a mango smoothie or adding stewed apricots to breakfast.

Berries

Berries are rich in #VitaminC, which is a well-known antioxidant to help fight colds and flu. Berry smoothies, berries on morning pancakes, berry chia puddings, berries on their own are all fantastic ways to get your kids consuming Vitamin C. Vitamin C is also found in citrus fruits, capsicum and broccoli.

Fish

Fish, like sardines, mackerel and herring, are a great source of #VitaminD. Vitamin D helps support the immune system. Fish makes a tasty breakfast, lunch or dinner! Other sources of Vitamin D are eggs or simply being outdoors in the winter sunshine.