Boost Your Immune System This Fall: 12 Plant-Based Mediterranean Foods for Wellness
These 12 plant-based Mediterranean foods can help you boost your immune system this fall and stay healthy all season.
What you eat, can have a significant effect on your health and your immune system, especially right now as we enter the cooler months. Did you know that you can boost your immune system with specific plant-based Mediterranean foods? The Mediterranean diet has been shown to protect us from numerous diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer and more! But it is also known to be one of the best “diets” when it comes to immunity. This effect is due to the combination of foods that not only strengthen your immune system, but also positively influence gut microbiota. You can increase the presence of “good bacteria,” by eating these foods, and keep yourself strong and healthy.
Here are my top plant-based Mediterranean foods that will help you strengthen your immune system.
12 Plant-Based Mediterranean Superfoods to Boost Immunity This Fall
Onions and Garlic
Why It Works: Rich in allicin, and other compounds and phytochemicals known for its antimicrobial, anti-viral and antibacterial properties.
How to eat more: When making a dish start with sautéing onions for extra flavor. Always add onions and garlic to your tomato sauce. Make one-pot Greek casserole dishes that all contain onions. Add onions to salads and sandwiches.
Recipe to try: 5-Ingredient Mediterranean Salad
Carrots and Sweet Potatoes
Why it works: Contains beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A and helps protect the body from infections.
How to eat more: Add carrots to soups and stews, also have some carrot sticks as a snack. You can use sweet potatoes in the place of regular potatoes. For a quick side , roast sweet potatoes (only takes 20 min) with olive oil and spices and enjoy as a side or mix with beans, grains or in salad.
Recipes to try: Mediterranean Chickpeas with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Lemons):
Why It Works: Packed with vitamin C, a crucial antioxidant that enhances immune cell function.
How to eat more: Add fresh lemon juice to beans, meats and salad dressings. You can alos add citrus fruits such as oranges and tangerines to salads.
Recipe to try: Mediterranean Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad
Leafy Greens (Kale, Spinach):
Why It Works: While they are a source of vitamins C, K, folate and beta carotene which help fight infections, research shows that they are also a source of a chemical signal that improves the functioning of the immune system.
How to eat more: Try consuming greens, Greek style; lightly boi and drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon (horta), they are also added in savory pies such as the famous Greek spanakopita. You can also cook them with beans, fish, and meat. And of course you can incorporate them into salads, soups, and smoothies.
Recipe to try: Greek Spinach and Rice – Spanakorizo
Lentils and Chickpeas:
Why It Works: Beans are rich in plant-based protein and zinc, which are important for proper immune function.
How to eat more: Make stews and soups with beans. Add cooked beans in salads. Make dips with beans.
Recipe to try: Greek Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Why It Works: Cruciferous vegetables contain many phytonutrients and specifically sulforaphane, an antioxidant which has antiviral and antibacterial effects
How to eat more: Roast with olive oil and lemon or simmer mediterranean style with tomato and onion. Add to salads and soups.
Recipes to try: Braised Broccoli with Garlic and Tomato
Almonds and Walnuts
Why It Works: Both nuts are rich in vitamin E which is essential for a strong immune system as it regulates specific immune cells.
How to eat more: Eat as a snack. Sprinkle on salads, yogurt, cereal.
The Role of Gut Health in Immunity
Did you know that 70% of the immune system is actually located in our gut? That means that diet and nutrition play an important role in how our immune system functions. Your immune system interacts with the bacteria in the gastrointestinal track and that bacteria is influenced by what you eat. Research shows that good bacteria which is associated with a strong immune system increases by consuming with plant foods and fiber. Switching to a plant-based diet like the Mediterranean diet and reducing processed foods can help you increase the good bacteria, and that in turn can result in a stronger immune system.
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Get it here >> The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners
Thank you! I wish I ate more greens. I’ll try to steam them and dress them with a vinaigrette.
I love your cookbook and have cooked many of your recipes. However, I cannot eat Mediterranean food every day as I also can’t eat Mexican, Italian, American, etc, food every day. Just need some variety. I have also been told to cut back on carbs. What is your suggestion on how to handle both of these things? I really like this diet and its lack of processed foods but am struggling.
Elena,
I love so many of these foods but I struggle with GERD and highly acidic foods like tomatoes and oranges give me horrible symptoms. Do you have any suggestions for substitutes? I tend to avoid lemons too. Thanks so much!
Sometimes using smaller amounts of triggering foods will not cause symptoms, yellow tomatoes tend to be lower in acidity if available. Also be aware of what you combine with tomatoes for example most vinegars in a dressing could amplify gerd symptoms but again quantity is an important factor in reflux symptoms.