Do you reach for a vitamin C supplement or zinc lozenge to keep your immune system perking along and fight off colds? What about food? Are certain foods better for fighting colds and flu? Grab a cup of tea and I’ll share foods to add to your medicine chest.

Did you know that according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) up to 20% of Americans will likely get the flu every year? That’s not counting regular colds.

On my last trip to California, guess what I brought back? Bronchitis along with laryngitis. You know how you feel so rotten that you don’t want to eat, much less cook, yet you know it would help to nourish your body?

When you feel achy all over and feverish, this is exactly the time that your food selections can help fortify your immune system and ramp down some of your cold and flu symptoms. Healthy food, which provides needed nutrients to your body such as vitamins and minerals, is essential for optimum function of the immune response.

Add these foods to your medicine chest:

Vitamin D-rich foods. Early research suggests that adequate vitamin D in the diet has a role in overall immune function. Most people do not get enough. When I say vitamin D, what foods do you think of? Dairy products, salmon or sardines? How about mushrooms? Yes, mushrooms. Seems odd, doesn’t it?

Some mushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D. When exposed to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions, the natural ergosterol in mushrooms converts to vitamin D…the same idea as when humans absorb sunlight through the skin and convert it to vitamin D. So, watch for these mushrooms in your grocery and add to your salad, omelets and pizza.

Nuts and Seeds. Nuts and seeds make an easy energy and nutrient packed snack when you don’t feel like preparing food. Your body can benefit from the nutritional star power of nuts and seeds to provide your body with fiber and a roll call of nutrients including folate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, riboflavin and vitamin E. Enjoy pumpkin and sunflower seeds, pistachios, pecans, peanuts or walnuts.

Blueberries, potatoes, red peppers, kiwi and other vitamin C-rich foods: I bet you didn’t think about red peppers or potatoes for their Vitamin C but they are a very nice source of both vitamin C and potassium. Bake a potato quickly in the microwave when you don’t have much of an appetite. Prick it with a fork a couple of times, place it on a plate or paper towel and microwave 3-4 minutes, turn it over and microwave another 3-4 minutes. The time will vary based on the size of the potato.

Other vitamin C-rich foods include blackberries, cherries, tomatoes, broccoli and the traditional sources you think of such as tangerines, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple and strawberries. I much prefer the whole food over a vitamin C supplement since you get the benefit of the hydrating water content as well as other vitamins and minerals in the fruit.

Research has not proven that vitamin C prevents colds but it does have a role in overall immune function that in turn helps you fight off a cold and flu. By the way, 100% fruit juices provide hydration plus the benefits of vitamin C and antioxidants.

*Eating Smart Tip: Try this Spiced Orange Green Tea from the Florida Department of Citrus. It’s so simple.

Here’s what you need:

4 ounces Florida Orange Juice

1 cinnamon stick

3 ounces green tea

Here’s what you do:

Heat the ingredients together in the microwave until hot. Try 1-1.5 minutes on high.

You could also combine the three ingredients in a saucepan and heat until steaming.

*Here’s a little unexpected tip. Regular tea (not decaf) contains enough caffeine to gives you a slight energy boost when you feel so bad you don’t want to lift your head off the pillow.*

Want more food ideas to help keep your immune system perking along? Listen to this week’s podcast below.