Here is a list of foods that will help you fight cough, cold and fever. Boost up your system with these immunity builders!

Fruits:

Next time you’re hungry or reach out for a snack, think of having a fruit with a concentrated dose of Vitamin C which are majorly found in citrus fruits. Here are some which can help!

• Orange:  The very versatile oranges are said to be the best source of vitamin C and other important minerals. They are long-known immunity boosters for every age group. They taste good on their own or you can pair them up with salads!
• Sweet lime: It’s loaded with antioxidants that fight against the harmful free radicals and detoxifies the body. Eat a mosambi every day or drink up a glass of juice, both work great for the body.
• Grapefruit: This wonderful fruit can highly contribute to your daily intake of vitamin A and C. Including it in your diet to strengthen the immune system.
• Amla: Not a citrus fruit, but Indian gooseberries/Amla has abilities to keep diseases or illnesses at bay. A shot of fresh amla juice in the morning once or twice a week can help in many ways. Grate amla, sprinkle with black salt and dry it in the sun and make a simple amla mukhwas. It not only helps with digestion but certainly strengthens the immunity too.

Indian spices carry an ability to deal with the most menacing infections. Remember having those bitter and spicy kaadhas that your granny used to make whenever you had cold or flu? Regardless of the strong taste, they worked like magic. Let’s know a few magical spices!

• Turmeric: The first thing that struck your mind would probably be a warm cup of haldiwala doodh fed by your mum during your childhood days. It is loaded with antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Including it in your diet will enhance your abilities to fight against any infectious diseases.  
• Garlic: A lot of you might not know this but apart from the amazing flavour it adds to the dish, garlic also has anti-fungal properties. They help in prevention of chest and cold infections. Eating a clove of raw garlic everyday can help balance your blood pressure.
• Ginger: A warm cup of ginger-tea or ginger infused water can comfort a sore & scratchy throat better than many other cold syrups. Its anti-septic properties prevent you from coughing, severe throat pain and other respiratory concerns. 

 Vegetables:

We have already been long taught that vegetables are good for our health in many ways. But, today let’s know how they can act as great immunity boosters too.

• Carrot: Need a quick immune boost? Grab a carrot. They are a major source of beta-carotene and vitamin C. Carrot juices and soups can also be a great way to include them in your diet.

• Spinach: For a matter of fact, all leafy greens should definitely be a part of your diet. Loaded with vitamin A, C and E, spinach is not just a great immunity booster, but also helps in regeneration of blood cells.

• Onion: It is a said that during summers, onions help in regulating the body temperature and keeps the loo away. And they can also be the easiest to include in our diets, because most of us already have them as a part of our daily salads and sabzis.

Nuts, dry fruits and seeds:

Coming to nuts and dry fruits! Well, they are favourite snacking buddies! Go for them by all means as the content of Vitamin E helps to improve the function of white blood cells. Even seeds are great munchies with a lot of goodness.

       Almond: Vitamin E is one of the most important elements for a great immune system, especially for           the elderly. The best way to include almonds in your diet is by soaking them overnight, eating them             early in the morning. This helps in efficient brain functioning.

• Apricot: Khubani is listed as a great natural sweetener. It is packed with vitamin A, fibre & beta-carotenes which help you get a stronger immune and prevent heart diseases. It acts as a great skin enhancer too. Both fresh & dried apricots are great at taste, so including them in your diet.
• Sunflower seeds: Another superfood to build your immune. It contains vitamin E, selenium and other important minerals which may prevent cancer and controls the cell damage in the body. Add a handful of roasted sunflower seeds to your sabzi once it’s cooked. It can add a great texture to your recipe plus add a good dose of nutrition too.