Which Foods Are Best For Supporting My Child’s Immune System?

12 Feb Which Foods Are Best For Supporting My Child’s Immune System?

Hicksville Pediatrics

From a young age, children are very impressionable. Teaching them the benefits of a healthy diet will help increase their well-being as they grow into adulthood. A healthy diet will also work wonders for keeping them healthy as their immune system continues to develop. At Pediatric Associates of Planview, our center for Hicksville pediatrics, we’d like to assist in this process. To properly support your child’s immune system, consider increasing their consumption of the below foods.           

Lean Meats And Eggs

Intaking enough protein is essential to the healthy development of your child. This macronutrient is the basic building block for muscles, and will also help to aid the immune system. Lean meats and eggs are a great source of protein. As an additional benefit of lean meats, they are also high in the mineral Zinc. Zinc helps to increase the number of white blood cells in your child’s bloodstream, making it easier for them to fight off infections.   

Walnuts  

Walnuts can be considered a superfood for your child. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which hold many benefits. It has been shown that omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce the prevalence of respiratory infections in children. Walnuts can easily be incorporated into many different dishes, making them one of the most useful foods when supporting your child’s immune system.

Garlic

If you’re looking to cut down on the need for Hicksville pediatrics, try to integrate more garlic into your child’s diet. Garlic has both antiviral and antibacterial properties. Like with lean meat, consuming garlic can also help to increase your child’s white blood cell count and maintain a healthier immune system.

Carrots

This vegetable is a favorite for many, and there is a good reason for this. Carrots get their vibrant orange color from a component known as beta carotene. This component supports the body’s mucous membrane that lines the respiratory and intestinal tracts. A healthy mucous membrane makes it more difficult for infectious bacteria to enter the bloodstream, reducing the risk of infections. As an added benefit, carrots also help maintain clear, healthy eyesight!

Fruits And Vegetables High In Vitamin C

When looking to create a healthy diet for your child, you’ll never go wrong making sure they eat ample amounts of fruits and vegetables. However, when you’re specifically looking to help boost their immune system, try focusing on produce that is high in vitamin C. Vitamin C is a known immunity booster and it is necessary for the repair and growth of tissues in the body. Because this vitamin is not produced by the body, the foods your child eats is of the utmost importance when it comes to getting sufficient amounts of it. To increase your child’s vitamin C intake, try focusing on the following fruits and vegetables:

• Oranges.
• Grapefruits.
• Strawberries.
• Bell peppers.
• Tomatoes.
• Broccoli
• Sweet potatoes.

To get the highest amount of vitamin C and reap the most benefits, we recommend serving your child these foods as soon as possible after purchase. Additionally, the levels of vitamin C in vegetables reduces the longer they are cooked, so it is important to limit cook times on them as much as you can.

Hicksville Pediatrics At Pediatric Associates Of Plainview

At Pediatric Associates of Plainview, we want to help keep your child healthy. One of the best ways to do this feeding them a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients that will aid in the development of a healthy immune system. Not only will a strong immune system help keep them happy and active, but it will also help prevent them from catching many common illnesses. If you’d like to learn more about which foods are best for supporting your child’s immune system, or if you’re looking for a center for Hickville pediatrics to be there for your child when they need it, be sure to contact us today!