Whether it’s an immune-boosting smoothie or a bacteria-laden yogurt, there are products all over the world that claim to improve the immune system, but these are the ones that actually work.
health
January 31, 2023
Artichokes are rich in dietary fiber and are good food for good bacteria. Jabberman/Shutterstock
If you walk down the aisles of a supermarket, you’ll be lined with foods and drinks that claim to help your immune system. The list of “boosting” foods often also includes berries, mushrooms, green tea, seeds, spinach, broccoli, probiotic yogurt, and certain vitamin-rich foods.
The problem is, dig deeper and you’ll find that most of these bold claims aren’t derived from clinical trials or solid science. Based on small-scale laboratory experiments that have been shown to alter the potency of drugs, these findings are rarely useful.
So what do we really need to eat to support a healthy immune response? Only recently was it discovered that the largest immune organ is the gut. It is in regular contact with the trillions of microbes that live there, sending signals to coordinate immune activity.
Luckily, diet can correct this delicate balance in the system. Low-grade chronic inflammation, thought to be the result of an overstimulated immune system, increases the risk of metabolic disorders such as heart disease and obesity. Complex interactions between the intestinal lining, short-chain fatty acids produced by fermentation of dietary fiber by gut microbes, and pro-inflammatory chemicals called cytokines are all…
