Can you eat to beat the sniffles? Boost your immune system with American sweet potatoes

As a Registered Dietitian, each sniffle season brings a common question: what to eat for better immune health.

The trouble is, many of us are thinking about nutrition and immunity all wrong: you can’t fix a cold with a single dinner!However, you CAN feed your immune system what it needs all year long, since nutrition and immunity are about consistent choices.

When the weather turns chilly, we often find ourselves craving warm, comforting meals, potentially leading to fewer fruits and vegetables in our diet. However, don’t forget that tubers like American sweet potatoes are budget friendly and have so much nutrition to offer… not to mention their sweet flavor and creamy texture, which naturally complements cold-weather favorites like casseroles, tray bakes and stews.

Supporting our immune system daily means providing it with the building blocks it needs to function effectively, including vitamins and minerals. Beta-carotene, a carotenoid found in sweet potatoes, is a stellar example. Once ingested, it’s converted into vitamin A, a key player in immune functionality, aiding in the development and maturation of immune cells as well as influencing immune responses.

The nutrient content in sweet potatoes is impressive: a single sweet potato can contain up to four times the recommended intake of vitamin A! To enhance absorption, pair them with healthy fats in the form of olive oil, avocado or nuts.

Sweet potatoes also contain vitamins C and E, which are essential antioxidants for immunity. Vitamin C helps support wound-healing and immune cell function, and vitamin E helps regulate immune cell function and produce immune messengers. In terms of nutrient content, one sweet potato provides roughly 37% of your daily vitamin C requirement and nearly 100% of your daily vitamin E needs.

Another important – and sometimes overlooked – factor in supporting the immune system is building a healthy gut microbiome. The diverse bacteria in our digestive system play a multifaceted role in immune health, such as promoting a strong gut barrier system.

Diet significantly affects both our gut bacteria and the overall health of our digestive tract. As a dietitian, I have to remind you fiber is essential for gut health, yet most of us don’t consume enough! You might be surprised to learn that each medium sweet potato contains about 4 grams of fiber (be sure to eat that skin!), which helps to keep the gut running smoothly and the bacteria that call it home, happy!

Diversifying your diet with a variety of plant foods, including sweet potatoes, is key to a healthy gut microbiome. Research shows, people who consume more than 30 different plant foods a week have stronger and more diverse microbiomes than those who eat fewer than ten plant foods a week. It’s easier than you think! Think about a simple meal like a chickpea, sweet potato, and broccoli curry – it’s not only delicious but also contributes significantly to your plant food intake.

A healthy immune system means a healthier body, and eating well – along with handwashing, getting enough sleep, and managing stress – is an important part of the equation. Remember, healthy eating isn’t about following a strict diet and it definitely doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. The best way to start? Put more nutrient-dense plant foods like sweet potatoes on your plate at every meal. They’re not just tasty; they’re a cornerstone of a healthy, immune-boosting diet.

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