Now more than ever, it is important to support your immune system to keep it on its tiptop condition, especially with the ongoing global health crisis. One of the best ways to stay healthy is by maintaining a nutritious diet.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), keeping a healthy diet is important as it can affect your body’s ability to prevent, fight, and recover from infections.
While no food or supplement can cure COVID-19, especially that there is still no proven and available vaccine to fight it, the nutrition, such as the essential vitamins you get from the food you eat, is vital for supporting the immune system.
But what vitamins can help you maintain a healthy immune system? Here are some of these vitamins and their food sources, as listed by Santé, a provider of premier organic health and wellness products and services.
Vitamin A
Usually acquired through a healthy diet, Vitamin A is for the functioning of the immune system, as well as the healthy growth and development of children, says the WHO website[1]. Among the food items rich in Vitamin A includes carrots, spinach, broccoli, and sweet potato.
B Vitamins
B Vitamins refer to a group of eight nutrients, such as thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12). According to an article published on Harvard T.H. Chan’s website[2], these vitamins help a variety of enzymes do their jobs, such as releasing energy from carbohydrates and fats, breaking down amino acids, and transporting oxygen and nutrients that contain energy around the body.
The body has a limited capacity to store most of the B-group vitamins, except B12 and folate, which are stored in the liver. If you have a poor diet, then you may end up with B-group vitamin deficiency. So, it is important to get adequate amounts of these vitamins.
Getting the right amounts of B Vitamins is an important part of keeping your immune system healthy. Abundant in green vegetables, whole or enriched grains, dairy, and meats, B vitamins also help promote a healthy metabolism.
Vitamin C
Often touted as a natural cold remedy, vitamin C has been featured in supplements due to its promising properties to boost the immune system. Dr. Linus Pauling, a Nobel laureate, famously claimed that taking this vitamin helps fight common colds, says an article on Harvard Health Publishing[3].
Our body does not make vitamin C, but we need it for immune functions and other health benefits. This water-soluble vitamin can be found mostly in the food we eat, such as Citrus fruits, strawberries, red bell pepper, and kiwi.
For men, the recommended dietary allowance is 90 mg of vitamin C every day, while 75 mg for women.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E promotes the neutralization of free radicals by working as an antioxidant. It is also key for strong immunity, as well as healthy skin and eyes. According to WebMD.com[4], the RDA of this vitamin includes the amounts you get from the food you eat and the supplements you take. For adults, 14 years old and above, the RDA is 15 mg per day.
To help you get all these nutrients, wherever you are, Santé recently launched its Pass the Vitamins campaign, featuring its Santé Barley™ and Daily C NutriPair pack.
Santé Barley™ is a certified organic barley grass powdered drink. Blended with one of nature’s most potent sweeteners, Stevia, this product is best taken before meals. It also easily dissolves in water and contains A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, and E (per serving).
Daily C, on the other hand, is Sante’s non-acidic vitamin C, which contains 568mg of Sodium Ascorbate in vegetable capsules. Its non-acidic form makes it gentler on the stomach and safer for daily use. When taken daily, this vitamin C supplement can be your immune system aide.
“Amid the current global health crisis, Santé believes that it is the best time to pass on, not the virus, but the vitamins that can help you and your loved ones maintain a healthy immune system. In Santé, we consider this as our advocacy, to spread the vitamins and keep the virus from spreading,” said Joey Marcelo, chief executive officer of Santé.
Santé NutriPair is just among the organic health and wellness products offered by Santé. Known for its flagship, Santé Barley™, the company has developed a comprehensive selection of everyday barley-based products. They are made, specifically with organic barley grass, as certified by BioGro, New Zealand’s leading organic certification agency.
To learn more about Santé, visit its website atsantebarley.com.
