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Nov 6, 2009 10:08 am US/Central
Good Question: Are There Foods That Fight The Flu?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―
We know that vaccinations can help protect us from the flu. And sanitizing can kill the virus if it gets on our hands. But are there more natural ways to protect ourselves? Are there foods that fight the flu?
With all the focus on hand-washing and sanitizing to fight the flu, the reality is that most of us who get sick are likely to catch the virus through the air. And there's so much of it out there, it's virtually impossible to keep at least some of the virus out of our bodies.
"We need to look at food as if it's medicine," said Heidi Diller, a registered dietitian with Cub Foods. "Food is the foundation for health."
Diller suggests four types of flu-fighting foods.
Orange-Colored Fruits and Vegetables
"Fruits and veggies that are orange contain a nutrient called carotenoids, which turn on our immune system," said Diller.
Beta-carotene in squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes helps make infection-fighting T-Cells. The more T-cells we have, the better chance we have that our body will naturally fight off a virus.
"The darker the flesh, the higher the caratenoid content," Diller explained.
Mushrooms
According to Diller, mushrooms are loaded with selenium. She suggests eating mushrooms a couple times a week.
"Selenium is a mineral that helps produce proteins in our body that clear viruses out of our body," she explained.
Yogurt
"Eat a yogurt a day. Just like an apple a day, a yogurt a day keeps the doctor away," said Diller.
Yogurt is packed with good bacteria, called probiotics. The body naturally has a coating of probiotics down the digestive tract, but during cold and flu system, the natural amount of probiotics is at a lower level. Eating yogurt makes up for that.
In a Swedish study of 181 factory employees, those who drank a daily supplement of yogurt took 33 percent fewer sick days than those given a placebo.
Tea
Diller said that most of the research has been done on green tea, but all teas come from similar plants, and should have the same properties.
Citing a study by Harvard University researchers, Diller said "people who consumed most tea pumped 10 times more immune fighting cells than those who didn't."
Polyphenols, potent nutrients found in green tea leaves, provide immune-enhancing benefits. Diller said it's critical to drink the tea right after it's brewed, because the polyphenols evaporate after time. And don't add milk, because the milk protein will bind to the polyphenols and render them ineffective.
Diller acknowledges that eating well isn't "a magic bullet," but it does give you a better chance to fight off the virus if it gets inside your body.
"Back in 500 B.C., Hippocrates said, 'Let food be the medicine and let medicine be thy food,'" noted Diller.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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