The health benefits of immune-boosting fruits come from the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals they contain, all of which help the body fight and prevent disease. Fruits also contain fiber, which is great for digestive health, as well as lutein, which is healthy for your vision.
Although fruits contain many healthful elements, keeping your serving size low is important. The fruit sugar fructose, while all natural, still causes insulin to rise too much, causing blood sugar problems, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Enjoy the following fruit superfoods in moderation, and don’t let fruit push vegetables off your plate!
Berries like blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and strawberries are the top immune-boosting fruits.
These fruits contain phytochemicals (natural plant chemicals) that give them their vibrant colors, called anthocyanins. Berries are flooded with antioxidants, are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and are also high in fiber. They provide all this nutrition and are low in natural sugars to boot! They suppress the growth of several cancers and colds, reduce high blood pressure, and prevent strokes, arthritis, and osteoporosis.
Avocado is one of the few fruits that contain fat.
The fatty acids it contains are superior fats. This fat soothes inflammation, controls blood sugar balance, and is super healthy for your cells. In addition to being filled with nutrients, avocados are also a nutrient booster, enabling you to absorb other nutrients you take in from other foods you consume.
Lemons are super versatile and contain numerous health benefits.
Lemons naturally cleanse the body, and the antifungal and antiseptic qualities help kill germs. Lemons provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals, including lots of vitamin C, and have been shown to slow the rate of cancer growth. Lemons also help balance the acidity in your body, which is great for boosting your immune system.
Limes are also versatile, and they have the amazing ability to speed up your body’s healing process.
Limes contain antiviral properties that trigger the production of white blood cells, which gobble up all the harmful bacteria or dead and dying cells.
Eating apples is like giving your body a mini-cleanse.
Apples are rich in the fiber pectin, which binds cholesterol, toxins, and heavy metals to move them out of your body. Apples clean out your colon, keeping it healthy, which makes your skin glow.
Rose hips improve resistance to infection by stimulating white blood cells, making you resistant to colds, and are commonly used to make immune-building teas.
Rose hips are the berrylike fruits of the rose bush left behind after the bloom has died. Rose hips contain 20 times more vitamin C by weight than oranges.
Oranges contain beta sitosterol, which has been shown to prevent tumor growth and lower blood cholesterol.
The versatility of oranges allows you to enjoy this high-fiber fruit on its own or in some savory dishes or drinks!
Detoxification is what grapefruit does so well.
Grapefruit also inhibits cancer growth and lowers cholesterol. It’s an antifungal and an antiparasitic. Grapefruits have also been linked to weight loss.
Kiwi is loaded with vitamin C, more so than the familiar vitamin-C-containing orange.
Just one of these little guys contains 120 percent of an adult’s daily recommended dose. Kiwi is also a great fruit for fiber. Kiwi can cause allergic symptoms in some children.
Mango is a delicious tropical fruit that’s loaded in beta carotene; the precursor to vitamin A. Vitamin A is antiviral and important for immune function.
Mango is also one of the only fruit sources of vitamin E, which protects against cell damage and boosts disease-fighting antibodies.
The healing ability of cantaloupe comes from its beta carotene.
Vitamin A plays a big hand in producing white blood cells to fight disease. Also rich in vitamin C, this fruit helps protect against colds, cancer, and heart disease.
Pomegranates have antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory abilities.
The juice and the seeds of this fruit stop tumor cells from growing, spreading, or creating blood supplies. Pomegranates lower blood pressure, improve heart health, reverses atherosclerosis, and improve depression.
Grapes strengthen your capillaries, so they’re a powerful natural remedy to improve circulation and prevent heart disease.
Grapes are high in antioxidants, keeping your cells healthy and free from the damage that causes disease. Grapes are another detoxifying immune-building fruit, detoxifying the skin, liver, kidney, and intestines.
When you buy grapes, reach for the red grapes instead of the white. Red grapes contain more anthocyanins, which are the antioxidants found in grapes that make them so immune building.
Cherries contain a powerful compound that blocks cancer cells from developing.
Rich in antioxidants, cherries help you fight disease, viruses, and bacteria. The anti-inflammatory nature of cherries provides relief to inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
The protein-digesting enzyme in pineapple called bromelain is responsible for all pineapple’s wonderful qualities.
Bromelain’s power comes from reducing inflammation. Injuries, digestive discomforts, sinusitis, arthritis, as well as any inflammatory condition are supported by the use of pineapple. It tastes good, too!