By: Kali Sink , AAS, NC. Read on to learn more about the nutritional powerhouses that can elevate your wellbeing and empower your immune system for a resilient and active life!

Which superfoods are best for immune support? Put simply, any nutrient dense food will support your immune health. However, while many of these nutrients are easily met in ample quantities by a healthy, diverse diet, the need for certain nutrients—namely, antioxidants—can increase during times of stress and sickness, making some foods extra supportive.

Antioxidants are a powerful class of immune boosting nutrients. They help us ward off or minimize cold and flu symptoms by increasing the production and function of our white blood cells, the tiny backbones of our entire immune system.

Antioxidants are also powerful anti-inflammatories, reducing the aches and pains that come with sickness. As an added bonus, some are antiviral and antimicrobial, helping to halt an infection in its tracks.

Antioxidants include nutrients like vitamin C, flavonoids, and polyphenols, and are abundant in many fruits, especially berries. One of the benefits of getting these nutrients from foods instead of supplements is that you get the complex and diverse version as designed by Mother Nature, instead of a simplified version made in a lab.

Another immunity favorite is elderberry , which has been used for hundreds of years to help keep colds and flus at bay, and to kickstart the immune system when they strike.

These berries, along with acai berries , are packed with polyphenols, which are strong anti-inflammatories. Adding any of these superfoods to juices, smoothies, yogurt, or other simple dishes is a great way to keep your immune system strong and your cells well nourished. What could our bodies possibly want with over 7 times the recommended daily intake amount?

And can it do more harm than good? With certain vitamins the answer would be yes. Some, like vitamin E, are fat soluble, which means they get stored by the liver and can build up to toxic levels in the body. Others, including vitamin C, are water soluble, meaning that any excess is filtered out by our liver and excreted through our waste systems.

If vitamin C is ingested in large amounts at one time, it can cause digestive disturbances, including nausea and diarrhea.

This is more likely to happen from a supplement than from whole foods, which come with fiber and minerals, nutrients that help to slow the absorption of the vitamin C into the bloodstream. Zinc is another nutrient that our immune system leans on.

Studies have shown it can reduce the severity of colds when taken at the onset of symptoms. Generally, the amount used in studies has been at levels hard to reach without a supplement, but certain superfoods can help! The one I like best is maitake, also called "hen-of-the-woods" or "chicken-of-the-woods.

I'm a fan of shiitake mushrooms, too. Studies show a pattern of immune-boosting benefits, such as an increase in NK and Cytotoxic T cells — both advantageous in conquering viruses and cancer cells. Lastly, there's the reishi mushroom, which has been shown in several studies to increase the Th1 cytokine response and help make chemotherapeutic drugs more effective.

In addition, extracts of reishi promote the immune response against certain strains of herpes virus. Reishi mushrooms have a hard outer shell that makes them inedible, so capsules are the most convenient form. Ginger has several strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

The spicy, aromatic root contains compounds called gingerols, which show promise in preventing cardiovascular disease by reducing oxidative stress in blood vessels, as well as inflammation in the heart area.

Studies reveal that ginger extract may help prevent alcohol-induced liver disease and can also block the kidney damage created by chemotherapy drugs. I often recommend ginger to patients who have nausea, bloating and other GI complaints from imbalances in their microbiome. You can incorporate fresh ginger in savory dishes, smoothies and ginger tea, or grab a ginger shot bottle found at many juice bars and cafes to drink plain or dilute in water.

Recently, a great deal of attention has been focused on broccoli sprouts, a potent source of one of the most immune-supportive biochemicals: sulforaphane. On its own, sulforaphane has been shown to increase the levels of several antioxidant compounds by inducing a compound in our cells called NRF This is sometimes called the "master regulator" of antioxidants, which means it helps increase the production of other antioxidants.

NRF-2 can play a role in lowering inflammation seen in many diseases like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and liver disease. Most cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower and broccoli, contain large amounts of glucoraphanin, which converts to sulforaphane during digestion.

However, young broccoli sprouts contain between 10 and times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli! The best way to eat broccoli sprouts is raw — for instance, in salads — because sulforaphane is easily broken down by cooking.

I always aim to eat two ounces of broccoli sprouts a week. Not only does garlic make everything taste more delicious, but this pungent vegetable has multiple compounds that regulate the immune system. Studies on garlic find that it is immune-stimulating — increasing the activity of NK cells, a type of immune cell that has granules with enzymes that can kill tumor cells or cells infected with a virus.

At the same time, garlic is anti-inflammatory and can be cardioprotective by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. You can incorporate garlic into almost any recipe — so use it whenever you can — and you can also find it in supplement form if you're not a fan of the taste. If I had to pick one culinary compound out of nature's apothecary for it's immune-supportive effects, I'd go with turmeric root.

The bright yellow-orange root contains a magical compound called curcumin, which has many key benefits:. Turmeric is a great spice to use in cooking, although it does impart a bright yellow hue to your skin tongue and teeth.

And, because it's not well-absorbed in the GI tract, you'd need to eat gobs of it to achieve immune-modulation effects. Given that, curcumin supplements are the best way to get this beneficial compound.

Dosages vary based on need. For general health, I recommend about 1, milligram a day in divided dosages. Heather Moday is a board-certified allergist, immunologist and functional medicine physician.

She is also the author of " The Immunotype Breakthrough: Your Personalized Plan to Balance Your Immune System, Optimize Health, and Build Lifelong Resilience.