With children under 12 not yet able to take the COVID-19 vaccine, parents are understandably concerned about keeping unvaccinated kids healthy as the world opens up. “We cannot eat foods to increase our immune function but certainly we can include some foods to help support the functioning of our immune system,” says nutritionist Jordana Smith at Genesis Healthcare Center in Dubai. “Start supporting your child's immune function but looking at what you are including into their lunchbox.” Here are some of Jordana’s suggestions…
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LOOK TO THE GUT: Around 70% our immune function starts in our gut, so making sure we have a happy gut will help support our immune function. This means cutting back on foods and drinks that are packaged and processed and tend to be higher in fats and sugars, which negatively affect our digestive system. Get back to eating whole foods and drinking water is key.
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PROBIOTIC-RICH FOODS: Natural yoghurt and kefir contain a variety of probiotics which will help support the growth of good bacteria within our digestive systems.
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WHOLEGRAIN BREAD, PITAS AND WRAPS: Rich in fibre, Vitamin B, and folic acid, these are slow releasing carbohydrates, which means children’s energy levels are maintained for a longer period of time, making them less likely to crave the high sugar foods. Think about including alternative grains like quinoa or amaranth to increase the variety of fibre.
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ALTERNATE FRUIT AND VEGGIE COLOURS: I like to allocate a colour to a day. For example Monday means a green vegetable and red fruit. Allocate complementary colours to both your vegetable and fruit. This means that you get a bigger variety of micronutrients, antioxidants and different fibres which will support your child's gut function.
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LEAN PROTEIN: Examples include boiled egg, grilled chicken pieces, tofu kebabs, beans. These will help to maintain energy levels, increase metabolism and support immunity.
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HEALTHY FATS: Healthy fats such as tuna, olive oil and avocado will help with brain development and function.
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IMMUNE-BOOSTERS: Specific to immunity, try to include foods that are high in vitamin C and zinc. Good sources of vitamin C include capsicums, citrus fruits and strawberries. Zinc containing foods include eggs, and legumes.
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SEEDS: You can also include seeds into the lunchbox, providing zinc, selenium and healthy omega 3 fats, but please avoid nuts due to allergies.
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