We’re deep into flu season, which means everywhere you turn, you’re likely to hear someone with that tell-tale cough or sniffly nose. And while there are things you can do to help reduce your chances of coming down with the flu, one of the most important factors to consider is what you put into your body. Try these flu-fighting foods to help give your immune system the best chance of fighting off the virus.

Leafy greens

There’s a reason your mum always told you to eat your greens, and that’s because they’re absolutely packed full of nutritional goodness. Greens like spinach, kale, and rocket are very high in vitamin C, which is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. So get stuck in, and remember – as a general rule, the darker the greens, the more nutrients they contain.

How to eat them:

• Salads
• Stir-fries
• Spinach and eggs
• Kale chips (easy to make at home in your oven!)

Turmeric

Turmeric has garnered a reputation for being one of the world’s top superfoods, and for good reason. It’s high in antioxidants, acts a natural anti-inflammatory, and can help reduce your susceptibility to flu and colds. To make a simple turmeric tea, add a teaspoon of turmeric with a pinch of cinnamon and cloves and a dash of honey into a cup of boiling water.

This spice can be added to almost anything to give it a flavourful kick! Try adding it to things like:

• Roasted vegetables
• Rice dishes
• Soups and stews
• Blended into a green smoothie

Garlic

Allicin, the active ingredient in garlic, has been shown to reduce the length and severity of cold and flu symptoms. While you can take a garlic supplement, allicin is more readily absorbed by the body when you eat the real thing, so try a garlic soup or even eat a clove or two raw a day (if you can handle it) for the biggest impact.

Garlic is another one of those foods that can be added to almost any savoury dish you can think of. Cook it with:

• Scrambled eggs and omelettes
• Salsas and Mexican-inspired food
• Italian dishes

Oranges

Back to vitamin C appreciation; oranges are an excellent source of it, and eating them may help prevent the onset of flu by boosting your immune system. Other fruits like strawberries and kiwi fruit are also very high in vitamin C, so flu season is a great excuse to whip up a delicious fruit salad.

How to eat it:

• A sweet start to breakfast (in wedges or juice form)
• For a light dessert, paired with a few squares of dark chocolate
• Orange juice makes a great addition to Asian-inspired sauces

Lean meat

Lean meat is high in iron and zinc, both of which are important in maintaining healthy immune function. While red meat is highest in iron, other lean meats such as chicken and fish are also rich in nutrients that can help you fight those flu bugs.

How to eat it: This one is easy to incorporate into your everyday eating. For something a little different, try adding kangaroo into your favourite dishes.

Green tea

Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, and nowadays is touted throughout the world for its antioxidant properties. A hot cup of green tea will not only help soothe a sore throat, but can also help fortify your immune system.

How to drink it: We recommend starting your day with a cup of green tea.

Tuna

Tuna is an excellent source of selenium, which plays an important role in keeping your immune system in tip-top shape. Selenium also helps protect cells from free radical damage, so it’s worth making sure you’re getting enough of it in your diet all year round.

How to eat it:

• Add it into salads as a protein
• Put it in a wrap or sandwich
• Make a poke bowl
• Enjoy some sushi

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great natural source of zinc, which helps white blood cells fight off infection in the body. A quarter-cup serving provides about 20% of the daily recommended intake of zinc, so they’re a healthy and tasty snack option for flu season.

How to eat them:

• Add to a salad for a delicious crunch
• Roasted seeds make a great at-work snack
• Crushed up with other ingredients, pumpkin seeds can be used as a healthier form of breading on chicken or fish

Mushrooms

Packed full of immune-boosting selenium and beta glucan (an antimicrobial type of fibre), mushrooms are a key weapon in your flu-fighting arsenal.

How to eat them:

• Give yourself a big dose of mushroom-y goodness with a creamy mushroom soup
• Use them as a meat substitute (Portobello burgers, anyone?)
• Add them to a stir-fry or veggie lasagne

Chicken soup

Chicken soup has been a homemade flu remedy for as long as most of us can remember, and now there are studies to show that it helps with flu symptoms on a number of levels. A bowl of hearty chicken soup can reduce inflammation (lessening flu symptoms), helps keep you hydrated, and delivers lots of healthy nutrients from the chicken and veggies.

How to eat it:

• Mix up the classic chicken soup with a dash of hot-sauce or Sriracha sauce
• Use the leftovers from a roast chicken as a base for your broth (and use that chicken in a healthy spinach, mushroom, and pumpkin-seed salad!)

While flu-fighting foods can help keep the virus at bay, if you’re feeling under the weather, it’s always best to make an appointment with a doctor.