Boost Your Toddler's Immunity: 8 Immune-Boosting Ingredients and Delicious Recipes to Include in Your Daily Diet!

Immune system is the bodyguard that protects our body from unwanted infections. It fights with viruses, fungi, parasites and helps in repairing our tissues. It also secures our body of toxins and other allergy-inducing substances to enter the body through mucosal surfaces. Our immune system has a team of cells, tissues and organs that fights against illness, germs etc continuously which leads to whooping cough, diarrhoea, and other infectious diseases.

When the whole world is fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, the best thing to do is to strengthen our immune system and especially the kids' because toddlers have low immunity, therefore, are prone to catching infections easily. It is important to include nutrients like amino acids, fatty acids, vitamin A, B6, B 12, C and E with a lot of copper, iron and selenium to strengthen their immune system.

Young kids are more prone to catching viruses as they come in contact with a lot of substances. It is important to maintain hygiene at home at a young age as most of the immune system is developed by the time they reach 7 or 8 years of age.

A toddler's digestive system, their reproductive and central nervous system are in a developing stage and they are very vulnerable at this stage. They crawl or fall and touch the ground; they put everything in their mouth resulting in a load of pesticides, dust or contaminated soil getting in their mouth.

There are many ways you can get your toddler's immune system to work properly. Vitamin C is great for boosting immunity. Fruits like oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, bell peppers, spinach can do wonders for a kid's immune system. Our body does not produce vitamin C, therefore, it is essential to take it through foods or supplements. Similarly, vitamin B6 supports biochemical reaction; you can give chicken, tuna or salmon for B6. Foods like green vegetables and chickpeas are also high in vitamin B6. Vitamin E works as an antioxidant which helps in fighting off infection. Include nuts, seeds and spinach in your child's daily diet for an ample dose of vitamin E.

We wait for the monsoon all year long, it brings a lot of joy to smell that raw fragrance of wet soil and eat a plate full of pakodas but monsoon also brings a lot of infection with it. People suffer from water-borne diseases and allergic reactions during monsoon. It is important to eat nutritious food to regulate your metabolism. You can whip up a lot of goodies with ingredients and foods which will help in boosting your toddler's immune system this monsoon season.

Turmeric is known as a miracle herb. It is a great immunity enhancing spice. Turmeric has 3 -5 % of curcumin which is an antioxidant. According to Ayurveda it cleanses our blood, eradicates toxins and works on our digestive system. It also clears the respiratory tract and has great anti-inflammatory properties which help to ease cold and flu.

The best way to incorporate turmeric in your toddler's diet is to add a pinch of turmeric in his milk right before he goes off to bed. You can also add some saffron to enhance the medicinal quality of the milk. If the child is suffering from congestion you can boil a cup of milk and add one tsp of turmeric in it. It will clear chest congestion and help him breathe easily.

Another great immunity booster food is spinach. It is also known as a superfood. Spinach not only boosts your immunity but also repairs your DNA and increases the production of cells in the body. It helps in producing white blood cells which is important for the immune system. Eating spinach regularly gives you an ample amount of fibre and beta carotene which helps in fighting off bacterial infections.

Spinach has its own distinctive taste and the green colour makes it look more delicious. Remember Popeye eating it and fighting the bad guys, it actually does that, it makes your body strong. It is said that spinach originated in Persia and not it is one of the most used plants in tons of dishes. It is low in calories and is packed with antioxidants and vitamins. It also has a huge amount of vitamins C, A and E which fights off the infections and strengthens the blood cells. The minerals found in spinach boost your immune system in a magical way. You can incorporate spinach in many ways. Here is a delicious recipe of scrambled eggs with spinach you can make for your toddler. He will enjoy his breakfast and gain a lot of nutrients from it.

Pumpkin and other vegetables from the same family are packed with antioxidants, vitamins A and C. It is also loaded with manganese, magnesium and foliates which is excellent for boosting the immune system. Pumpkin is eaten in India in various ways but most of us don't know the health benefits of pumpkin. They are loaded with fibre which clears of constipation and the antibacterial properties help in killing intestinal worms. Pumpkin is also rich in antioxidants which help in fighting the disease-causing free radicals.

Getting the kids to eat pumpkin could be tricky but if you know how to make a delicious dish out of pumpkin you can easily convince them to eat and gain its benefits. Here is a recipe for pumpkin soup. It is easy to make and serves as a great snack for kids as well as adults.

Sweet potatoes are delicious and you can eat them in many different ways. They are rich in fibre, potassium, vitamins and other nutrients. They are also high in beta carotene which helps in increasing the white blood cells. They also give you an ample amount of vitamin C which is great for immunity boosting.

It is quite easy for you to get your kids to eat sweet potatoes because of its sweet taste and a smooth texture. Did you know that a 124g serving of sweet potato gives you 12.8 mg of vitamin C? So, next time you go out shopping, load a lot of sweet potatoes for your family, especially for your little one.

Here is how you can make tasty sweet potato pancakes:
These pancakes are great because it does not have any flour in it. You can add some vanilla extract and some cinnamon in it to enhance its flavour. You can also pour some maple syrup or put some butter on it before serving it to your toddler.

Not all mushrooms look pretty but most of them are packed with nutrients which are healthy for you and can strengthen your immune system. Mushrooms have been used since ages by eastern medical practitioners because they are loaded with immune-boosting compounds. They are packed with Vitamin D and antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory properties. They work wonders when it comes to the fighting of cancer, viruses and other illnesses. They are also very rich in polysaccharides which maintain the structure of your cells resulting in a healthy immune system.

Mushrooms are great for non-vegetarians. You can make many different delicious dishes of mushroom and serve it to your toddler. You can try this crunchy mushroom popcorn for your toddler. They will love it for sure.

You must have heard a lot of doctors recommending eating fish, it is because it is packed with omega 3 and zinc. Fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are great when it comes to boosting your immune system. Omega 3 is not produced by our body but it is very essential for a healthy immune system. Zinc on the other hand repairs damaged cells therefore both of these elements are needed for a healthy immune system.

Here is a recipe for a homemade tasty fish stick. Kids love it.

We already know the benefits of citrus fruits. Fruits like oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit are a great source of vitamin C which is excellent for boosting your immune system. They are packed with vitamins and plant compounds. Vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells. Summer is here and so is the heat. It is important to keep your kids hydrated. You can either give them a whole lot of water but if you offer them citrus fruit induced water they would like it more. The fresh smell of the fruit and the sweet taste will tempt them to drink it more.

Yogurt is another food that is packed with millions of health benefits. It fights against gastrointestinal illnesses and makes your body strong enough to fight off infections. You can look for Greek yogurt rather than the plain one and serve it to your kid with added fruits, nuts or honey on it.

The bacteria L. bulgaricus in yogurt is known to enhance your immune system and give you a longer life. It is packed with calcium, protein and probiotics which is the good bacteria which keeps your gut healthy and boosts your immune system.

Here is a recipe of a delicious yogurt fruit smoothie you can make the next time you kid is hungry.

There are many other natural ways through which you can boost your toddler's immune system.