Eating to support your immune system? Try these products
Prioritizing healthy foods is easier when you have these on hand.
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Getty Images / Miodrag Ignjatovic
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Reaching for chicken soup or orange juice when you’re sick might seem like a thoughtless habit, but science says there might be some logic behind it. And it’s not just the warm nostalgia that comes with a soup that tastes like Grandma’s; there are certain foods that have immunity-supporting properties, which means adding more of them to your diet can be beneficial to your overall health.
Now—before you swap your medicine cabinet continents for ginger-turmeric shots—be mindful that healthy food is not a replacement for things like disease-preventing vaccines and medication. But combining all of these things—with other habits like good sleep and regular exercise—puts your body in better shape to fight certain diseases when you come into contact with them.
So just eat more fruits and veggies, right? Easier said than done. Most Americans are only getting one tenth of the recommended intake. That’s why we’re here to recommend our favorite tools, services, and products—all tested by our experts—that can make getting more immune-boosting nutrients a breeze.
1. Personal blenders
The Magic Bullet makes morning smoothies and pre-workout shakes easy to make and take on the go.
I’ll admit it: I’m not a big fruit person. I always prefer a savory veggie over a tart fruit, and I rarely have a hankering for something like an apple. If fruit isn't your thing, either, whipping up a smoothie at home could be an easy (and yummy) way to get your daily servings in. You can even use frozen fruit—some of which contain more nutrients than fresh.
But to make killer smoothies, you need a killer blender. We love the Magic Bullet best because it’s lightweight, easy to clean, and can handle ingredients like frozen fruit with ease.
2. Juicers
Drinking your fruits and veggies is an easy way to make sure you get all those vitamins in.
Another hack for fruit-avoiders: Turn your produce into a lighter, easy sipping beverage! Store-bought juices get a bad rap for having added sugar and maintaining none of fruit’s natural fiber—but making your own means you can control exactly what goes in, and as long as you're getting your daily intake of fiber elsewhere, there’s nothing wrong with some homemade juice.
To get the best at-home results, we recommend the Omega Nutrition Center Juicer, which consistently produced the best juice yield (with little effort) during our tests.
3. Tea tools
Having the right tools for tea can help you get the most out of every cup.
Tea can do more than warm you up on a chilly day. Studies show that the ancient beverage has several health benefits—from cancer prevention to cardiovascular support. If you’re trying to get more cups in every day (and are worried about tea bag microplastics), having a good tea infuser on hand is a must.
We especially love Yoassi’s Extra Fine Stainless Steel infuser, which is big enough for hearty mugs and easy to clean. (You’ll need a kettle too, if you don’t already have one.)
4. Salad spinners
Prepping your at-home salad is much easier with a good spinner on hand.
What’s an easier way to get your veggies in than by tossing a bunch together in a salad? Whether you prefer kale, spinach, or classic iceberg as your base, you’ll want to make sure your veggies are free of dirt and grit by giving them a good wash before eating. Enter: salad spinners. More specifically, the Zyliss Swift Dry Salad Spinner, which we loved after testing for its large capacity and pristine drying abilities.
This gadget makes salad prepping that much easier. Just don’t forget to add your dressing and protein for a complete meal.
5. Healthy (and yummy) spices
Some spices have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can support your body.
Let’s be real: Veggies are nothing without good seasoning. If you’re struggling to keep down a plate of flavorless steamed broccoli, you’re doing the whole vegetable thing wrong.
Bring your produce to life by keeping a wide range of tasty and vibrant spices on deck in your kitchen. In addition to elevating flavors, some spices have health benefits of their own (yes, I’m talking about turmeric).
Don’t know where to start? Spicewalla is a direct-to-consumer spice company that offers curated boxes of spices, including an 18-pack of kitchen essentials for beginners.
6. Daily Harvest ready-to-eat meals
For an easy way to get your daily fruits and veggies in, Daily Harvest has plenty of plant-based options.
This is probably a good time to acknowledge that cooking isn’t for everyone—at least, not when it comes to preparing three meals a day, every day. If you’re too busy to prep healthy meals on your own, investing in a pre-made meal kit delivery service might be worth the money.
We love Daily Harvest for its easy, delicious, and nutrient-packed smoothies, snacks, and hearty meals. Almost all of the ingredients are organic, and you can learn more about the health benefits behind the meals on its website, to know exactly what benefits you’re getting out of every bite.
7. A good water bottle
Getting in enough water is crucial for several aspects of your health and wellbeing.
You’ve heard it preached to you time and time again: Stay hydrated! Drink more water! And while the precise amount of water needed on a day to day basis differs (depending on things like your activity level, weight, medication intake, etc.), the general consensus is the same: We should be drinking plenty of it.
That’s because staying hydrated helps manage everything from blood pressure to good skin to general wellbeing (this includes protecting the body from infection). The easiest way to stay hydrated? Making sure you always have enough water on you. We recommend the Brita Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle, which will keep your water cold for hours and has a built-in filter that makes it easy to refill on the go.
And if you can’t stomach a lot of water for the taste (or lack thereof), we recommend adding fresh lemon juice or mixing things up with seltzer water.
8. Non-alcoholic drinks
These zero-proof drinks are good enough to replace your go-to cocktails.
Speaking of drinks, prioritizing your immunity means you should probably cut out (or, at least cut down on) alcohol. Aside from its known increased risk for chronic illnesses like liver disease and cancer, alcohol consumption can leave your immune system more vulnerable to viruses and other infections, too.
But what can you indulge in when you’re craving a cocktail after a long day? Fear not, friend: We rounded up some of our favorite non-alcoholic wines, beers, spirits, and canned mocktails that are tasty enough to replace your post-workday drink and weekend happy hour. (And they definitely won’t have you missing hangovers.)
Shop non-alcoholic spirits on Drizly
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