I’m enjoying an abnormally sunny streak of winter here in the Seattle-area right now, Reader.

I’m feeling particularly robust and healthy at the moment, but I’m also preparing to fly to Florida for a little winter break. Travel always brings to mind the ways I can top-up with nutrient-density to keep my immune system on-point.

I never want to waste a vacation with a cold, or worse.

I feel like everyone on the planet is trying to sell immune boosting supplements right now, but I’d rather see you spending your money on food.

When you eat natural foods, you get nutrients in the combination that nature has deemed most beneficial. In supplements they call this including co-factors.

How about we skip the latest and greatest in supplement formulations and eat instead?

We’re also nature, after all.

Here are three foods you’re probably overlooking that are truly powerhouses of nutritional support.

Red cabbage sauerkraut

All fermented foods support your immune system because probiotic organisms line your small intestine and help sort through what gets into your body and what continues on down the tube as waste. Four to six ounces of homemade raw sauerkraut (or long-fermented commercial kraut) can contain up to 10 trillion bacteria.

Fermenting vegetables also increases their Vitamin C content, so rather than reaching for a Vitamin C supplement, you can eat a fermented sauerkraut and boost both your C and your probiotic flora.

The nutrient increase that comes from fermenting foods never ceases to amaze me. Raw cabbage by itself has about 30mg of Vitamin C per cup, but when it’s raw and fermented it gets boosted.

That boost can be as little as up to 60mg per cup, but in the case of red cabbage kraut it can have as much as 600-700mg of Vitamin C in the same amount!

Compare this to a medium orange, which contains 70-85mg of Vitamin C, but the sugar it brings along with it is depleting to other immune system nutrients.

I eat a few bites of kraut almost daily, and increase my intake whenever I’m under the weather.

Make or save my Red Cabbage Kraut with Cumin and Caraway Seeds recipe.​

Salmon roe

I used to categorize salmon roe (eggs) as a special occasion-only treat or a sushi-bonus.

Until I realized how nutrient-packed they are.

Salmon roe contains all the essential vitamins, and most of the essential minerals, your body needs.

It’s one of the highest sources of the essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA, while also being a wonderful source of protein.

It’s great for your immune system because it contains easy to absorb Vitamin D.

Little kids also love them because they’re an easy finger food. Small and soft in size, but a bit sticky, making them easy to pick up.

My favorite way to eat them is on a cucumber round, slathered with cultured cream cheese, then topped with a dollop of salmon roe. They’re also delicious as a garnish on scrambled eggs.

They are salty – start with a small amount so you don’t overwhelm your taste buds.

Oysters

Another food source of Vitamin D, and this one is packed with all the minerals your body needs too.

Special mention goes to zinc, which is a mineral that gets burned up during immune challenges.

If you’ve ever lost some of your sense of smell or taste after an infection, it’s a sign that you burned through loads of zinc and need to restock yourself.

In addition to the zinc, they’re one of the top sources of biotin, copper, EPA, DHA, iodine, iron, selenium, taurine, and vitamin B12.

I personally love oysters on the half shell, but if you’re not a fan, you can get nearly the same nutritional benefits by eating them cooked.

If you really hate oysters, but know you’d benefit from their incredible nutrient density, I recommend you “supplement” with OysterMax, which is simply dried and powdered oysters from particularly clean waters off of Ireland.

I eat each of these foods periodically in the winter, and I always add them to my grocery list when I’ve been under the weather. Consider them booth as a booster, and as part of your immune recovery routine.

If you’re not sure where you can purchase high-quality options for each of these, you’ll find them in my gut-friendly grocery guide, Where Can I Buy It?​

Warm wishes,

Jenn

​Body Wisdom Nutrition​

P.S. If you’d like to work with my one-on-one this year, the next free get-to-know-me ​Gut-Curious Zoom Call​​ is happening Tuesday, February 4th, at 4:15pm Pacific time. Meet me there?