Always complaining about how often your child gets the sniffles? Welcome to the grim reality of having children! It’s no secret that we are what we eat and that a well-balanced diet filled with nutritious foods is our most effective defence against chronic and dangerous conditions.
Children can be picky about their food and often don’t want to try new healthy foods, especially younger children. While it’s common for children to prefer fast food to fruits and vegetables, they need to consume various food types to grow and develop well. Children who are picky with what they eat may eventually suffer from a weakened immune system, which often leads to frequent sickness and delayed recovery.
As a parent, your first line of defence may be to boost their immune system with a supplement or multivitamin but have you ever considered giving your child immune-boosting snacks and smoothie options? If you haven’t, we’ve got you covered! We will be taking a closer look at simple immune-boosting snacks and smoothies and how they affect your child’s immune system’s ability to properly respond to illnesses in this article.
Happiness starts with making smoothies together.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is vital to our health. It is our body’s defence against infections, viruses, and bacteria that enter the body.
Made up of different organs, cells, and proteins that work together, there are two main parts of the immune system:
- The innate immune system. ‘What you are born with’ it provides broad cover against invading organisms, allergens through physical barriers against them like our skin and mucus membranes, but also using immune cells and proteins, this part of the immune system is broad acting and non-specific.
- The adaptive immune system. Also known as the ‘acquired’ immune system, this immune response is learnt through exposure to invading organisms, pathogens or allergens over time, almost like learnt immunity, it involves special immune cells which through exposure learn to act specifically against known pathogens providing a more specific immune response. These two immune systems work together, and the stronger your immune system is, the less chance you have of getting sick and the faster you can recover if you do.
Where is the immune system?
The immune system is present in practically every part of the body. Immune cells reside mainly in the bloodstream and lymphatic tissue such as the spleen, lymph nodes and lymphatic channels.
The cells which constitute the immune system are varied and comprise cells of different forms and functions. The central cell components are:
- T-Lymphocytes
- B-Lymphocytes
- Neutrophils
- Eosinophils
- Basophils
- Monocytes
Can healthy snacks and smoothies boost your child’s immune system?
The simple answer to this question is yes. When a child is a picky eater, this can result in the child not getting the right amount of nutrients that their body needs.
If your child has entered the hustle and bustle of attending school, the chance of picking up bugs and other nasties more easily is increased. The good news is that giving your children extra nutrition support is easier (and tastier) than you think.
You might be wondering what you can do to keep your kids healthy. One of the best ways of fulfilling your children’s nutritional requirements is by introducing them to different food groups, which are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy, to ensure sufficient nutrients for growth and development.
Immune-boosting snack and smoothie options for the children:
Smoothies have become a popular way to pack extra nutrition into any busy day. If you don’t have time for a sit-down breakfast, blend some fruit and yoghurt in a blender with ice for a refreshing shake that your children will enjoy on the way to school. Packing healthy snacks for your children such as berries, yoghurt, milk, nuts and seeds, and fruits can help build your children’s immune systems and support their gut health.
Immune-boosting snacks:
- Fresh seasonal fruits – seasonal produce is rich in fibre that supports intestinal health. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to strengthen the immune system.
- Unsulphured dried fruits – almonds are one of the best dry fruits for immunity, with excellent antioxidant properties and zero cholesterol levels.
- Raw nuts – nuts provide plant-based protein and gut-loving fibre. They are also rich in antioxidants. Their nutrients include zinc, copper, iron, selenium and vitamin B6 – which contribute to the normal functioning of our immune system.
- Raw vegetables – when it comes to eating vegetables, mom was right, they are the best! Vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, are vital in helping the body fight illnesses.
- Popcorn (flavoured with A.Vogel Herbamare) – high in fibre content, eating popcorn may help promote healthy gut bacteria. Popcorn is rich in antioxidants and regulates your metabolism. It provides energy, reduces depression, and supports the healthy bone function. A.Vogel Herbamare is pure sea salt infused with 12 fresh, organically grown herbs and vegetables – celery, leek, cress, onions, chives, parsley, lovage, basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and kelp. These ingredients lend flavour to your food and popcorn but contain less salt than regular salt.
Immune-boosting smoothies:
Blueberry & Kiwi Smoothie
- 100g blueberries
- 2 kiwis (skin removed)
- 300ml almond milk
- 50g fresh spinach
- 100ml coconut milk
- 2 tbsp A.Vogel Molkosan
Blend all the ingredients and enjoy!
This smoothie is
- A great source of vitamins (C, K & antioxidants)
- High in dietary fibre
- Low in saturated fat and sodium
- Cholesterol free
With their high levels of antioxidants, blueberries are immune-boosting superfoods which can help fight infections such as colds and flu. Adding Molkosan to your smoothie will support the growth of good gut bacteria. Molkosan is a daily tonic for a healthy digestive system. It helps prevent bad bacteria and yeasts from being able to attach to the gut walls thereby eliminating them from the body before they take hold and cause problems.
Apple & Banana
- One green apple, chopped
- 1 banana, sliced
- 175ml fresh orange juice
- 75ml milk
- 1 tbsp Bio-Strath
Blend all the ingredients and enjoy!
This smoothie is
- Rich in healthy vitamins and minerals
- Good source of fibre
- High in antioxidants
Bananas are excellent for the digestive system! They help aid digestion, stimulate the growth of friendly bacteria, are high in fibre and help keep the bowels healthy. Bio-Strath is a nutritional supplement that supports the immune system. It provides the body with essential nutrients that are needed daily to feed the body’s cells and significantly reduces the development of colds, flu and fever and reduces time off from illness.
Keep their bodies healthy and strong
Keeping your child’s immune system ready for most threats shouldn’t feel like rocket science. Keep these simple immune-boosting snack and smoothie options in mind to ensure that their immune system stays strong. To help support your child’s immunity and fight viral infections, we suggest giving A.Vogel Echinaforce Junior – a chewable tablet which helps treat viral and bacterial infections, including colds and flu. Don’t forget to add a daily dose of Bio-Strath. Bio-Strath is a nutritional supplement that supports memory and concentration, reduces fatigue and stress, and strengthens and supports the immune system.
References
- Best vitamins for kids’ nutrition (no date) Wyeth Nutrition SG. Available at: https://www.wyethnutrition.com.sg/toddlers-nutrition (Accessed: January 31, 2023).
- Replace junior (2021) Replace. Replace. Available at: https://replace.co.za/replace-junior/ (Accessed: January 31, 2023).
- The immune system (2022) The Immune System | Johns Hopkins Medicine. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/the-immune-system (Accessed: January 31, 2023).