EVERYONE seems fascinated by the connection between our lifestyle choices and our health.
Boosting your immune system in particular is a popular subject. The lay public are exposed to a wide range of information on how to boost immunity, often from commercial websites whose extravagant claims aren’t regulated in our food chain. Basically, they can say whatever they want with no scientific backing.
The only provably regulated claim you see in our food labels that is backed up by the best available evidence is ‘Helps maintain the normal functioning of the immune system’. But you will see the claim ‘Boosts your immune system’ on opportunistic unregulated commercial websites because this claim simply isn’t allowed on food labels, which are regulated.
Commercial websites can be an important component of information, but a lot of the time they are full of wild and biased information to sell their products or supplements.
Certain nutrients (iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, vitamin A, B6, B9, B12, C, D and E) are found in red meat, nuts, chicken, baked beans, sweet potato, oily fish, asparagus, soya/cow’s milk, berries and probiotics (Yakult, Actimel, Biomel). These will help with maintenance of the normal functioning of the immune system, but not boost it. You can only really boost your immune system through medicines and pharmaceuticals that protect against viruses or disease.
• Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email: attentive nutrition@gmail.com
