This time of year, when everyone around you seems to be getting sick, you’re likely doing what you can to stay healthy. Getting vaccinated for COVID and flu, regularly washing your hands and getting plenty of sleep all play a role in reducing your chances of getting sick. So can what we eat.You probably already know that foods high in vitamin C support immune health. Maybe you even have a glass of orange juice every morning or incorporate more bell peppers into your meals for this reason.While vitamin C certainly plays a role in immune health, in recent years, scientists and doctors have increasingly turned their attention to an often-overlooked part of the body that plays an outsized role in immunity: the gut. Your digestive system isn’t just responsible for breaking down food—it’s also home to trillions of microbes that constantly interact with your immune system. In fact, the majority of your immune cells live in and around your gut, helping your body distinguish between harmless substances and real threats like viruses and bacteria.
That’s why certain foods that support gut health may also support immune health. And one of the easiest places to add those foods? Breakfast. There’s a simple, familiar breakfast staple that doctors say may help support your immune system—and it might already be sitting in your fridge.
?SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week?
Anne DEL SOCORRO/Getty Images
“When we talk about immune health, we have to start with the gut. Roughly 70% of your immune system sits in the gut, wrapped around your intestines and constantly interacting with the trillions of microbes in your microbiome,” says Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist, US medical director of ZOE and author of Plant-Powered Plus.
Dr. Bulsiewicz says that eating fermented foods every day can lower inflammatory markers and promote a more resilient, balanced immune system. One fermented food you can easily add to your breakfast is yogurt.
Related: Here's What People Actually Mean When They Talk About 'Gur Health'
“When people hear ‘immune system,’ they often think about the throat, lungs and germs in the air. But a big part of your immune system lives in and around your gut. In fact, the bacteria in our gut far outnumber the cells in our body,” says JustAnswer gastroenterologist, Dr. Jason Korenblit, MD.
Dr. Korenblit explains that probiotics may support immune health in a few different ways. “They can help keep the gut’s community of microbes in a healthier balance, especially after it’s been ‘shaken up,’ after antibiotics or illness. They can also make helpful substances and may influence immune responses.” He says that some probiotic strains help the body hold off unwanted germs by taking up space and resources in the gut and by supporting the gut barrier.
Related: Power Up! 17 Simple Health Habits That Can Boost Your Immunity
Dr. Daksesh B. Patel, DO, a gastroenterologist with GI Alliance of Illinois, says that probiotics form a protective, thick layer on the gut wall, which helps crowd out harmful bacteria and prevent them from passing through the lining into the bloodstream. Dr. Patel says that probiotics are also constantly interacting with immune cells (called B cells and T cells), which helps the immune system better distinguish the difference between friendly substances (like food) and true threats to the body (like pathogens).
Can Probiotic-Rich Foods Help Prevent You From Getting Sick?
While scientific research shows that probiotics play a role in immune health, can something as simple as adding yogurt to your breakfast each day actually lower your chances of getting sick? According to the five doctors we talked to, maybe.
“Our microbiome changes every single minute, so it’s very hard to say how one specific variable can affect it,” says Dr. James Cox, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor who teaches culinary medicine at Texas Christian University Burnett School of Medicine. Dr. Cox also points out that people who eat a diet that includes fermented foods like yogurt also tend to have other healthy habits in place, so it’s impossible to say how much the one specific habit of eating probiotic-rich foods impacts immune health.
Related: The One Supplement Doctors Say People Over 50 Should Avoid for Immune Health
But Dr. Cox does say that anecdotally, most people tend to feel better after eating probiotic-rich foods. “There are real stories of people saying their colds go away quicker than before or they get colds less frequently when they eat fermented foods,” he says. But the reason why is still a big question mark, scientifically speaking.
Dr. Farnaz Tabatabaian, MD, an internal medicine doctor specializing in immunology and an associate professor at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, says that some scientific research does suggest that eating probiotic-rich foods can reduce how often someone gets sick and how long their sickness lasts.
As explained earlier, probiotics help the body better recognize harmful invaders, and Dr. Tabatabaian says that this may be why eating probiotic-rich foods may decrease the frequency and duration of sickness. She adds that probiotics also help reduce inflammation, another reason why they could lead to getting sick less often and for a shorter amount of time.
“Immune health is a complex picture. If you are extremely stressed, sleep-deprived or have significant vitamin deficiencies, probiotics alone won't prevent you from catching an illness,” Dr. Patel says.
Still, there’s certainly no downside to adding yogurt to your breakfast as a way to support your immune system. Just keep in mind that eating probiotic-rich foods is just one part of supporting your gut. Adding yogurt to your breakfast likely isn’t enough on its own to prevent you from getting sick, but when it’s part of an overall nutrient-rich diet and other healthy habits, it just might provide you with some extra support.
Up Next:
Related: Gastroenterologists Are Begging People Over 50 To Start Doing This One Thing Every Morning
Sources:
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD, a gastroenterologist, US medical director of ZOE and author of Plant-Powered PlusDr. Jason Korenblit, MD, gastroenterologist with JustAnswerDr. Daksesh B. Patel, DO, gastroenterologist with GI Alliance of IllinoisDr. James Cox, MD, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor who teaches culinary medicine at Texas Christian University Burnett School of MedicineDr. Farnaz Tabatabaian, MD, internal medicine doctor specializing in immunology and an associate professor at the University of South Florida Morsani College of MedicineWiertsema, S.P., van Bergenhenegouwen, J., Garseen, J., et al. (2021). The Interplay between the Gut Microbiome and the Immune System in the Context of Infectious Diseases Throughout Life and the Role of Nutrition in Optimizing Treatment Strategies. Nutrients. 13(3):886Paul, A.K., Lim, C.L., Apu, M.A.I., et al. (2023). Are Fermented Foods Effective against Inflammatory Diseases? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 20(3):2481King, S., Glanville, J., Sanders, M.E., et al. (2014). Effectiveness of probiotics on the duration of illness in healthy children and adults who develop common acute respiratory infectious conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis.British Journal of Nutrition. 29;112(1):41-54Hence then, the article about the best breakfast add in for your immune system according to doctors it s not orange juice was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The Best Breakfast Add-In for Your Immune System, According to Doctors (It's Not Orange Juice!) )
Also on site :
- I-70 closed in Glenwood Canyon for safety concerns, police activity
- Russian cat becomes world champion 2025
- 2 dead, 1 injured in overnight Westminster house fire