Supporting Your Immune System This Autumn: Nutrition Tips for Adults & Kids

By Lucy Sugars, Nutritional Therapist

As the leaves turn and temperatures drop, the inevitable round of coughs, colds and sniffles often begins. Autumn is a wonderful season for nourishing soups, warming stews and cosy evenings, and a good time to think about the everyday habits that support our health through the colder months.

Our immune system relies on a wide range of nutrients to function normally, so rather than focusing on individual “immune-boosting” foods, I prefer to think about building a varied, nourishing diet alongside good sleep, regular movement and time outdoors.

Here are some of the nutrients and foods worth including.

Key Nutrients for Normal Immune Function

Your immune system relies on a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds to function properly. Let’s look at the essentials:

Vitamin D

Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system, as well as supporting bone and muscle health.

There are relatively few dietary sources, although oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel, egg yolks and some fortified foods can contribute.

In the UK, sunlight is not strong enough for most people to make sufficient vitamin D during autumn and winter. Current UK guidance recommends that adults and children over the age of one consider a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter.

Individual requirements can vary, and a blood test can be useful where vitamin D status is a concern.

Vitamin A and Beta Carotene

Vitamin A supports normal immune function and helps maintain healthy skin and mucous membranes.

Sources of preformed vitamin A include liver, eggs and dairy products, while colourful vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash and dark leafy greens provide beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A.

A simple way to include more? Make the most of autumn’s orange vegetables. My Carrot & Orange Soup a lovely place to start.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C contributes to normal immune function and also acts as an antioxidant.

Rather than immediately reaching for a supplement, there are plenty of delicious foods that provide it, including citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, peppers, tomatoes and green vegetables.

Try snacking on kiwi or autumn blackberries, or make a batch of my Roasted Tomato, Red Pepper & Lentil Soup.

Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral involved in normal immune function, growth and repair.

Good food sources include shellfish, meat, pumpkin seeds, beans, lentils, cashews and dairy products.

Pumpkin seeds are particularly easy to incorporate. Sprinkle them over porridge, yoghurt or salads, or add them to homemade granola.

Selenium

Selenium contributes to normal immune and thyroid function and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.

Fish, seafood, meat, eggs, wholegrains, sunflower seeds and Brazil nuts can all provide selenium.

Brazil nuts are particularly rich in selenium, although the amount they contain can vary considerably, so there’s no need to eat large quantities. Try just 1-2 per day.

Beta-Glucans

Natural compounds that help “train” the immune system to respond effectively.

Food sources: oats, barley, and mushrooms (particularly shiitake, maitake, reishi).

Tip: Start your day with warming winter porridge, topped with stewed apples and a spoonful of polyphenol rich elderberry syrup for a double immune boost.

Polyphenols

Plant compounds that reduce inflammation and support gut health (important, as ~70% of your immune system lives in the gut).

Food sources: colourful fruit and vegetables, green tea, olive oil, cocoa, herbs and spices, elderberries

Tip: Add cinnamon and turmeric to porridge, snack on berries, drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over soups and stews, try some home made or bought elderberry tincture or syrup

An Autumn Day of Nourishing Food

You don’t need complicated recipes or unusual ingredients to build a nutritious autumn diet. A day might look something like this:

Breakfast: Porridge made with your choice of milk, topped with stewed apple, cinnamon, Greek yoghurt and seeds.

Lunch: Carrot & Orange Soup with rye or wholegrain bread, hummus and boiled eggs.

Snack: Blackberries with Greek yoghurt and a small handful of nuts.

Dinner: Chicken, spinach and apricot tagine with quinoa or couscous and green beans.

This provides a lovely mixture of protein, fibre, healthy fats, wholegrains and colourful plant foods without needing to think about every nutrient individually.

What About Supplements?

Food should provide the foundation of a nutritious diet, but supplements can be useful where there is a known or likely nutritional gap.

Vitamin D is particularly relevant during the UK autumn and winter months because of the lack of sufficient sunlight.

Beyond this, supplement requirements are individual. Age, diet, health, medications, pregnancy and existing supplements can all affect what is appropriate.

This is particularly important for children. More isn’t necessarily better, and combining several multivitamins, fortified foods and individual supplements can sometimes result in unnecessary duplication.

If you’re unsure whether you or your child needs additional supplementation, seek individual advice from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

Don’t Forget the Basics

Nutrition is only one part of supporting health through autumn and winter.

Sleep: Aim for consistent sleep routines for both adults and children.

Movement: Regular activity and time outdoors are good for physical and mental wellbeing, even when the weather is less inviting.

Hydration: It’s easy to drink less as the weather gets cooler, so keep water readily available and make use of warm drinks, soups and broths.

Rest and stress: Busy schedules and poor sleep can leave us feeling run down. Making space for rest and recovery matters too.

Final Thoughts

Supporting normal immune function doesn’t require an expensive collection of supplements or so-called superfoods.

A varied diet built around colourful vegetables and fruit, good sources of protein, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and healthy fats provides many of the nutrients your body needs, while sleep, movement, hydration and rest all play their part too.

And autumn happens to be a particularly lovely time to put that into practice, with warming soups, porridge, stews and seasonal produce making nourishing food feel anything but restrictive.

If you would like nutrition support tailored to your health, lifestyle and individual needs, you can find out more about my approach on the Bespoke Nutrition page.