Warning: The way you cook could put your family at risk of colds and flu this winter

If you’re over 65, be warned: The flu vaccine is 30% to 40% less effective in preventing flu, reports coldsandflu.co.za.

More important for boosting your immune system and keeping you and your family cold and flu free is what you eat.

But here’s the thing you probably haven’t considered in your immune system boosting plan – you could be putting your health in danger just by the way you cook.

How to cook for maximum immunity against colds and flu

“To make sure you’re getting all the vital nutrients from your food that are necessary for maintaining a strong immune system, you need to know which cooking methods help to retain them,” explains FSP Health's Boost Your Immune System – Simple Steps To Strengthen Your Body’s Natural Defences.

For example, an organic potato baked in its skin offers far greater health benefits than an organic potato that’s been made into chips and deep-fried.

That’s why, to ensure the immune boosting foods you’re eating are giving your body the best cold and flu prevention, make sure you:

• Eat them raw
• Or cook them via steaming, stir frying or roasting.

These cooking methods lock in the immune boosting power of foods like lentils, fish and mushrooms – all of which are synonymous with keeping colds and flu at bay.  

Bottom line: It’s not just what you eat, but how you eat it that can help your body fight against colds and flu this winter.

So skip the flu vaccine and enjoy healthy stir fries and yummy roast vegetable this winter. Your immune system will thank you.