Sweet potatoes
You may not think of skin as part of your immune system. But this crucial organ serves as a first-line fortress against bacteria, viruses, and other undesirables. To stay strong and healthy, your skin needs vitamin A. “Vitamin A plays a major role in the production of connective tissue, a key component of skin,” explains David Katz, M.D., director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in Derby, CT. One of the best ways to get vitamin A into your diet is from foods containing beta-carotene (which gives them a vibrant orange pigment), like sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, canned pumpkin, and cantaloupe.
Ginger
“Ginger can help boost immune function by reducing inflammation in the body,” says Lofton.