Eating to support your immune system? Try these products

Reaching for chicken soup or orange juice when you’re sick might seem like a thoughtless habit, butscience saysthere might be some logic behind it. And it’s not just the warm nostalgia that comes with a soup that tastes like Grandma’s; there are certain foods that haveimmunity-supporting properties, which means adding more of them to your diet can be beneficial to your overall health.

Now—before you swap your medicine cabinet continents for ginger-turmeric shots—be mindful that healthy food isnota replacement for things like disease-preventing vaccines and medication. But combining all of these things—with other habits likegood sleepandregular exercise—puts your body in better shape to fight certain diseases when you come into contact with them.

So just eat more fruits and veggies, right? Easier said than done. Most Americans are only gettingone tenthof the recommended intake. That’s why we’re here to recommend our favorite tools, services, and products—all tested by our experts—that can make getting more immune-boosting nutrients a breeze.

1. Personal blenders

I’ll admit it: I’m not a big fruit person. I always prefer a savory veggie over a tart fruit, and I rarely have a hankering for something like an apple. If fruit isn't your thing, either, whipping up a smoothie at home could be an easy (and yummy) way to get your daily servings in. You can even use frozen fruit—some of which containmore nutrientsthan fresh.

But to makekiller smoothies, you need a killer blender. We love theMagic Bulletbest because it’s lightweight, easy to clean, and can handle ingredients like frozen fruit with ease.

$39 at Amazon

2. Juicers

Another hack for fruit-avoiders: Turn your produce into a lighter, easy sipping beverage! Store-bought juices get a bad rap for havingadded sugarand maintaining none of fruit’s natural fiber—but making your own means you can control exactly what goes in, and as long as you're getting your daily intake of fiber elsewhere, there’s nothing wrong with some homemade juice.

To get the best at-home results, we recommend theOmega Nutrition Center Juicer, which consistently produced the best juice yield (with little effort) during our tests.

$300 at Amazon

3. Tea tools

Tea can do more than warm you up on a chilly day. Studies show that the ancient beverage has several health benefits—fromcancer prevention to cardiovascular support. If you’re trying to get more cups in every day (and are worried about tea bagmicroplastics), having a goodtea infuseron hand is a must.

We especially loveYoassi’s Extra Fine Stainless Steel infuser, which is big enough for hearty mugs and easy to clean. (You’ll need akettletoo, if you don’t already have one.)

$10 at Amazon

4. Salad spinners

What’s an easier way to get your veggies in than by tossing a bunch together in a salad? Whether you prefer kale, spinach, or classic iceberg as your base, you’ll want to make sure your veggies are free of dirt and grit by giving them a good wash before eating. Enter: salad spinners. More specifically, theZyliss Swift Dry Salad Spinner, which we loved after testing for its large capacity and pristine drying abilities.

This gadget makes salad prepping that much easier. Just don’t forget to add yourdressingandproteinfor a complete meal.

$40 at Walmart

5. Healthy (and yummy) spices

Let’s be real: Veggies are nothing without good seasoning. If you’re struggling to keep down a plate of flavorless steamed broccoli, you’re doing the whole vegetable thing wrong.

Bring your produce to life by keeping a wide range oftasty and vibrant spiceson deck in your kitchen. In addition to elevating flavors, some spices have health benefits of their own (yes, I’m talking aboutturmeric).

Don’t know where to start?Spicewallais a direct-to-consumer spice company that offers curated boxes of spices, including an 18-pack of kitchen essentials for beginners.

$85 at Spicewalla

6. Daily Harvest ready-to-eat meals

This is probably a good time to acknowledge that cooking isn’t for everyone—at least, not when it comes to preparing three meals a day, every day. If you’re too busy to prep healthy meals on your own, investing in apre-made meal kit delivery servicemight be worth the money.

We loveDaily Harvestfor its easy, delicious, and nutrient-packed smoothies, snacks, andhearty meals. Almost all of the ingredients are organic, and you can learn more about the health benefits behind the meals on its website, to know exactly what benefits you’re getting out of every bite.

Sign up for Daily Harvest

7. A good water bottle

You’ve heard it preached to you time and time again: Stay hydrated! Drink more water! And while the preciseamountof water needed on a day to day basis differs (depending on things like your activity level, weight, medication intake, etc.), the general consensus is the same: We should be drinking plenty of it.

That’s because staying hydrated helps manage everything from blood pressure to good skin to general wellbeing (this includesprotecting the body from infection). The easiest way to stay hydrated? Making sure you always have enough water on you. We recommend theBrita Stainless Steel Filtering Water Bottle, which will keep your water cold for hours and has a built-in filter that makes it easy to refill on the go.

And if you can’t stomach a lot of water for the taste (or lack thereof), we recommend addingfresh lemon juiceor mixing things up withseltzer water.

$30 at Amazon

8. Non-alcoholic drinks

Speaking of drinks, prioritizing your immunity means you should probably cut out (or, at least cut down on) alcohol. Aside from its known increased risk for chronic illnesses like liver disease and cancer, alcohol consumption can leave your immune system more vulnerable toviruses and other infections, too.

But what can you indulge in when you’re craving a cocktail after a long day? Fear not, friend: We rounded up some ofour favorite non-alcoholic wines, beers, spirits, and canned mocktailsthat are tasty enough to replace your post-workday drink and weekend happy hour. (And they definitely won’t have you missing hangovers.)

Shop non-alcoholic spirits on Drizly