The Lifestyle Blog

Vitamin A

Pumpkin, butternut squash, and other deep-hued orange produce provide beta-carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A. The squash in this recipe is also packed with vitamin C, providing about half your daily needs per serving.


Zinc

“Many studies have been done in nutrition and immune function involving numerous nutrients and come out with different, often contradicting results,” says Dayong Wu, PhD, a scientist in the Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, and Assistant Professor of the Friedman School of Nutrition and Science Policy at Tufts University. Because a nutritional intervention may have different effects on people of different ages or nutrition status as noted in scientific studies, Wu says, it’s difficult to make broad recommendations based on study findings.

However, zinc has been indentified with healthy immune systems, and it's a good idea to get enough of the mineral in your diet no matter what. One serving of this unique appetizer provides about 13 milligrams of zinc―that's all you need in a day.
Image Source: Flikr