Foods that fight the flu

7 flu-fighting foods, according to the October AARP bulletin:

1. Black-eyed peas. Rich in zinc, as are pinto beans, peanuts, roasted pumpkin seeds and wheat germ.

2. Carrots. Contains beta-carotene, which wards off respiratory infections. So do dark-green vegetables, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash.

3. Tea. Green, black and oolong. Contains quercetin and L-teanine. Herbal teas don't.

4. Yogurt. Contains probiotics. So do cottage cheese, Korean dish kimci and sauerkraut.

5. Tomatoes. Rich in Vitamin C and selenium.

6. Mushrooms. Boosts natural killer cells to ward off viral infections.

7. Almonds. Contains Vitamin E. Works best as chopped almonds, almond butter or almond oil.