Are you stocking up these healthy foods to boost immunity? You are aware that the coronavirus still continues to rise, while we all hope it ends soon. Taking daily precautions such as washing your hands often, social distancing, exercising, catching up on sleep, watching movies and tv shows, but are you also maintaining a healthy diet? Yes, maintaining a healthy diet also lowers the risk of infections. Moreover, a diet that includes all the important nutrients can also help boost your immune system. Setting you on a little edge, it may even help you fight against COVID-19. However, by including some of the foods in your diet, you can improve overall health and also strengthen your body.
Feeding your body with foods on a regular basis can keep your immune system intact, especially if you are looking for ways to keep away from allergic cold and flu, winter cold. Whether these influence your body or not, there is no reason for you to stop boosting your immune defenses.
Here are 10 must foods you can get during your next grocery store trip, and store them at home:
1. Citrus fruits
High in fiber and vitamin C, consuming fruits that are rich in citrus is one of the best ways to boost your immune system. vitamin C is considered to increase and improve the functioning of white blood cells in the body which results in strengthening your immune system overall. Some of the popular citrus fruits you can include in your diet are – oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, lemons, lime. Since you have plenty of options to choose from, it is easy for you to include this vitamin to any of your meals.
2. Broccoli
Supercharged with rich vitamins and minerals, Broccoli is one food that you would absolutely love and cannot do without. Filled with vitamin A, C, and E, broccoli acts as a great antioxidant and is also rich in fiber. One of the healthiest vegetables, you can have it the way you like – boiled, baked or cooked. The key to keeping its vitamins intact is to cook it a little – or better yet, not at all.
3. Garlic
This one ingredient that adds flavors to all your foods is almost found in every cuisine across the world. Garlic has been known to protect and fight against infections since the early civilizations. It helps in lowering blood pressure, it is one of the major immune-boosting properties and very beneficial in all foods.
4. Ginger
Another antioxidant ingredient, many of you turn to this after getting sick. Ginger helps in decreasing inflammation, which can reduce sore throat and other inflammatory problems. It also helps in reducing nausea. Commonly used in many sweet dishes too, ginger helps in decreasing chronic pains, lower cholesterol due to gingerol – a relative of capsaicin. One of the most effective foods, you cannot miss including this in your diet.
5. Yogurt
Another food that can help decrease your risk of getting infected or fall sick is Yogurt. This helps in stimulating your immune system to get stronger to fight against any infections. You could try having plain yogurt, greek or even flavored yogurt loaded with sugar. If you have plain yogurt, you can even top up with healthy fruits or honey. A good source of vitamin D, do consider to include this in your diet to boost your body’s natural defenses.
6. Almonds
Rich in vitamin E, a daily amount of Almonds is highly recommended. Preventing you from catching a cold and flu, vitamin E is key to maintain a healthy system. This fat-soluble vitamin is packed with healthy fats and is key to boost your immune system in a way that keeps your organs intact. Consuming a hand-full of almonds is the best you can do, to prevent and fight against colds.
7. Turmeric
One of the main ingredient to include in all kind of foods, this is one spice that you cannot miss! Yellow, bitter spice that has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory, it keeps you away from all infections and is also been considered as the best treatment for internal health and external wounds. With high concentrations of curcumin, turmeric in its distinctive color can also help reduce muscle damage.
8. Green Tea
Both green and black teas are packed with healthy flavonoids which is a type of antioxidant. Green tea acts as a very powerful antioxidant, which can only enhance your immune functions and improve your overall health. Green tea is usually steamed and not fermented, so it acts as a very effective item as compared to black tea. You can have at least two cups of green tea daily.
9. Poultry
If you are a meat lover, poultry can be a good option to stay healthy and boost immunity but must be consumed in limits. For instance, if you are sick, clear chicken soup is just more than better which can give you a placebo effect. If improves symptoms of cold, sore throat and protects you from getting sick in the first place. Other meats, such as turkey, is high in vitamin C-6 and is recommended too, as B-6 is an important nutrient in many of the chemical reactions that take place in the body. It helps in the formation of new and healthy red blood cells. Stock or broth made by boiling chicken bones are healthy too and helpful in boosting your immunity.
10. Spinach
Rich in vitamin C, Spinach is another item you shouldn’t miss out due to its high antioxidant properties. It acts as a shield to protect your immune cells from environmental damage and also has the main dietary source of vitamin A – which is very essential to maintain the proper functioning of your immune system. Just like broccoli, it is another food to consume either raw or slightly cooked. You can also incorporate spinach with chicken and mix it with other foods you like. Maybe, with your morning eggs or as a dish, lightly sauteing it with garlic.
