With the Covid outbreak, we all became more aware of immune-boosting foods and the importance of learning about our immunity. It’s sort of a silver lining from this unprecedented event that has taught us how important it is to take care of our bodies and immune system.
In general, we consume a wide array of foods on a daily basis. However, now we have to be more precise about which foods boost our immune system. As you probably know, a healthy immune system allows one to fight viruses, diseases, colds, coughs, and needless to say, the new deadly virus as well.
Scientifically, an immune system is a collection of cells and proteins that defend our bodies against infections such as flu, cold, and cough. Moreover, it is also capable of detecting gems and removing them from our bodies. Therefore, it’s prudent to eat immune-boosting foods to ensure our well-being and protect ourselves from viruses.
Can Food Boost Your Immune System?
Though I would not suggest that foods can guarantee the cure of illness, they can help to prevent and keep you healthy enough to counteract it. Because it depends on where or what you do, for example, if you spend time with a person who has a cold, you could also be infected. Therefore, you really need to be aware and cautious of your surroundings and environment. However, it is true that these foods might enhance your immune system in order to fight off the virus.
Foods That Boost Your Immune System :
Oranges / Lemon
These fruits are also known as citrus fruits. Oranges are highly rich in vitamin C which is really essential to accelerate your immune system. You better keep these fruits at your home especially in winters which is a period where cold and coughs mostly attack us. At that moment, these fruits will be very helpful for our health and keep viruses away from us. Vitamin C also has really excellent benefits that you may not know, it also gives you bright glowing skin and gets rid of acne from your face.
Spinach
These green leaves are known as spinach contain a high level of vitamin C that boosts your immune system. It comprises loads of antioxidants and properties to beat viruses and infections that make us sick. Spinach is also rich in nutrients, fiber, and beta-carotene that will furnish your body with vitamins like Vitamin C and vitamin E. It is also low in calories so, you can add this veggie to your routine to keep your body safe. This is one of the best vegetables that you should eat to make your body strong and healthy.
Guava
It’s really important to note that those foods which are rich in vitamin c will improve your immune system. For this reason, Guavas are highly rich in vitamin C which contributes to immune-boosting. Just like other foods, it keeps your immune system powerful enough to kill infections and bacteria that are responsible for cold and cough. Not only it boosts the immune system, but it also has tons of benefits that may surprise you. It improves your blood sugar levels, boosts your digestion process, and helps in weight loss. So, it’s good to eat guava every day and make your body strong.
Papaya
Papaya is also a great source of vitamin C to improve your immunity power and resist bacteria. It also has vitamins of A, B, and K which contributes to healthy hair and clear skin. It is one of the best fruits you can eat on a daily basis. It protects your body from any illness and virus. It is an excellent fruit that has abundant vitamin C that also helps in protecting you from any heart disease and cancer by supplying antioxidants to your body while it also maintains the levels of your sugar by preventing diabetes. What more benefits you want from a single fruit ?
Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the underrated vegetables you may eat less. But, this vegetable truly has a lot of capability to boost your immune system. It is rich in vitamin C including iron, beta-carotene, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. Broccoli has an assorted group of nutrients that help the immune system to protect you from illness and sickness. It also helps your brain function to work well and encourages muscle growth with the help of potassium. Surprisingly, Broccoli also helps in repairing your skin damage.
Bell Peppers
Bell Peppers also contains high levels of vitamin C that are good for your immune system. You can add this veggie in curries, salads, or any other food. So, it can boost your immune system to build a defense against infections and viruses. It also contains Vitamin E and Vitamin A which is a solid source of beta-carotene makes this fruit perfect to eat every day. As i said, vitamin A is good for cleansing your skin and enhancing your eye vision.
Almonds
Almonds are a great source of vitamin E to eat regularly along with breakfast. Are you eating this daily? If not, I recommend you to eat 4-5 almonds every morning. Soak them in water before bedtime and eat them in the morning. That’s the best routine you have to comply with to boost your immune system. It primarily contains Vitamin E which offers antioxidant properties and nutrients to your body. Having said that, it’s also good to add walnuts along with almonds. They are also as good as almonds.
Ginger / Garlic
Ginger and garlic are the common remedies to fight off cold and cough infections. When you go through home remedies for cold, most people recommend ginger and garlic. If we add them in any soup or curry, our condition get improves and we’ll do better. They are the best home remedies that contain antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties to boost the immune system. If I had to choose one remedy for colds, it would be ginger and garlic. This is one of the best habits you can adopt to protect your body from sickness.
Read: Habits To Implement For A Healthy Immune System
Green Tea
Do you have the habit of drinking green tea every day? If you do, you’re doing really great because green tea contains polyphenols antioxidants which help to cleanse our body from infections and viruses. Green tea mainly boosts our immunity power and makes us feel relaxed. It also helps in fighting infections like cough, asthma, and lung infection. If you still haven’t made green tea your daily routine, it’s highly recommended and one of the excellent drinks you should consume every day. Although, there’s a limit for everything, so does green tea. Up to 3-4 drinks are acceptable, if it exceeds it can cause serious problems to your kidney, liver, and leads to stomach constipation.
Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the best remedies to defend against cold and cough infections. This remedy is highly suggested by many doctors. Especially, when you are living in India you know its importance and usage every day. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that boost our immune system and keep us healthy.
Does Drinking Water Boost Your Immune System?
In a way, yes, drinking water strengthens your immune system. Because staying hydrated keeps your immune system strong. Dehydration weakens your immune system, so drinking water is a great way to improve it.
The recommendation is to consume 2.5 – 3.0 liters / 84 – 101 ounces of water per day.
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