The Best Immune-Boosting Foods

Certain foods may contribute to the maintenance of a healthy immune system. Including certain foods packed with antioxidants and nutrients within your diet or meals can benefit your health. In this article, we share the best immune-boosting foods that can be effective for your immune system.

Garlic

Garlic is essential for good health as its effectiveness in combating diseases was recognised by early cultures. It is known to help reduce artery hardening, and there is some evidence that it might help decrease blood pressure. 

Garlic’s immune-boosting benefits appear to result from a high quantity of sulfur-containing substances like allicin.

It can be found in nearly every cuisine on the planet and is essential for good health.

Citrus Fruit

After catching a fever, most individuals go for vitamin C. This is because it supports the development of your immune system. Vitamin C boosts the formation of white blood cells, which are essential for combating infections. 

Grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and limes are all popular citrus fruits high in vitamin C.

Your body does not produce or store it since it is a water-soluble vitamin. As a result, you’d need to take a vitamin C supplement daily to provide an adequate amount.

The Best Immune-Boosting Foods – Ginger

Another component that many people resort to when they are unwell is ginger. Ginger may help reduce inflammation, which can assist with a sore throat and other inflammatory disorders. Ginger may also assist with nausea and help with chronic pain. 

It also contains little heat in the form of gingerol, a compound that is also found in capsaicin.

Turmeric

Turmeric, also known as Curcumin, is well-known as an ingredient in many curries. For many years, this golden-yellow spice has been utilised as an anti-inflammatory in treating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

High amounts of curcumin, which gives turmeric its unique colour, have been shown in research to help reduce exercise-induced muscle damage. According to studies, turmeric can be an antiviral and an immunity booster.

Spinach

Spinach is not only high in vitamin C, but it is also high in beta carotene and antioxidants, both of which may help our immune systems fight infections. 

It is best when cooked as little as possible to preserve its nutrients. On the other hand, minimal heating increases the absorption of vitamin A and permits other nutrients to be extracted from an anti-nutrient called oxalic acid.

If you want to know more about the difference between eating raw and cooked vegetables. Take a read of this article here by Healthline.

Broccoli

High in vitamins and minerals, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. It is high in vitamins C, A, and E, along with fibre and many other antioxidants. 

Equally to spinach, the key to preserving its potency is to heat it as little as possible or not at all. According to research, the best method is to steam vegetables. When it comes to nutritional loss while cooking, water is your worst enemy. As a result, steaming is one of the most acceptable ways to maintain nutrients that are readily destroyed.

The Best Immune-Boosting Foods – Green Tea

Flavonoids, a kind of antioxidant, are abundant in green tea. Green tea notably offers a holistic approach to epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) levels, another potent antioxidant. 

According to research, EGCG improves immunological function. Green tea is steamed rather than fermented, which preserves the EGCG. This is not the same with black tea, as most of the EGCG is destroyed during the fermenting process, making green tea the better option.

Green tea also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which is beneficial to your health. L-theanine may help your T cells make germ-fighting chemicals.

Bell Peppers

Think again if you believe citrus fruits have the highest vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable. Particulary red bell peppers provide nearly three times the amount of vitamin C of an orange. Did you know that red bell peppers give the most nutrients since they have been on the vine the longest compared to green, yellow and orange peppers? Red bell peppers have about 11 times more beta-carotene and 1.5 times more vitamin C than green bell peppers.

Vitamin C may support the maintenance of good skin in addition to boosting your immune system. Your body transforms beta carotene into vitamin A, which helps keep your skin and eyes healthy.

Besides the immune system, there are many ways to keep healthy overall. In our previous latest blog, we discuss six simple ways to a healthier lifestyle. You can read it here.