Immunity is undoubteldy one of the most important factors required for the survival of the human race on earth. The most ancient theories about survival, like survival of the fittest, revolve around adaptation but also have to do a lot with resistance, which is an important pillar on which immunity rests.
How to boost your immune system?
The need of the hour is for all human beings to start working on their immunity. The regular food items that we consume are often insufficient in providing us with the right amount of nutrients that our body requires to function the right way. We need to consume some foods that boost the immune system. In this article, we shall be discussing some food items that could prove to be superfoods for the immune system.
Citric acid:
The importance of vitamin C cannot be emphasized enough when it comes to immunity. Not only is it a legit antioxidant but it also boosts our immune system and helps us fight small infections and allergies like cold, flu, etc.
Vitamin C is mostly obtained from citrus fruits, which most of us tend to lack in our meals. Citric acid is primarily found in fruits like lemons, oranges, grapes, etc. One of the most crucial functions of vitamin C is that they increase the production of the white blood cells that are directly involved in combating diseases and strengthening the immune system.
Bell pepper:
We all enjoy Bell peppers (red yellow or green) in our pasta, lasagna, pizza, and most meals. Apart from increasing the aesthetic and taste quotient of our food, bell peppers have a great significance in multiplying the nutrition quotient of our food and are a major immune system booster.
You would be surprised to know that bell peppers are one of the richest sources of vitamin C. It is believed that red bell peppers have almost three times higher vitamin C content in them compared to oranges. Vitamin C not only keeps your immune system strengthened but also is a great food item for your eyes and the skin. Since vitamin C is indirectly related to the manufacture of vitamin A, Beta carotene and Vitamin A are responsible for healthy eyes and skin. This proves that vitamin C can indirectly contribute to the health of your eyes.
Ginger:
Ginger has been used in Indian households since time immemorial. It has been used in beverages like tea, vegetables, and most other food items. Ginger is believed to be good for the throat and relieves it of any kind of cough or congestion.
Ginger also contains lots of antioxidants and having a cup of warm water with ginger in the morning can help you cleanse your gut and keep it healthy. It keeps the skin healthy, improves digestion, which has innumerable good effects on one’s body, and is also known to relieve any kind of inflammation and nausea.
Yogurt:
A major confusion between most people these days is to find out what exactly is the difference between Yogurt and probiotic yogurt and how one differs from the other.
Yogurt is specially made from two specific strains of bacteria, the streptococcus thermophilus, and lactobacillus bulgaricus. A probiotic yogurt makes sure that the bacteria reach your gut (intestine) in the living stage so that they can be most beneficial to you. Yogurt tops the list of foods that boost the immune system.
Yogurt is a superfood and it provides an adequate amount of vitamin D to our body. It makes our bones healthier and regulates the amount of calcium in our blood. Vitamin D keeps us protected against viruses and multiplies the strength of our immune system to fight against harmful viruses and several other microorganisms.
Spinach:
Spinach is a green leafy vegetable that our parents forced us to have when we were young. Spinach is what we suggest to a patient suffering from anemia since it is a rich source of iron. It also has vitamin A to keep our eyes and skin healthy and it is a great nutrient that helps our body in fighting infections.
Green Tea:
Everyone must have heard about flavonoids in some of the other advertisements promoting green tea. Flavonoids are what make green tea, one of the healthiest beverages in the world. These are a type of antioxidant that fights against the free radicals of oxygen roaming freely in our body and oxidizing the cells of our body and food reserves.
Green Tea is also consumed to enhance the metabolism of the body and therefore improve its functioning. A body that functions properly, tends to be fitter than a body with slowed-down metabolism. Green tea is also a great source of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which is also an antioxidant just like flavonoids.
Sunflower seeds:
Sunflower seeds are becoming popular these days and people are becoming more and more aware of their benefits. Sunflower seeds contain large amounts of phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B-6 and E and therefore are consumed to fill in the deficiency of these nutrients.
These sunflower seeds help in increasing the RBC and therefore the hemoglobin of one’s body and also help to maintain the metabolism.
Broccoli:
The importance of green vegetables has been emphasized on us since our childhood. Not only is it rich in iron but also is a rich source of Vitamins A, C, and E. It also contains great amounts of fibers to keep our gut and digestion healthy and has a lot of antioxidants too. These antioxidants keep the body safe against the free radicals that move around freely in us and cause aging, whitening of hair, wrinkles, etc.
Vitamin E contained by broccoli is known as a “Beauty vitamin” and keeps our skin and hair healthy. It also increases RBC production in the body.
Conclusion:
There are several food items that we tend to avoid in our meals. This might lead to the deficiency of several important nutrients and might in turn fail our immune system in fighting against some diseases. Therefore, there are several superfoods for the immune system that empower our immunity and help us develop resistance towards diseases.
Citrus fruits like lemon, oranges, etc are a rich source of Vitamin C that enhances our immunity. Bell papers are also a rich source of Vitamin C. Sunflower seeds are rich in phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamins B-6 and E, spinach is rich in iron and vitamin A, ginger has lots of antioxidants, broccoli has lots of Vitamins A, C, and E, green tea has epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and flavonoids, and yogurt has vitamin D.
