10 Foods That Boost Your Immune System
Being in your best possible health is important as an aspiring and current pro cheerleader. Preventing flu through a strong immune system guarantees that you won't easily get sick. And if you become ill, you would quickly recover. This allows you to be present at all events of the season, especially with the coronavirus pandemic happening.
But whether the Coronavirus outbreak happened or not, taking good care of your health should still be a top priority. One of the best ways to do that is to eat immune-boosting foods.
1. Red Bell Peppers
Citrus fruits like oranges are known to be high on Vitamin C yet their vitamin C content is still lower compared to Red Bell Peppers. Red Bell Peppers contain twice as much vitamin C and they're also a rich source of beta carotene.
2. Spinach
This green leafy made it into this list not just because it's rich in vitamin C, but because it's also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene which increases the infection-fighting ability of our immune system. Like broccoli, spinach is healthiest when it’s cooked in a short time to retain its nutrients.
3. Garlic
A study made by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that garlic helps lower blood pressure and slow down the hardening of the arteries caused by fat. Garlic’s immune-boosting properties come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.
4. Mushrooms
Scientific evidence suggests that mushrooms have antiviral properties that can boost your immunity against flu. That’s because mushrooms contain a type of carbohydrate called glucans. Glucans are sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants. This type of sugar is sometimes used as medicine.
5. Sweet Potato
Like broccoli, red bell peppers, and carrots, sweet potato is one of the foods that are rich in Vitamin A. It's an essential vitamin that helps your body regulate the immune system and safeguard against infection.
6. Chicken Soup
Chicken soup is more than just a feel-good meal with a placebo effect. It helps in healing cold symptoms and prevention. Poultries like chicken and turkey are high in vitamin B-6 which is vital to the formation of new and healthy red blood cells. Stock or broth made by boiling chicken bones provides gelatin, chondroitin, and other nutrients essential for gut healing and body immunity.
7. Carrots
Carrots are rich in prebiotic fiber to supports the growth and thriving of probiotics living in your digestive tract. Carrots also help you get through flu and colds with its antioxidants. You can eat them raw or add them to your dinner soups or salads.
8 . Broccoli
Broccoli contains tons of vitamins and minerals. This veggie is packed with vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, calcium, plus fiber. It's one of the healthiest vegetables you can add to your diet. The key to preserving its nutrients is to cook it in the shortest possible time or eat it raw.
9. Shellfish
Shellfishes like crabs, clams, lobsters, and mussels don’t come to mind when talking about boosting our immune system. But these foods are rich in zinc, a minerals that keeps the immune system strong. However, keep in mind that you don’t want to end up having more than the daily recommended amount of zinc intake.
10. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits host a lot of vitamins and minerals, making them a common cold remedy and an immune system booster. Vitamin C encourages the production of white blood cells to fight infections. Since our bodies can't produce or store it, we need daily vitamin C to be healthy.
Stay safe from diseases at all times. Prevention is better than cure and costs less than the latter!
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