Immunity Boosting Foods During Winter Season

It takes more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away. It turns out that eating some pretty surprising nutrients will help keep the immune system on guard. As we head into winter, it’s a good time to boost immunity to avoid nasty colds and flu.

First let’s understand what IMMUNITY is: “Immunity is the balanced state of multi cellular organisms having adequate biological defenses to fight against infection, disease or other unwanted biological invasion, while having adequate tolerance to avoid allergy and auto-immune disease.”

To ensure that our body and immunity runs smoothly, firstly we have to make sure that we are rounding out our plate with plenty of colorful fruits and veggies, plus 8-10 glasses of water/fluids a day. Here is the list of immunity boosting foods:

• Citrus fruits: Citrus fruits being a rich source of vitamin C help build up the immune system as vitamin C is thought to increase the production of white blood cells. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect our immune cells against harmful compounds formed in response to viral or bacterial infections. Examples are grape fruit, oranges, lemon, sweet lime, bell peppers, kiwi and strawberry.
• Green leafy vegetables: Vegetables are loaded with fiber and nutrients and are one of the healthiest foods. Green vegetables like spinach, cabbage and broccoli are loaded with essential vitamins and anti-oxidants that boost immune system functioning.
• Garlic: Garlic is found in almost every cuisine in the world and it adds a little zing to food. Garlic’s immune boosting properties come from a large concentration of sulphur containing compounds such as allicin.
• Ginger: Ginger is another ingredient many turn to after getting sick. Ginger helps decrease inflammation and reduce a sore throat. Ginger contains gingerol, a bioactive substance which helps to lower the risk of infections.
• Yogurt: Probiotics or the ‘Live active cultures’ found in yogurt are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease causing germs and improves digestion.
• Nuts and Seeds: are incredibly nutrient rich. They are rich in selenium, copper, vitamin E and zinc. All of these play a role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Sesame seeds and almonds are particularly good source of copper and vitamin E while pumpkin seeds and cashews are rich in zinc.
• Turmeric: is a key ingredient in many curries. This bright yellow bitter spice is used as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
• Green Tea: is packed with flavonoids, a type of anti-oxidant which enhances immune function. Green tea is also a good source of amino acid L-theanine which may aid in the production of germ fighting compounds in our T-Cells.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties. Cinnamon is loaded with powerful anti-oxidants such as polyphenols. It helps the body fight infections and repair tissue damage.
• Honey: Honey’s anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial properties help improve the digestive system and boosts immunity. It is also a powerhouse of anti-oxidants which are very effective for removal of free radicals from the body.

To sum up maximizing the health of our immune system is easy when we know what foods to eat.

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