5 Essential Foods to Boost Your Immunity
In these times, the topic of health seems to be prevalent and more over one of the aspects of our lives most people are thankfully looking to improve. Needless to say that good health is an absolute blessing and it should definitely be our utmost priority. It could be a challenge to keep up with a rigorous workout routine and it could cost a pretty penny to purchase all the incredible food supplements that are available on the market. In order to receive all the essential vitamins and nutrients that the body needs to maintain a strong immune system, one shouldn’t look too far. Here are the essential nutrients that we all need on a daily basis and foods that contain them.
Vitamin C
There are high dosages of Vitamin C in Kakadu Plums, Grapefruit, Oranges, Lemons, Limes, Kiwi Fruit, Black Currants, Red and Green Peppers, Broccoli, Strawberries, Spinach, Fresh Thyme, Parsley and Kale.
Kakadu Plums, native to Australia have been known to be the richest sources of vitamin C containing approximately 100 times more vitamin C then a regular orange, although this fruit might not be readily available at your regular grocery store. However, fresh Thyme for instance, which is easy to come by, provide, gram for gram, 3 times the level of vitamin C than a regular orange. Garnishing your meal with a couple of thyme teaspoons adds about 7 mg of Vitamin C to your diet. It is known to be the highest Vitamin C concentrated foods of all culinary herbs. Sprinkling two tablespoons of Parsley provides similar results as well as increase the level of iron in the body.
Vitamin E
The following foods are rich in Vitamin E: Wheat germ oil, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Peanut Butter, Sunflower seeds, Sunflower oil, Almond oil, Pine nuts, Peanuts, Atlantic Salmon, Rainbow trout, Avocado, Cray fish, Cod, Octopus.
Like Vitamin C, Vitamin E is known as another efficient anti-oxidant. It protect the body from premature aging and fight against molecular fragments in the body that form as a result of stress, smoking, alcohol, exposure to sunlight and air pollution.
Wheat germ oil is arguably the food that contains the highest potency of Vitamin E. If one is unsure how to use it in cooking then drizzling a little of it onto pasta, a healthy salad should be enough to provide a generous amount of vitamin E to your day. The strong flavor of this oil could be an issue therefore pairing it with some nice cheeses could be the way. If you’d like to keep it simpler, consider sunflower seeds and almonds as the second best carrier of Vitamin E. Seeds are affordable and could be eaten alone or added to any given dish.
Carotenoids
Carotenoids are readily available in foods such as carrots, apricots, kale, pumpkins, tomatoes, papaya, mango, sweet potatoes, spinach, collard greens, watermelon and Sweet Red Peppers.
They are our third anti-oxidant so far. Carotenoids are a type of organic pigment that mainly vary in red orange and yellow shades that naturally color in the foods we just mentioned. They are important since once in our bodies, they convert to Vitamin A through the digestive system which is a nutrient that not only supports one’s immune system but reduces inflammation and promotes good eye sight.
Carrots, which is the first food one goes for when looking for a good source of Carotenoid provides one type of Carotenoid called beta-carotene. It is best to go for the brightest colored carrots as they contain more nutrients. Carotenoids are better absorbed when cooked or eaten with fat.
Zinc
Zinc exists in beneficial dosage in the following foods: Oysters, baked beans, lentils, raisin bran, chickpeas, meats such as lamb, mutton, turkey and beef, dark chocolate, all kinds of nuts, dairy such as cheese and eggs.
A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body doesn’t naturally have a specialized zinc depositing method. Zinc reduced the harshness of the common cold, could positively affects thyroid function, may aid the healing of wounds caused by injuries, reduces inflammation. Zinc is the nutrient readily available to Meat lovers, especially red meat. It is recommended to keep an eye on one’s intake of meat as too much of it could cause some disadvantages to one’s heart. Balancing meat with other foods moreover makes for a more colorful and pleasurable meal. As one can see, Zinc is present in a lot of different foods so our beloved vegetarians need not worry. Even though chocolate is not usually an items one finds in a list of healthy foods due to its high level of calories, consuming a few squares of dark chocolate a day not only provides one with some extra zinc but its delectable qualities have also shown to stabilize one’s mood if consumed guilt free. For benefits sake, enjoy your dark chocolate!
Omega 3- Fatty Acids
You will find this necessary nutrient in foods such as flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds, soybeans, oils that exist in a variety of fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, anchovies, herring, caviar, oysters. Although these are the foods that are highest in Omega 3, the following contain less yet an acceptable amount if you do not fancy any fish or are allergic to nuts for instance: eggs, meats and dairy from grass-fed animals, Brussel sprouts and spinach.
These are a type of essential fatty acids known to maintain your immune system in good shape. It is not however known to actually fight against infections but definitely helps to keep it out of harm’s way. Mackerel and Salmon are a couple of the richest foods containing these fatty acids. Another added benefit is that Mackerel is affordable and never goes out of season. As for chia seeds and flaxseeds, they are slowly becoming a regular house hold item and have become easier to find in regular supermarkets. If you are unfamiliar with these seeds, it is highly recommended to sample them. They could be sprinkled over your granola breakfast, could be added to salads and soups as they give a nice texture and usually creates richer dish that makes one go for more modest portions.