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Four Foods to Boost Immunity

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From turmeric to yoghurt, we discuss four foods that you must include in your diet

What we eat is the key to supporting our immune system and living a long, healthy life. Ensuring that you are eating a balanced diet, which includes a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, along with vitamin and mineral-rich foods is crucial. While avoiding processed and high sugar foods is important, eating specific foods that promote a healthy immune system is crucial to avoid diseases. Here are some foods to boost immunity that you should include enough of in your diet. 

Lean meat and legumes

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Protein is important for enhancing immunity because it helps to form the cells that the immune system functions on. Amino acids are found in protein and are responsible for forming the building blocks of all cells, including the immune cells, which fights viral and bacterial infections. Include lean meat like chicken, fish, and eggs or plant-based protein like lentils, beans, pulses, and legumes, which are all foods to boost immunity. They should make up 1/4th of your plate in each main meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

Vegetables and citrus fruit

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The inclusion of citrus fruits in one’s meal plan is a sure-shot way of solidifying your immunity. All citrus fruits and vegetables are foods to boost immunity. Fruits like oranges, lemons, and tangerines and vegetables like broccoli, peppers, kale, have vitamin C, vitamin B, magnesium, fiber, and flavonoids. Vitamin C prevents iron deficiency and drastically reduces the risk of catching chronic diseases and the flu. Citrus fruits also keep one hydrated and have a low-calorie count. These fruits and vegetables are credited with reducing cholesterol and kidney-related ailments. 

Turmeric

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Turmeric is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities. It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and is specially added in dishes to speed up injury recovery. It has been seen in several studies that curcumin, the active ingredient that gives turmeric its immune building properties, is a naturally-occurring chemical that gives turmeric its distinctive yellow color and is useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Other than that turmeric has antiviral tendencies that prevent cough. There is a study that contends that curcumin’s inclusion in your meals helps with muscle soreness, inflammation induced by exercise, and hyperlipidemia. Turmeric has flavonoids, zinc, ascorbic acid, and potassium. It is studied that there are close to 300 vitamins and minerals in turmeric that make it one of the most important foods to boost immunity. 

Yoghurt and fermented foods

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Probiotic food items like yoghurt, tempeh, kefir, sauerkraut, and Indian pickles are highly effective in maintaining a healthy gut. Yoghurt is a super food to include—it has active cultures such as lactobacillus bulgaricus and streptococcus thermophilus. These two bacteria facilitate the strengthening of bones and also improve digestion. Today there are several flavored yoghurts storming the market aisles. These yoghurts are full of sugar and artificial flavoring agents that are bad for one’s health and can also trigger allergic reactions. 

There is a saying that you cannot control everything in your life but you can control what you put in your body. So eat with thought and the next time you plan your meals, make extra efforts  to include more of the above-mentioned foods for a natural immune boost. 

 

 

 

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In layer3

TOMATO EGG DROP SOUP

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Ingredients:

  • 2 cups chopped tomatoes,
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions,
  • 1/2 tomato ketchup,
  • 2 tsp coriander leaves,
  • 2 tsp soya sauce,
  • 3 egg whites,
  • 1/4 tsp pepper,
  • 1 tsp oil,
  • 2 tbsp corn flour,
  • 1/4 tsp chilly powder,
  • salt to taste,
  • 3 cups water or vegetable stock

 

Method:

Heat oil and add chopped onions and saute for 2 minutes in a soup pan.

Add tomato ketchup and cook for a while.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add water or vegetable stock and bring to a boil, add soya sauce, salt and pepper. Dissolve corn flour and add to the soup, boil until thick.

Beat egg whites till fluffy and add to the soup. Add coriander and serve.

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In layer1

EGGY MIX ON TOAST

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Ingredients:

  • 6 boiled egg whites,
  • 4 bread slices,
  • 2 cups skimmed milk,
  • 3 tbsp wheat flour,
  • 1 diced capsicum,
  • 1 small onion,
  • 2 green chilies,
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

Grate the egg whites. Mix milk and flour in pan and keep to boil. Add all the ingredients. Now apply this mixture generously on bread slices. Grill it in the oven till crispy. Cut and serve.

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In layer3

THE BATTLE OF THE BURN

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It’s 3 am. Sharp pains have suddenly awakened you. Last night’s memories of a fab dinner with friends now clash uncomfortably with the real time sensations of a full-fledged nuclear war in your stomach.
Indigestion is more common than you think. Symptoms include acidity, nausea, bloating, belching, burning sensations in the stomach or the upper abdomen, abdominal pain, gas and even vomiting.
Sometimes confused with heartburn, indigestion could be attributed to a number of causes from medical conditions (ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, stomach infections and more) to medication (aspirin, painkillers, antibiotics, oral contraceptives). Lifestyle habits (eating too fast, eating in huge quantities, eating food that’s high in fat or eating under stress) are also culprits. Additionally, if you consume too much alcohol, smoke too much or are stressed or fatigued, you are more prone to indigestion than others. Here’s what you should -and shouldn’t -eat to help you ease the digestive process.

Stomach this Fibre: Foods high in fibre are wonderful for your digestive system. But there’s no need to scarf down unappetising or strange foods. You need to up your intake of wholewheat bread, brown rice, oats and beans, fruits and vegetables.

Water: Water is a key lubricant for your digestive system. It facilitates the easy movement of waste, softening your stools in the process, helping prevent constipation. It also helps your body break down the food you have eaten.
Drink 8-10 glasses a day.

Drinks: Caffeine-rich drinks such as colas, teas, coffees and other fizzy drinks worsen indigestion as they increase the level of acidity in your body. Fizzy beverages also lead to bloating. For relief, ditch the above for herbal teas, milk or just plain water.

Probiotics: Probiotics are `good’ bacteria, which are natural ly found in the gut, and have been associated with host of health benefits, including aiding digestion.
Food companies have started producing probiotic milk, drinks, dahi and even ice-creams.
NOT THIS Spices: In India, it is as hard to let go of spicy foods as it is to limit your intake of tea and coffee. Spices have been known to trigger stomach ache and heartburn, so if you find yourself in pain or discomfort regularly, try and limit your consumption of heavy, spicy meals. And if you can avoid spices completely, nothing like it!

Fat: Your body finds it harder to digest fatty food items like burgers, French fries and samosas. And this is why they cause you a great deal of discomfort. The more you cut back on difficult-to-digest fried and greasy foods, the more your stomach will thank you for it. Bumping up your intake of skimmed milk and low-fat foods will spare you both the pain and the weight gain.
While this is a general list, it’s always best to keep track of the foods that work or don’t work for you. Try and keep a diary of the food you eat for a week or two to figure out what’s behind that episode of nausea or gas. You may even realise that you are lactose intolerant, and that dairy was the culprit after all.
And lastly, please do take time out for yourself to relax your mind, and ease your stress. Indigestion is aggravated by anxiety and it’s important to free your mind to free your body.

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