13 foods that
strengthen your immune system to fight viruses and diseases
Nutrition
experts add foods to strengthen immunity when designing different diets, and
this is because they know the importance of strengthening the immune system to
fight viruses and various diseases.
Over the
years of experience and scientific research, scientists have added many foods
and herbs to lists of the best foods to strengthen immunity, and various health
organizations recommend everyone to include them in their diets.
So what is
immunity? ,, And how can you strengthen your immune system? ,, And what are the
best foods to strengthen and stimulate immunity? ,, This is what we will talk
about in detail in this article.
What is the
immune system and how does it work?
The immune
system is a system of vital processes carried out by organs, cells and
particles inside the human body in order to protect them from diseases, toxins,
cancer cells and foreign particles such as viruses.
This
biological system recognizes pathogens, such as microbes or viruses, and works
to destroy them.
The immune
system works in an organized manner consisting of two lines of defense as
follows:
1-
Innate or
natural immunity
Natural or innate immunity is present in the organism from birth until before birth during the embryonic stage. It is hereditary immunity, inherited by children from parents.
In general,
the natural immune system is characterized by operating in a non-specialized
manner, meaning that each cell or its molecule acts against a large and diverse
number of pathogens. But only according to the distinction between what is
subjective - i.e. subordinate to the body - or what is a particle foreign to
the body,
2-
Acquired
immunity
Acquired
immunity is immunity that is acquired during the life of an organism after
exposure to pathogenic microbes and bacteria.
Its compounds
are characterized by working in a selective and specialized manner, as each
cell or particle belonging to it can act against a single pathogen.
Acquired
immunity can save foreign bodies after eliminating them, and therefore when the
body is exposed to these diseases again, the immune system can kill them
easily.
Foods to
boost immunity
The immune
system, like most systems in the body, depends on proper nutrition.
Eating a
healthy diet that contains the nutrients you need is the best way to strengthen
your immune system.
Supporting
your immune system is especially important for fighting pathogenic bacteria and
viruses such as influenza and the new coronavirus.
Here is a
list of the best foods that boost immunity.
1-
Citrus or
citrus
It is a group
of fruits rich in "vitamin C", which helps in building your immune
system. It also helps in the production of white blood cells.
Since the
body does not produce “vitamin C” and does not store it, it is very necessary
to supply the body with it daily.
The benefits
of salty fruits do not stop there only because citrus fruits also contain many
very useful minerals and vitamins.
Examples of
some types of citrus:
orange
tangerines
lemon
lemon
clementine
2- spinach
Spinach is
one of the best and most beneficial vegetables of all.
Not only does
it contain vitamin C, but spinach is also full of antioxidants and
beta-carotene, which may help a lot in strengthening and revitalizing your
immune system.
Spinach is
also a great source of folic acid, which helps the body make new cells. And
flavonoid acid that helps prevent colds.
Spinach
Cooking Tip: It shouldn't reach full maturity during cooking so it doesn't lose
its nutrients.
3-
sweet
potatoes
Potatoes
contain beta-carotene, a type of antioxidant, which your body converts to
vitamin A.
One potato
provides about 120% of the body's need for vitamin A and 30% of vitamin C, and
it is a great source of fiber.
It is worth
noting that all this for a small amount of calories under 100 calories, so it
will not cause any weight gain.
4-
Low-fat
yogurt
Low-fat
yogurt provides 11 grams of protein, 250 calories, and about 400 mg of calcium
per 8-ounce serving.
Low-fat
yogurt can also help meet your daily requirements for vitamin B12, vitamin D
and vitamin B2 (riboflavin).
Most
importantly, yogurt is rich in probiotics that boost immune function and may
also help reduce the length and severity of colds.
5-
Garlic
Garlic is
widely known for being one of the best foods necessary for boosting the immune
system to fight viruses and many studies have linked it to its ability to
prevent many different types of cancers.
Garlic can
also help lower blood pressure and slow hardening of the arteries.
The ability
of garlic to fight many types of cancer:
Several
studies have documented a link between garlic use and lower rates of infection
for many different types of cancer.
People who
regularly consume garlic, whether raw or cooked, have 30% to 35% fewer
colorectal cancers than those who do not eat garlic.
In addition,
garlic helps the body overcome skin infections thanks to its ability to fight
bacteria, viruses and fungi.
We cannot
limit the benefits of garlic, in short, be sure to eat garlic if you want to
strengthen your immune system.
6-
Ginger
The
antioxidant compounds in ginger have powerful immune-boosting and antioxidant
properties in particular.
Ginger also
helps reduce chronic pain and may possess cholesterol-lowering properties,
according to some research.
7-
Mushrooms
It is high in
selenium and B vitamins such as riboflavin and niacin.
These
minerals and vitamins strengthen the immune system and activate it to fight
viruses.
It is also
high in sugars and sugar-like molecules that boost immune function.
8-
broccoli
Broccoli is
one of the treasures of vitamins, as it contains vitamin A, E, C and many
useful minerals and antioxidants.
It is really
unfortunate that this food is not circulated in the Arab world. It is
considered one of the best foods that boost immunity. In addition, it is a
great option for losing weight as it is a good source of fiber and protein and
does not contain a large number of calories.
9-
Chicken soup
Personally, I
am a fan of chicken soup, as this is my favorite remedy for colds and flu.
Chicken is a
wonderful source of vitamin B6, which plays a large role in many vital
processes in the body, such as the production of red blood cells, and chicken
soup contains a substance called carnosine, which helps in particular to fight
the flu virus and speeds up recovery from colds.
10-
Green tea
Both green
and red tea are rich in flavonoids, which are a type of antioxidant. However,
green tea is higher in EGCG, and EGCG has been shown to enhance immune
function.
The reason
for this is that the brewing process of brown tea destroys a lot of EGCG while
green tea retains it because of its steaming method without being fermented.
11-
Almonds
Almonds are
rich in vitamin E, which comes right after vitamin C in boosting immunity and
is the key to boosting the immune system.
Almonds are
also a source of many important nutrients such as protein and healthy fats that
work to secrete enzymes and hormones needed by the body. Almonds are also rich
in important minerals such as magnesium and manganese.
12-
Pomegranate
juice
Another
evidence of the genius of the ancient Egyptians who used this fruit in the
treatment of infections.
Until recent
studies proved the ability of pomegranate juice to confront many types of
viruses, including oral viruses that cause gingivitis.
Other studies
have found the efficiency of pomegranate juice in the growth of types of
beneficial bacteria in the body that help the immune system to fight viruses
and harmful bacteria.
13-
red pepper
Because it
contains vitamin C in large quantities (may be greater than citrus fruits) and
is also rich in beta-carotene, it makes it an excellent choice to boost the
body's immunity against various diseases.
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