In this
unprecedented global pandemic, you may be wondering what you can do to
naturally strengthen your immune system.
Did you know
that you can use food for an immune system booster? Several nutrition-packed
foods may help bolster your natural immunity, making it easier for your body to
ward off harmful bacteria or viruses.
Although
eating these foods can’t prevent COVID-19 or any other disease, they are rich
in compounds that can naturally give your immune system a boost.
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Here are 5 foods you can eat as
immune system boosters.
1. MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms
have earned their status as a superfood. They have adaptogenic and no tropic
properties, meaning they may help boost your brain function and your overall
wellness.
In addition,
they have several potentially immune-boosting properties as well. Mushrooms
contain anti-inflammatory antioxidants, which can help ward off unstable free
radical compounds and reverse some of the cellular damage caused by these
compounds. They are also rich in vitamin D, which plays a key role in immune
health (1).
In fact, one
high-quality 4-week study of 52 adults found that eating 5-10 grams of shiitake
mushrooms daily resulted in increased immune cell production and decreased
inflammation (2).
Mushrooms
can be added to a variety of dishes, but they’re excellent in stir-fries,
salads, and soups. They can also be used as a meat substitute if you’re
following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
If you
dislike the taste of mushrooms, you could try using a mushroom chocolate recipe, like Nourishing Nutrients Superfood 10. It's made from 10
different types of organic mushrooms and can be added to coffee or other
drinks, allowing you to get the benefits of mushrooms even if you dislike the
taste.
2. SEA MOSS
Sea moss, or
Irish moss, is a type of red algae that grows on rocks on the coasts of Europe,
North American, and the Caribbean Islands.
It’s rich in
minerals that may help boost your immune health, like potassium and iodine.
Iodine is an
essential mineral found in sea moss. It’s an essential component of your
thyroid hormones and helps regulate thyroid health. It’s also a potent
antioxidant, meaning it can help prevent and reverse some of the cellular damage
caused by free radicals (5).
Potassium,
another mineral, may help regulate the body’s resistance to tumor growth.
However, more research is needed regarding this possibility (6).
Sea moss
also contains a number of other compounds that may help your immune system,
like antioxidants and vitamins.
Sea moss is
used in some Irish and Jamaican recipes, but most people choose to supplement
with it instead of eat it. It’s can be added to foods, drinks, or smoothies, or
taken alone. To reap some of the benefits of sea moss, you can try a sea moss
supplement.
3. BONE BROTH
Bone broth
is a broth made from the bones of animals—usually chicken, pork, or beef bones.
Unlike a regular soup stock, bone broth is cooked slowly—allowing all of the
compounds found in the bone to infuse into the broth. The result is a rich,
deep-flavored broth that is packed with nutrition.
Bone broth
contains collagen, a type of protein found in your skin and connective tissues
that can help promote healing (7).
It also
contains three key amino acids—or building blocks of protein—that may boost
immune health: arginine, glutamine, and cysteine. Glutamine in particular
appears to increase the proliferation of immune cells, potentially promoting a
stronger immune response to perceived threats (8, 9).
Finally,
research may even support the idea that chicken soup can help when you’re sick.
Homemade chicken soup is typically made from a broth using simmered chicken
bones, so it provides some of the same benefits as bone broth. Homemade chicken
soup may help you get over a cold faster and, according to a study from the
1970s, improve nasal congestion (10, 11).
You can buy
bone broth at most stores or make it yourself using the leftover bones from
meat you cook.
4. BLACK GARLIC
Black garlic
is a type of aged garlic that’s bursting with flavor. It’s also long been used
in traditional medicine. The strictly-regulated aging process that it goes
through over weeks or months caramelizes the natural sugars found in the
garlic, turning it black and giving it a sticky texture and milder, sweeter
flavor than raw garlic.
Black garlic
contains a compound called allicin, which provides many of its potentially
immune-boosting benefits. Allicin is antimicrobial—meaning it can kill certain
disease-causing cells, at least in test-tube studies. It’s also
anti-inflammatory, and may help improve heart health (3, 4).
Enjoy black
garlic in any recipe you’d use raw garlic in. It’s got a great, rich flavor
that meshes well with most types of food.
5. STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries
are a healthy and delicious fruit, low in sugar and high in fiber. They’re a
great addition to any diet.
Strawberries
are rich in vitamin C, an essential, anti-inflammatory nutrient that exerts
many positive effects on the immune system. It can decrease inflammation and
promote the neutralization of unstable free radical compounds, and promote the
proliferation and effectiveness of your body’s immune cells (12).
Strawberries
are great on their own, but also an excellent addition to smoothies and salads.
CONCLUSION
These
foods—rich in antioxidants, nutrients, and other healthy compounds—may help
equip your body to ward off infection and illness. They can serve as natural
foods for an immune system booster.
If you’re
strapped for time and unable to cook healthy meals regularly, you can also try
the mushroom extract supplement by Nourishing Nutrients for all of the benefits
of these foods in a super-convenient form. See our organic mushroom powder benefits yourself. It helps improves your overall health,
lowers stress, helps to boost immunity and provide support to your cellular
health.