As the days grow colder and cold and flu season approaches, it’s important to boost your immunity with a healthy diet. Eating plant-based foods is one of the most effective ways to ensure that your body winter-proofs itself for any potential illnesses. Not only are you likely to suffer fewer colds in a regular season if you intake plant-based foods, but research also shows that vegan diets may be linked with lower incidences of cancer and other serious health conditions. This article will explore some of the top plant-based foods that can help give your immune system an extra edge against germs this winter!
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The Importance Of Boosting Your Immunity
Boosting your immunity is essential to maintain a healthy body and mind. Our body’s natural immunity is spread throughout our cells and systems, so it’s important to support them with immune-boosting foods, vitamins, and minerals daily. Eating a low-inflammatory diet packed with antioxidants from fruits and vegetables and protein sources is key.
Boosting the body’s immunity can be a great way to stay healthy year-round. Additionally, supplying your body will the necessary vitamins and minerals can improve health—vitamins D, C, and zinc have all been found to help strengthen one’s immune system. Taking additional precautions, such as frequently washing hands, can also help ward off bacteria from entering our bodies – making prevention one of the main ways to protect ourselves from catching anything in the first place.
Top Plant-Based Foods That Boost Your Immunity
Eating a balanced diet is essential to staying healthy and boosting your immunity. Plant-based foods are especially beneficial for this; they contain antioxidants and other nutrients that help to protect our cells from damage, provide extra energy to the body, and increase overall immunity.
Eating more plant-based foods is a great way to keep your immune system functioning at its optimal level so you can better avoid illnesses like colds and flu. Additionally, some plant-based food sources high in dietary fiber can help to keep our digestive tract running smoothly by promoting good bacteria while blocking bad bacteria. Below are some of the top plant-based foods that are known to boost immunity:
Ginger
Ginger is one of the most ancient and potent medicinal herbs on the planet and can significantly boost your body’s immunity against various illnesses. For centuries, ginger has been used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. Its active components are gingerols, shogaols, zingerones, and parasols which all have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties that are thought to fight pathogens that cause diseases like cancer.
Research has found that it is an effective treatment for relieving sickness symptoms like headaches and nausea. Incorporating this healing plant-based food into your diet can strengthen your immune system to ward off health complications more effectively.
Beets
Beets are one of the most nourishing and nutrient-dense plant-based foods available. Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, beets have been known to be beneficial for many areas of health. In terms of immunity, this root vegetable can provide anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial compounds that can help reduce the risk of infection. Beets are also a rich source of vitamin C which assists in protecting against illness by stimulating white blood cells and supporting the production of antibodies.
Magnesium content helps strengthen the immune system, while nitrates increase oxygenation in the body’s cells to help eliminate foreign invaders. Furthermore, beets contain prebiotics that encourages gut health, providing a prime environment for beneficial bacteria to thrive – a crucial element of strong immunity levels. All in all, these ruby-red goodies are powerhouses for boosting the body’s defenses against the disease!
Garlic
Garlic has long been known to be an essential tool in boosting immunity. Not only is it loaded with important antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are key to a healthy immune system, but recent studies have even suggested that garlic could reduce inflammation and act as an antiviral agent. It’s no wonder so many cultures worldwide use it for curing ailments and boosting immunity – not to mention its delicious flavor!
When using garlic for optimal health benefits, try adding them raw to salads or smoothies, crushing them into your favorite recipes, or adding a few cloves along with some fresh herbs to create an immunity-boosting soup guaranteed to make you feel better inside and out.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are an invaluable part of a plant-based diet since they contain vitamins and minerals that help boost immune system response. Not only are mushrooms a decent source of protein, but they also provide B vitamins that help fight infection. Specific varieties, such as shiitake and maitake, have compounds that make these fungi even more powerful allies in your quest for optimal health.
Plus, mushrooms bring their unique flavor to meals – so there’s no more excuse not to eat them! If you want to take advantage of all the benefits that mushrooms offer, a trick you can try is to look for ways to incorporate them into recipes in place of meat-based ingredients.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the top plant-based foods that can help boost your immune system. Oats are a powerhouse of nutrition due to their high levels of dietary fiber, proteins, and vitamins. They are famously known for containing beta-glucans, which have been shown to reduce the risk of infection and fight off viruses by enhancing the body’s natural defense system.
In addition to boosting immunity, regular consumption of fortified oatmeal offers several other health benefits, such as aiding digestion and helping maintain blood pressure levels. Eating a bowl of oatmeal each day effectively protects your body against foreign pathogens and may help you start feeling healthier in no time.
Oranges
Oranges are a deliciously sweet and healthy snack that provides numerous health benefits, especially when it comes to boosting your immunity. When you think of oranges, vitamin C likely comes to mind, and rightfully so – they’re an excellent source of this essential nutrient. Vitamin C helps increase interferon levels, a protein necessary for fighting off foreign invaders such as viruses or bacteria.
One large orange contains nearly 75% of an adult’s daily requirement for the vitamin! Oranges contain other health-promoting nutrients, including vitamin A, dietary fiber, folate, and potassium. Eating oranges regularly can help keep you energized and healthy all year.
Use These Plant-Based Foods To Boost Your Immunity!
In conclusion, many powerful plant-based foods can help boost your immune system. From garlic and mushrooms to oatmeal and oranges, incorporating these powerhouses into your diet is a great way to stay healthy and keep foreign pathogens at bay. So the next time you’re looking for a nutritious snack or feel like whipping up a new recipe, make sure to add one or more of these foods for a healthy boost!
