Revealed: The 10 Foods You Should Be Eating To Boost Your Immune System
Loading...
-
1/11
1/11
-
2/11
2/11 A CLOVE OF GARLIC: One of the best foods is garlic - which she says doesn't have to leave a bad stench on your breath. Garlic is jam-packed with sulfuric compounds, such as allicin, which create the immune-boosting effects. Just cut a clove into small pieces and swallow them like a pill to stave off illness.
-
3/11
3/11 A SPOONFUL OF YOGURT: A morning dose of yogurt can help keep your immune system strong. Yogurt contains probiotics - otherwise known as 'good bacteria' - which help improve your immune system and help balance out your gut. Ms Moss says 70 to 80 per cent of your immune system resides in your gut.
-
4/11
4/11 A CUP OF BONE BROTH: Chicken soup is the one of the oldest flu remedies in the book. And it’s currently seeing a surge in popularity – in the form of bone broth. Bone broth is packed with amino acids - including glycine, arginine and proile - and minerals, such as magnesium, phosphorous and sulfur, which has anti-inflammatory effects on the whole body. Broths also help keep you hydrated. Have a cup of bone broth at least three times a week.
-
5/11
5/11 A CUP OF COOKED SPINACH: Spinach is the one of the most popular superfoods - and for good reason. Not only is it packed full of vitamin C and folic acid, but a cup of cooked spinach contains more potassium than a cup of sliced bananas. Potassium and magnesium act as electrolytes that keep the body well-hydrated and energy levels in balance. Work spinach into your diet at least two to three times a week.
-
6/11
6/11 BROCCOLI: Children may try to avoid broccoli, but Ms Moss says the vegetable works twice over, as an immune fighter and booster. Because it is a cruciferous vegetable it helps detox the liver and prevent illness. Furthermore, broccoli contains the amino acid choline, which helps promote a healthy gut lining, and has high levels of Vitamin C and calcium. Get in a portion of broccoli at least twice a week.
-
7/11
7/11 HALF A GRAPEFRUIT: Many people turn to orange juice when they're sick. But Ms Moss says grapefruit contains just as much vitamin C as oranges - and less sugar. Grapefruits help reduce the severity of cold symptoms, detox the body, and prevent free radical damages. Reach for the red or pink varieties of grapefruit a couple of times a week, since they contain the antioxidant lycopene – which boosts immune system functioning.
-
8/11
8/11 A SPRINKLE OF CINNAMON: Sprinkling cinnamon on your coffee or oatmeal can boost your immune system. That's because, Ms Moss explains, cinnamon is antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. Cinnamon bark contains beneficial oils that help improve digestion. Also, cinnamon helps boost circulation in the body, remove toxins and ‘warms the kidneys'. It also lowers blood sugar so try have a generous sprinkling of cinnamon each day.
-
9/11
9/11 A SLICE OF WATERMELON: Your favourite summer staple can also help improve your immune system this winter. Watermelon is high in vitamin C, vitamin A and lycopene - which gives the fruit its red colour. The fruit also helps reduce infection, inflammation and free radicals. As finding watermelon is challenging in winter, one backup can be tomatoes or tomato sauce. Tomatoes also contain high levels of lycopene.
-
10/11
10/11 OYSTERS: A well-known aphrodisiac, oysters also contain high levels of zinc - which can shield your immune system from a cold.
-
11/11
11/11 MUSHROOMS: Mushrooms are an all-around superstar in the vitamin world. They are high in vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin - and zinc which can help kill viruses and bacteria. That’s why so many modern medicines – including penicillin – come from fungal extract. Furthermore mushrooms are cancer fighters that are shown to reduce breast cancer. Try having a daily dose of mushrooms.
-
More Galleries
-
Could you do the 3-day military diet to lose 5kg in three days?
-
Parents share their hilarious kids birthday cake fails
-
International Women's Day: 11 things you might not know were invented by women
-
Teenage heart throbs of the 80s: Where are they now?
-
29 things every Kiwi kid will remember from the '80s
-
Automatic 80s @ The Powerstation - Auckland
-
It will soon be that time of the year again, when the cold and flu season strikes rendering us to the sniffles.Â
One of the best forms of defense against the flu may in fact be lurking in the local grocery store, according to one expert.
Holistic nutrition coach, Andrea Moss, of Moss Wellness in New York City, shares her top 10 foods to eat, to boost the immune system and stave off a winter illness...