Many ingredients found in the fridge taste great and offer benefits for our immunity. Here are some great ingredients to add to meals to boost your immune health!
Leafy Greens
Green vegetables offer their fair share of vitamins and nutrients that keep our bodies healthy. In recent studies green vegetables have shown to do even more good for our bodies including our immune system. Recent research shows that green vegetables increase a certain protein called aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) that helps certain immunity cells on the skin’s surface and in the gut to function better.
Kale is an amazing leafy green to use as a salad base. We recommend chopping it up small and massaging the leaves with your favorite dressing.
Carrots
Carrots are full of beta carotene which converts to Vitamin A and ensures that the immune system is functioning at full capacity.
We recommend adding carrots into your bolognese or simple roasting them in the oven with olive oil, chili powder, salt & pepper, and a sprinkling of cinnamon to accompany the natural sweetness of the carrots.
Garlic
Garlic. It’s everyone’s kitchen staple used for flavoring almost every savory dish. Garlic contains calcium, potassium, and a sulfuric compound called Allicin which has been found to reduce inflammation and offer antioxidant benefits.
Ginger
Ginger’s slight spice and sweetness has offered dynamic flavor to Asian and Indian cuisines for centuries. It is hailed as a powerful natural medicine as well, commonly being used to fight nausea and stomach issues. It’s great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have shown to boost immune system health as well.
We recommend sipping on warm ginger tea for a flavorful immunity boost. Simply boil fresh ginger root, lemon slices, and raw honey together in a pot.
References
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121509.htm
https://www.nutri-facts.org/en_US/nutrients/carotenoids/beta-carotene/health-functions.html
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-allicin-88606
https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/garlic-immunity-boosting-superstar
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23123794
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/