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Our immune system consists of organs, tissues, cells, and proteins. Together, all these things are responsible for performing various functions and helping fight off pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and numerous other foreign bodies that cause infections and diseases.
Whenever our immune system encounters a pathogen, it triggers an immune response that releases antibodies to kill those harmful pathogens. A healthy immune system is essential for living a healthy and prosperous life.
We all want to have a healthy and efficient working immune system, but the sad thing is that we do not add fresh fruits and vegetables to our daily diet, strengthening our immune system. Unfortunately, most of us aren't even aware of the foods that can help in strengthening the immune system. Hence, we rely on taking supplements to enhance the working efficiency of the immune system, which isn't a good practice at all.
Here in this writing, we have listed some of the best foods you can add to your daily routine to improve your immune system. So, stay connected and continue reading this guide to explore a few foods that can help in strengthening your immune system.
8 Foods that Strengthen the Immune System
Incorporating the following foods into your daily diet can significantly improve the working efficiency of your immune system.
1. Citrus Fruits
You might have seen people turning straight to vitamin C once they have caught a cold. Ever wondered why? That's because vitamin C helps in building your immune system. Actually, vitamin C increases the production of white blood cells, which are incredibly essential for fighting against infections and diseases.
Nearly all citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. Some of the citrus fruits you can incorporate into your daily diet are:
Grapefruit
Oranges
Lemon
Tangerines
Hence, you can easily add any of these citrus fruits to your daily diet to strengthen your immune system.
2. Blueberries
Blueberries are known to contain a particular type of flavonoid called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is known to have antioxidant properties that boost your immune system. In addition to that, flavonoids also help improve the respiratory tract's immune defense system.
Individuals who consume flavonoid-rich foods such as blueberries are less likely to develop respiratory tract infections or common cold than those who do not consume such foods.
Hence, adding flavonoid foods such as blueberries is an excellent way of strengthening your immune system.
3. Ginger
Doctors mostly recommend consuming ginger to individuals who fall sick. Ginger helps in decreasing inflammation and hence reduces sore throat and inflammatory illness. In addition to that, ginger also helps in treating nausea. That's how ginger plays a role in protecting from various ailments and strengthening the immune system.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon must be listed at the top when you talk about fruits that strengthen the immune system. This fruit is not only refreshing; instead, it is incredibly rich in antioxidants. Notably, it is known to contain antioxidant named glutathione, which plays a vital role in strengthening the immune system and helping it fight against diseases. To get the maximum glutathione from watermelon, you must eat the red pulpy flesh near the rind.
5. Red Bell Peppers
Although citrus foods are rich in vitamin C; however, they are not the only option to consider when you want to strengthen your immune system. Red bell peppers are another healthy option. They are rich in vitamin C and a healthy beta carotene source. Our body converts beta carotene to vitamin A which helps in keeping the eyes and skin healthy.
Apart from strengthening the immune system, vitamin C in red bell peppers also help in maintaining healthy skin. So, adding red bell peppers to your daily routine is an excellent way of strengthening the immune system.
6. Almonds
Along with vitamin C, vitamin E also helps fight off colds and prevent diseases. And when it comes to adding vitamin E-rich foods to your daily diet, there is nothing better than almonds. In addition to that, vitamin D is essential for building a healthy immune system.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin which indicates it needs fat to be adequately absorbed. Almonds are not only rich in vitamin E; instead, they also have plenty of healthy fats. Hence, almonds must be a part of your daily diet if you want to strengthen your immune system.
7. Garlic
Garlic is frequently used to treat and prevent colds and other illnesses. Garlic adds a little zing to your food and is present in nearly all cuisines in the world. This is something that you must consume for your health.
Garlic is incredibly beneficial and has gained a significant reputation for fighting against infections. It reduces the hardening of arteries and helps in managing blood pressure. The immune-boosting properties of garlic are known to come from a higher concentration of sulfur-containing compounds such as allicin. Furthermore, studies also suggest that taking garlic supplements may reduce the risk of getting a cold.
So, if you want to stay protected from various ailments and strengthen your immune system, garlic is something that you must add to your daily routine.
8. Green Tea
Drinking black tea and green tea is a great way of strengthening your immune system. Both of these teas are rich in flavonoids which is a powerful antioxidant. Green tea is a premium choice for boosting the immune system because green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is another potent antioxidant.
Black teas go through the fermentation process, during which a lot of EGCG is destroyed. In contrast, green tea is steamed and is not fermented. Hence, EGCG stays preserved. Studies suggest that EGCG is incredibly beneficial in strengthening the immune system.
In addition to that, green tea is also a rich source of L-theanine, an amino acid that helps produce germ-fighting compounds in the T cells.
To Conclude
A healthy and efficient working immune system promotes your overall health. If the immune system is working efficiently, your overall health gets improved. Otherwise, we become prone to various diseases and ailments which might turn out to be a cause of restlessness.
Adding immune-boosting foods to your daily diet is a great way of living a healthy and prosperous life. We are hopeful that you will consider adding the above foods to your daily diet to strengthen your immune system and stay protected from harmful diseases.
