It is well known:what we eat will directly have an effect on our health.
The body needs vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates and other essential nutrients for the body and well-being.
At the same time, our body is constantly plagued by several bacteria and viruses.
And, if the immune system is weakened, we get sick.
A weakening of the immune system can have several causes:stress, malnutrition, chronic diseases, etc.
So, discover 11 foods that can boost your immune system — and also improve your health and well-being.
It is one of the most recognized foods for its beneficial properties, including to fight bacteria and viruses.
Garlic belongs to the genus Allium - there are also leeks, onions, cultivated garlic, shallots, spring onions and chives.
But, what sets garlic apart from these other foods is its high allicin content. .
And it is precisely this component that is beneficial to your health. Indeed, it has powerful anti-bacterial and antifungal properties.
FYI, it is also allicin that gives garlic its characteristic pungent smell.
So, even if the smell is not to everyone's taste, you can easily enjoy the benefits of garlic by adding it to your vinaigrette, in a sauce, etc.
Want to learn more about the benefits of garlic? Check out our article:10 Tricks Every Garlic Eater Should Know.
Chicken soup is one of the best ways to perk up when you have a cold. But why?
Here is the answer:it is thanks to cysteine . When you cook chicken, it produces significant amounts of this amino acid.
This is an advantage for us, because cysteine is very much like a drug to treat bronchitis :acetylcysteine.
For the curious, here's why chicken soup works so well:Cysteine prevents white blood cells from building up in the bronchi.
Indeed, white blood cells play an important role in inflammation. In addition, the hot broth of the soup helps loosen mucus.
To increase the effect of chicken soup when you are sick, do not forget to add garlic and mushrooms.
Some varieties of mushrooms boost the immune system. They act on the body by stimulating the production of white blood cells.
Mushrooms increase the production of cytokines - molecules that fight infections. They also contain polysaccharides essential to the immune system.
But beware:not all mushrooms have the same cytokine and polysaccharide content!
Prefer oyster mushrooms with button mushrooms.
But the best is to eat Asian mushrooms such as shiitake , the maitaké or reishi .
These three mushrooms of Asian origin are easily found in many countries.
You can find it in France, fresh or dried, in organic stores or Asian product stores.
Are you going to cook mushrooms? Then discover our article:How to Clean Mushrooms? 3 Effective Tips.
Beef ? Yes quite ! If we talk about it, it's because of its high content of zinc .
Indeed, zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies.
However, in recent years, more and more people have changed their eating habits.
For example, they become vegetarians. Or they decide to stop eating beef (or other red meats, for that matter).
It's no surprise that zinc deficiency is one of the main reasons people get sick.
Zinc is a metal that boosts our immune system, but it's not just found in red meat.
Although in lesser quantities, these other foods also contain zinc:oysters, milk and yogurt, poultry and pork.
Are you convinced?
So, we invite you to discover our delicious beef-based recipes:homemade beef bourguignon, Flemish carbonade, beef stew, and our favorite, beef tartare with a knife :-)
The immune system is not limited only to the different components of the blood. It also includes the organs and in particular, the skin.
Considering the size, the skin is the most important organ of the human body.
This means that it is also the body's greatest defense against bacteria/viruses.
Vitamin A is essential for skin health. For your vitamin A intake, we recommend the sweet potato.
Sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene .
This pigment is transformed into vitamin A and contributes to the formation of the connective tissue of the skin.
You can vary your vitamin A intake by eating other foods high in beta-carotene:melon, carrot, pumpkin, etc.
Want to know more about sweet potatoes? Then discover our article here:The 6 Incredible Benefits of Sweet Potato.
The nutritional importance of this food cannot be stressed enough.
Fish, like oysters, lobster, crab, and clams, can help the body produce cytokine .
Do you remember the cytokine? It has been talked about as one of the benefits of mushrooms.
These proteins are of great help in eradicating the flu virus.
And let's not forget that fish and shellfish are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids .
Are you looking for recipes to prepare fish? We suggest our fillet of hake with lemon sauce in the oven or our cod crumble.
The benefits of citrus fruits have been known for a long time.
No need to detail the virtues of vitamin C , found in grapefruit, oranges, lemons, etc.
It should be noted, however, that red grapefruit has a particularly high content of flavonoids .
These pigments are an excellent source of antioxidants and play an important role in strengthening the immune system.
For other uses of citrus fruits, discover our article:43 Lemon Uses That Will Blow Your Mind!
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower:remember these 3 foods.
Why ? Because they all have a high antioxidant content. More specifically, they all contain glutation , a natural remedy against viruses.
Basically, these 3 foods are beneficial to the overall health of the body. But, they are also an excellent source of choline .
This essential nutrient repels bacteria from the body, keeps cells functioning and improves the health of the digestive tract.
Did you buy broccoli? Then discover our article to keep broccoli fresh for 4 weeks.
Honey has several benefits. It can relieve your sore throat by coating it with a protective layer.
Plus, it's packed with antioxidants and can provide effective antimicrobial protection.
The benefits of honey are numerous. You can discover some of them in our article:12 Grandmother's Remedies with Honey.
The secret to tea's immune benefits is its high content of amino acids .
Green tea and black tea both have an abundance of theanine (not to be confused with theine ).
This substance is important to the body because it will supply it with interferon .
And it is this protein that will fight viruses (in particular, the flu).
And this, even in teas that do not contain caffeine / theine!
To learn more about green tea, discover our article:11 Benefits of Green Tea You Didn't Know About.
Did you know there is a difference between a yogurt that helps digestion and a yogurt that boosts your immune system?
The difference lies in a lactic acid bacterium:Lactobacillus reuteri .
This bacterium is a probiotic that has the particularity of stimulating white blood cells.
Our advice is therefore to favor yogurt with a high content of Lactobacillus reuteri .
But, if you can't find one, don't worry. Because all yoghurts contain at least a small amount of this bacteria.
Let's say you love vegetables, you eat yogurt every day, and you have a regular intake of vitamin C.
Therefore, it is not even more yogurt that you will have to add to your diet, but rather chicken soup.
Try to supplement what your diet lacks n.
Swallowing 2 liters of chicken soup is not going to help you. On the contrary, it will make you sick!
Choose moderation :1 bowl of chicken soup, accompanied by a green salad and a little beef will suffice.
By “synthesis” we mean the cachets.
Certainly, many essential nutrients can be extracted from a food and then stuffed into a small pill.
But, many other nutrients are lost in the process.
Our conclusion?
It is more beneficial to eat a clove of garlic (by incorporating it into a salad, for example) than taking 1 or 2 pills of garlic extract.
With the foods above, you can find the perfect mix to boost your immune system.
For example:a hot tea full of theanine, honey to coat your throat and lemon for vitamin C.
Don't depend on just one food for good health.
Here you have discovered foods that strengthen the immune system :-)
But remember that they all have other beneficial effects on the body.
Some are good for the teeth, others are good for looking after your figure, or even for cheering up... they all have several benefits!
So, what are you waiting for to sit down to eat? :-)
