Introduction: Low immunity and frequent illnesses. As the weather warms up, various bacteria and viruses have become active. Slight negligence in daily life and diet can lead to illness. How can we boost our immunity? Besides maintaining a regular lifestyle, exercising regularly, and avoiding unhealthy junk food, it's also important to consciously eat foods that help enhance the immune system. Below, we introduce ten foods that can boost immunity to keep our bodies in great shape.
1. Garlic
Garlic is one of the most potent natural antibacterial plants discovered. The allicin it contains has anti-inflammatory effects and can inhibit and kill various bacteria and viruses. Adding a few slices of garlic to your daily cooking is a simple way to prevent colds. If you already have a cold or fever, eating a few cloves of garlic can alleviate symptoms like cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion. Experiments by British researchers have shown that consuming garlic can reduce the likelihood of catching a cold by two-thirds. People who chew garlic regularly also have a significantly lower risk of developing colon and stomach cancer. Therefore, it is recommended to eat two raw cloves of garlic daily and add some minced garlic to your dishes. Although garlic has many benefits, don't overindulge; three to four cloves are appropriate, as excessive consumption can cause internal heat and irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
Garlic Stir-fried Beef
2. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are widely distributed across the globe, with the highest abundance in forest leaf litter zones. Edible mushrooms are an ideal natural or multi-functional food. The most widely consumed edible mushroom in the world to date is the Agaricus bisporus, commonly known as the mushroom. Don't underestimate mushrooms just because they don't grow tall. Mushrooms are nutritious, rich in essential amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and polysaccharides. They are a high-protein, low-fat nutritional and health food. Regular consumption of mushrooms can greatly promote the body's absorption of nutrients from other foods. Mushrooms contain the mineral selenium and antioxidants. Low selenium levels in the body often increase the risk of severe colds. Mushrooms also contain B vitamins riboflavin and niacin, which play an important role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Eating mushrooms in the spring is very suitable for supplementing the body's nutrition.
Mushroom and Sausage Fried Rice
3. Tomato
Tomatoes have the effects of stopping bleeding, lowering blood pressure, promoting urination, aiding digestion, whetting the appetite, quenching thirst, clearing heat and detoxifying, and cooling the blood and calming the liver. Due to the appropriate ratio of vitamins A and C in tomatoes, regular consumption can enhance the function of small blood vessels and prevent vascular aging. The flavonoids in tomatoes not only reduce the permeability of capillaries and prevent their rupture but also have the special function of preventing arteriosclerosis, which can prevent diseases such as cervical cancer, bladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Moreover, tomatoes contain many antioxidant factors, such as lycopene, carotene, and vitamins E and C, all of which can improve the body's immunity. Experiments have shown that after consuming tomato juice for two consecutive weeks, the body's lycopene levels increase significantly, and the immune function of T lymphocytes is enhanced.
Tomato Beef Soup
4. Spinach
Spinach is known as the "model of nutrition." It is rich in various nutrients such as carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, minerals (like calcium and iron), and coenzyme Q10, providing the body with a wide range of essential nutrients. The carotene in spinach is converted into vitamin A in the body, which helps maintain normal vision and the health of epithelial cells, increase immunity, improve the ability to prevent infectious diseases, and promote children's growth and development. Not only that, it also contains folic acid, which helps produce new cells and repair DNA. It is also rich in fiber, antioxidants like vitamin C, and other nutrients. It is best eaten raw or semi-cooked.
Hot Spinach Noodle Soup
5. Cabbage
The nutritional value of cabbage is almost the same as that of Chinese cabbage, but its vitamin C content is about twice as high. In season, cabbage is also easy to obtain in winter and is not expensive. Adding various types of cabbage (white, purple, Chinese) to soup and simmering it slowly can release antioxidants into the soup, thereby increasing the nutritional value of the food. In addition, cabbage is rich in folic acid, which is an advantage of cruciferous vegetables, so pregnant women and anemia patients should eat more cabbage. Cabbage is another plant rich in glutathione (which has immune-enhancing functions). It can improve the body's immunity, prevent colds, and ensure the quality of life for cancer patients. Among anti-cancer vegetables, cabbage ranks fifth. It is worth noting that cooked cabbage is also rich in vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid.
Cabbage and Lobster Salad Tower