Nutrition plays an important role in strengthening your immune system. Regular consumption of these immunity boosting foods will help reduce how frequently you fall sick and may help you recover from illness more quickly. In the following section are given various immunity boosting fruits which will help you lead a healthier life.
Citrus fruits
Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits tangerines and pomelos are not only delicious and refreshing; they are also a great source of vitamin C that helps to boost the immune system and maintains the body’s defence against bacterial infections like colds and flu.
Vitamin C as we know it is a one stop shop for boosting immunity in our body. It is believed to increase the production of white blood cells that are essential for fighting off infections and warding of diseases. Several cells of the immune system need the vitamin to perform their task, especially phagocytes and t-cells. Thus, a Vitamin C deficiency results in a reduced resistance and low immunity against certain pathogens. It may not be the cure for the common cold but different studies including meta-analyses underline that the prophylactic intake of Vitamin C may slightly reduce the duration of the illness in healthy persons Vitamin C also helps maintain the integrity of your skin, which acts as a protective barrier against infection. Since your body doesn’t produce or store this Vitamin, it might be more advantages to increase your intake from these fruits rather than supplements, since they are a natural source of this vitamin and may contain other beneficial compounds that supplements may not. In addition, vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, helping protect your immune cells against harmful compounds formed in response to viral or bacterial infections.
Citrus fruits such as oranges and limes not only have high vitamin C content but also are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are beneficial for the immune system as they help fight free radical damage and prevent cell breakup.
But citrus fruits can be dirty, and come laden with scale bugs. You don’t want to drink that! In a situation where your food item requires serious cleaning to remove dirt that is strongly adhering to them, an ultrasonic fruit & vegetable purifier.
These immunity-boosting fruits not only earn their all-star foods status because of their anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory Vitamin C properties but also consist of compounds called flavonoids, which help boost immunity and may have anticancer properties. Citrus flavonoids are also antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals and may protect against heart disease. Studies show that citrus flavonoids may improve blood flow through coronary arteries, reduce the ability of arteries to form blood clots and prevent the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol, which is an initial step in the formation of artery plaques. Some particular kinds of flavonoids have shown protective effects against cancer, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal alterations and nervous system-related syndromes
Therefore, getting enough vitamin C is a great way to strengthen your immune system and may reduce your likelihood of infection. So go grab an orange or add lime or lemon to your glass of water and get your daily dose of vitamin C.
Bananas
This creamy and sweet fruit is amongst the most commonly consumed fruits in the world. Bananas are a nutrient dense fruit with a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that help in boosting immunity and are very low on calories. One medium banana, which is 7 to 8 inches long, has 2 percent of the recommended daily intake of five of the 11 nutrients: iron, zinc, vitamin A, selenium and protein. It also provides larger amounts of four other nutrients essential to a normal immune response.
Bananas consists of vitamin B-6, which is essential for the production of specialized cells called cytokines and antibodies, both of which are very important proteins for the immune system. One medium size banana has #) percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B-6.
Banana consists of copper, which is important to the immune system because it’s an antioxidant that supports the immune system by protecting the cells from damage during chemical reactions. It also helps in metabolizing iron, which has an important role in the immune response. Lack of iron impairs the ability of white blood cells called phagocytes that digest invading foreign substances. A banana consists of 13 percent of the recommended daily intake of copper.
Vitamin C stimulates the production of White Blood Cells called lymphocytes that attack invading pathogens like bacteria, destroy infected or cancerous cells, regulate the immune response and make antibodies. Vitamin C also behaves as an antioxidant by protecting white blood cells from chemicals released while killing the pathogens. You get 11 percent of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C in one medium size banana.
Bananas consist of folate, which also helps with the synthesis of proteins involved in the immune response. Like vitamin B-6, folate must be present for the synthesis of proteins such as cytokines that are involved in regulating the immune response. It’s also needed for the production of antibodies, so folate deficiency decreases the response of cells that attack invaders. One medium banana contains 24 micrograms or 6 percent of the recommended daily intake of folate.
Besides being a great source of energy, bananas are known for its calming effect, because of the high concentration of tryptophan, which helps the nervous system and boosts immunity. By incorporating a single banana in your diet daily helps boost your immunity and keeps you healthy.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe also called kharabooja in India is a melon fruit that belongs to the same family as the cucumber, squash, pumpkin and gourd. Cantaloupes are a rich source of beneficial nutrients like Vitamin C and vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids) and provide a range of antioxidants, phytonutrients, and electrolytes, which help boosts the immune system and have multiple health benefits.They also contain necessary nutrients like copper, B vitamins, vitamin K, potassium, folate, magnesium, and fiber. These nutrients found in cantaloupe can help prevent oxidative stress plus a wide range of inflammatory-caused diseases. Amongst other nutrients, cantaloupe contains two types of powerful antioxidants: carotenoids and cucurbitacins.
Carotenoids are proven immune system boosters. In fact, higher carotenoid intake is associated with improvements in several biomarkers of strong immune function. Carotenoids have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor; chemo protective properties that help us ward off common infections, illnesses and serious diseases like cancer too.Vitamin A and C are found in high levels in cantaloupe, these antioxidant are known for promoting healthy vision and skin, boosting immunity, and reducing inflammation. These vitamins are essential for maintaining healthy mucus membranes, cellular health, and warding off DNA damage that can lead to disease.
Cantaloupe contains phytonutrients called cucurbitacins, which also have anti-cancer properties. Several different cucurbitacin compounds have been found to exhibit antiproliferative on numerous human cancer cell lines and tumor xenografts, including breast, prostrate, lung, uterine cervix, liver, skin, and brain cancers.
These antioxidants that have been linked with the prevention of diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders.
Cantaloupe melon is quite alkaline at about pH 8.5. It helps flush out acid and toxins and helps prevent cancer as cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment.
Amazingly, a cup of cantaloupe contains 1.5 grams of protein. It has solid amounts of many vitamins and minerals, such as zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, choline, niacin, and vitamin K. Cantaloupe boosts the immune system, detoxifies the organs, deeply hydrates and alkalizes the body, be sure to incorporate this fruit to boost up your immunity and stay healthy.
Eat these immunity boosting fruits on their own or whip them up into a juice or a smoothie for bringing out the variety in taste. All these will help you learn how to increase immunity and fight against infections and seasonal changes affecting the body. For best results, we recommend a daily spoon of Dabur Chyawanprash along with the consumption of these fruits to help boost your immunity.
