10 foods to boost your immunity | How to boost immunity naturally

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Eating certain food can helps to keep your immune system strong. If you are looking for ways to kill illness like flu and other bacterial infections then focus on what you eat. Plan your meals to include these 10 powerful foods to boost your immunity and fight infections.

1# PAPAYA:

Papaya is a fruit that is loaded with vitamin-C. You can find 157% RDA of vitamin-C in a single papaya. It originated in central America and southern Mexico. But this fruit is grown in many other part of the world. Papaya contains an enzyme called papin. Which can break down tough protein chains found in muscle meat and can help in digestion also. Papayas has decent amount of potassium, vitamin-B, folate. All of which are benificial to our immune system. It also contains decent amount of antioxidants and vitamin-A. All these vitamins and antioxidants makes it a great fruit for boosting your immunity.

2#GARLIC:

Garlic is one of the most highly used spice for adding the extra flavour to the food. Garlic is known by one other name and that is immunity boosting superstar. For thousands of years people all over the world have used garlic as elixir of health. It helps to treat common cold, flu and the varieties of illnesses. This plant actually belongs to the lily family. Ancient writings show that garlic was used as a currency in Egypt. One piece of garlic contains 5 milligrams of calcium, 12 milligrams of potassium and more than hundred sulphuric compounds. Powerful enough to wipe out bacteria and infections. In fact garlic was used to treat wounds in world wars. Raw garlic not cooked or dried is the most benificial for health. Since heat and water inactivates sulphur enzymes. Which can diminish garlic's antibiotic effects. Garlic also seems to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and also kills parasites in our body.

3# GREEN TEA:

Both green and black tea are packed with flavinoids. Which is a type of antioxidants. Where green teas really excels levels of EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), another powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to improve immune functions. The formentation process Black tea goes through destroys a lot of EGCG present in it. Green tea in other hand goes through other processes and not formented. So the EGCG has preserved. It Has been studied to treat many diseases and may be one of the main reasons green tea has such powerful medicinal properties. Green tea is also a good source of amino acid L-theanine. L-theanine may aid in the production of germ fighting compounds in your T-cell.

4# BROCCOLI:

Broccoli is super charged with vitamins and minerals. Packed with vitamin-C, Aand E and as well as many other antioxidants and fibre. Broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetable that you can add in your diet. The rich amount of Vitamin-C found in broccoli helps to boost your immune level. 100 gms of broccoli contains upto 89 milligrams of vitamin-C. Which is more than a lots of citrus fruits. Broccoli contains lots of beta carotin and host of antioxidants which makes it a a perfect vegetable for your overall immunity. To keep its all ingredients cook it as little as it possible or better yet not at all.

5# GINGER:

Ginger is an another ingredient that may people have trusted since ages for treating various types of illnesses. Ginger may help decrease inflammation which can reduce sore throat, joint pains, flu, common cold and many other inflammatory illnesses. Ginger decreases Nausea and vomiting. While it used in many sweet desarts. Ginger pack some heat in the form of gingerol. This decreases chronic pain and lowers cholesterol. Ginger helps the immune system perform optimally by boosting it when it is under-active or suppressing it when it is over active. Research also tells that ginger can helps to fight drug resistant bacteria also.

6# SPINACH:

Spinach is rich in vitamin-C. It is also packed with antioxidants and beta-carotene which increases the infection fighting ability of your immune system. This vegetable can easily add to your diet as it is quiet cheep and be easily prepare. Spinach is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, vitamin-A, folate and many other antioxidants which are essential micronutrients for your immune system. Similar to broccoli, spinach is also good when it is cooked as little as it possible. So that it retains its nutrients. However light cooking enhances its vitamin-A allows its nutrients to release oxalic acid. Spinach is also a healthiest source of dietary magnesium which is necessary for a healthy immune system and also to maintain your blood pressure levels.

7# CITRUS FRUITS:

Citrus fruits are the one of the best sources of vitamin-C. Most people take vitamin-C after they caught in cold. That's because it helps to build the immune system. Vitamin-C increases the production of white blood cells which are keep to fight against infections. A review published in the nutritional journal show that getting enough vitamin-C can reduce the symptoms and shortens the duration of respiratory tract disorder. Antioxidants meanwhile can help protect against oxidative stress and prevents damage of your immune cells. Some of citrus fruits are grape fruits, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes etc. Because body doesn't produce or stores vitamin-C, so your body needs daily doses of vitamin-C for continued health. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin-C.

8# RED BELL PEPPER :

If you think citrus fruits have the most vitamin-C of any fruits or vegetables, well think again. Red bell pepper contains twice as much vitamin-C as compared to citrus fruits. Besides boosting your immune system vitamin-C may also maintain our healthy skin. Red Bell peppers also a good source of beta-carotene. Beta carotene helps to keep your eyes and skin healthy.

9# APPLES:

There are many different reasons that why apples are best for building immunity and good health. Apples contains all the most needed vitamins like vitamin-A, E, C and vitamin-B, B2. All these vitamins are essential for the proper function of the immune system. Apples also contains pectin. Which is a type of fibre which acts as a prebiotic. This means it feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Our gut bacteria directly regulates the immune system by releasing compounds in the gut that act on your immune cells and moderate their function.

10# MUSHROOM:

Mushroom contains B-vitamins, riboflavin and niacin, which keep your immune system strong. They contains selenium too. Which is best to protect us against the viral infections.