Vegetables are a storehouse of vitamins, and their correct combination is the key to good health and stable immunity. To support yourself during the cold season and create a preventive pillow against the development of various diseases, you should know which vegetables are especially useful in this matter, and periodically follow a diet to increase immunity.
What vegetables are especially good for immunity
Before marking an approximate list of the most useful vegetables in terms of strong immunity, it is important to emphasize that a balanced diet and the optimal content of all nutrients (vitamins, micro and macro elements, fatty acids, etc.) are necessary for health.
1. White cabbage is the record holder among vegetables for the content of vitamin C. This simple and affordable product must be present in your diet as the main source of ascorbic acid for several reasons. Firstly, cabbage is stored for a long time and is a familiar vegetable for the Russian regions, which is a positive factor for the body. Secondly, it needs very little to replenish the daily intake of vitamin C. Thirdly, the high content of dietary fiber ensures the stability of cleansing processes and normalizes blood cholesterol levels. Its close relative is red cabbage, which is also rich in folic acid, which is important for brain activity and maintaining the health of the endocrine system.
vegetables for immunity
2. Pumpkin is a serious source of carotene and vitamin A, which plays an important role in strengthening the immune system! This substance becomes especially significant in maintaining the health of the skin, mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and eyes. Optimal use of pumpkin helps preserve the beauty of surface tissues, prevent the development of skin diseases, and strengthen hair and nails. A sufficient amount of vitamin A in the body is the key to stable immunity, especially during the season of the active spread of flu and colds.
3. Celery, stems and root. This vegetable successfully combines a high content of vitamin C, A, as well as elements such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron and phosphorus. A big plus is the high fiber content. This is one of the most beneficial foods in terms of improving digestive health. processes on which immunity and weight loss largely depend. Vegetables for immunity
4. Tomatoes have a strong antioxidant effect due to their high content of lycopene. This affects the ability of immune cells to fight cancer and other types of tumor diseases and inflammation.
5. Avocado. The tropical fruit is known for its high content of omega-three and omega-6 fatty acids, which have a significant impact on the functionality of the female reproductive system, in particular, on the functioning of the ovaries. Regular consumption of avocados promotes brain health.
Как употреблять vegetables for immunity
For greater effectiveness of eating vegetables in order to increase immunity, you need to know how best to cook them, because this process depends on how many nutrients remain in the cooked fruit, and whether it will be as useful as fresh. In order for dishes with these products to contain a maximum of vitamins, you should follow a few rules.
1. Most vegetables are best consumed fresh, primarily because they are a natural source of coarse fibers important for stabilizing immune processes. In addition, it is in their original form that they contain a maximum of vitamins. This is especially important for ascorbic acid and the predominant number of B vitamins, which are rapidly destroyed during heat treatment.
vegetables for immunity
2. Proper preparation. Boiling vegetables has always been considered the best cooking option, because all the nutrients from the products pass into the broth, and even if some of these elements are destroyed, it remains useful. With the help of vegetable broths, you can increase immunity during the season of exacerbation of respiratory diseases and tonsillitis.
3. Baking and boiling for red and red vegetables – pumpkins, carrots, tomatoes, turnips. Unlike other vegetables, heat treatment increases the amount of carotene and lycopene, which are important for maintaining health. In addition, in order for these substances to be better absorbed, they must be consumed with something fatty. For example, with cream, yogurt, sour cream or sea fish.
4. A minimum of salt and sugar – an excess of these spices reduces the positive properties of vegetables, as it disrupts the absorption of beneficial substances into the blood and retains them in the resulting edema.
5. Products such as white cabbage, turnips, radishes, saturated with vitamin C and acids, should be consumed 1-2 times a week and in small portions to avoid disturbances in the activity of the stomach and intestines. In addition, such products should not be included in the diet of people with a malfunction of the thyroid gland.
vegetable diet for immunity
vegetables for immunity
A vegetable diet is especially relevant in the off-season, when the overall immunity of the body is reduced due to a lack of nutrients, and the risk of gaining excess weight is especially high due to metabolic disorders.
If you feel a slight malaise, do not rush to drink pills and powders that reduce symptoms. Instead, try at least one day to switch to eating fresh vegetables without salt and other additives. For example, grated carrots with a little vegetable oil or a couple of tablespoons of fresh yogurt can be eaten in the morning as a digestive activity activator. If you choose a good yogurt, then in addition to the cleansing processes, you will be able to stabilize the state of the intestinal microflora.
For lunch, boil the pumpkin, cut it into cubes, combine with tangerine slices, sprinkle with olive oil, add soft cottage cheese with a fat content of not more than 5% and mix everything. If it is very difficult for you to survive the whole day without denser dishes, supplement the recipe with a small piece of boiled chicken.
vegetables for immunity
For dinner, a combination of celery stalks, scalded tomatoes, lettuce and a couple of boiled potatoes seasoned with olive or sunflower oil with minimal salt will be perfect. If you plan to cook boiled meat, you can cook mashed potatoes in combination with celery root, grated with a sieve. The ratio of products at the same time remains at the level of one to one.
As drinks during the day after the main meal, drink any vegetable juice, you can in the form of an unusual cocktail with the addition of spices. In the morning and in the evening, give preference to green or white tea, mineral water without gas. If you are actively involved in sports, then be sure to include avocados, boiled potatoes and eggplants in your diet.
This menu should be followed for a minimum of two days, a maximum of seven. You can repeat such a diet every month without harm to health, if you do not have any individual contraindications and intolerance to a particular vegetable.
Of course, the proposed menu is not final, you can fantasize and combine products as you wish. The main thing is to follow the basic principles of compiling such a diet, which involve maximum naturalness, limiting the use of sugar and salt, as well as using those vegetables that your body best perceives in the diet.