Immunity-Boosting Phytochemicals
Your mom may have had to force you to eat your vegetables when you were a kid. Perhaps you're a parent who struggles to get their children to eat healthily. Many of us don't realize that the food we eat also defends us.
When I was a kid, my mom would arrange the dinner course so that each item coordinated with the others. Bright red and yellow peppers were a wonderful addition to the salad. But did my wonderful mother know that these healthful foods contain phytochemicals? She always knew they were good for me, and she loved to garnish my plate with the colors of the season.
Plants' pigments, flavors, aromas, and defense mechanisms against pests and illnesses are all the result of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are potent antioxidants that can help people fight against disease and feel healthier overall.
While most studies examine the impact of phytochemicals on cancer, the findings are also relevant to those who simply wish to improve their immune system or slow the consequences of aging.
Antioxidants help cells remain stable and defend against the destructive effects of free radicals, which are chemicals that impair the immune system, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRC). Degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease can be warded off with the help of antioxidants.
Blueberries were found to be the most beneficial fruit in the HNRC study, followed by strawberries, prunes, black currants, and boysenberries. The darker the hue, the better it is for you. In addition to protecting cells from damage, several of these antioxidants can help lower inflammation and cholesterol levels in the body.
Consume foods from across the color spectrum for optimal health. Have some greens, oranges, yellows, and blues in your diet.
How about some fruit or vegetables, either fresh or frozen?
Studies by the Food and Drug Administration and the University of Illinois reveal that frozen fruits and vegetables are virtually as nutritious as fresh ones because they can be chosen at the peak of freshness.
In order to preserve their quality throughout transport, most fresh fruits and vegetables are selected before they are fully ripe and healthy.
However, the healthiest fruits and vegetables can be found if you are able to raise them yourself or purchase them directly from a farm.
How about nutritional vitamins and minerals?
Most supplements do not provide any noticeable benefits. Except for the occasional high-quality "greens drink," phytochemicals appear to lose their effectiveness when isolated from food.
One serving of a high-quality 'greens drink' has the nutritional value of five servings of whole foods and is especially rich in phytochemicals.
And yet more phytofoods:
There is a wide range of phytofoods available to suit a wide range of tastes. Some of the most typical ones are:
Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cherries, citrus fruits, grapes, kiwifruit, lemons, mangoes, melons, nectarines, oranges, papayas, pears, plums, and kiwi. Barley, cornmeal, whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, and wheat germ are all examples of grains. Flaxseed, macadamia nuts, pecans, sesame seeds, walnuts, and flaxseed (a little brown seed used in cooking) are all examples of nuts and seeds. Asparagus, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, cauliflower, corn, eggplant, dark leafy greens and lettuces, mushrooms, onions, green and dried peas, sweet and hot peppers, white and sweet potatoes, pumpkin, soybeans, watercress, winter squash, tomatoes, and many more.
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