6 Natural Foods to Strengthen the Immune System
Don’t get sick this holiday season by supporting your immune system with this powerful mineral
I used to get sick every December. Like clockwork, it would start with a scratchy throat and before I knew it my head was exploding and I couldn’t have a conversation without reaching for the tissue box.
What I know now is, I should’ve been reaching for these 6 foods.
What do all of these foods have in common?
They are all amazing sources of zinc.
When I adopted a plant-based vegan diet, it gave me an opportunity to incorporate these foods in my diet all year round. So my body is now prepped and ready for flu season. Although I can still fall victim to the occasional runny nose, my body fights infections and bacteria much quicker, and I strongly attribute my strong immune system to all the plants I eat.
Instead of being that person at work that’s going through a tissue box a minute, or that person out to dinner wiping her nose with her sleeve, this holiday season, you can try indulging in these natural foods.
Understanding Zinc:
Zinc is a trace element that is imperative for optimal health.
The body cannot create zinc on its own, so it must be consumed.
The essentiality of zinc in the human diet only became known 40 years ago in a study out of the Middle East. The patients in a severe zinc deficit died of infections by the time they reached 25 years of age.
Although zinc deficiency is not a huge problem in the United States, zinc deficiency is still a prevailing issue in most of the developing world.
Why Do We Need to Consume Zinc?
Zinc plays important roles all over our body. It aids in growth, brain health, reproductive system, activation of immune cells, it’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and has also shown capabilities of inhibiting the growth of tumors.
It’s most powerful functions are in our immune system. Zinc is crucial for the normal development and function of cells that handle our innate immunity.
These cells include our regular immune cells like neutrophils, in addition to our natural killer cells which are our first line of defense when a new bacteria tries to attack our body. When we get sick, we become inflammed, and zinc helps fight this inflammation and protects the body against the damage that can occur from these inflammatory processes.
Needless to say, we need to consume zinc not just to be healthy, but to live long.
As a nutritionist, I encourage my clients and community to focus on getting these essential nutrients from whole food sources. Although zinc is more bio-available in animal products, there are plant-based sources that provide those with a vegan/vegetarian diet with plenty of zinc.
I also understand supplementation is tempting so you don’t have to worry about getting it into your daily diet, but you get so much other wonderful compounds for the body when you eat your vitamins in whole food form!
6 Plant-Based Foods High in Zinc
1. Pumpkin Seeds
(2 ounces = 4.2 mg of zinc)
2. Cashews
(2 ounces= 3.4 mg of zinc)
3. Baked Beans
(1/2 cup = 1.75 mg of zinc)
4. Dark chocolate
(1 ounce = .9 mg of zinc)
5. Fortified Oats
( 1 serving = 1 mg of zinc)
6. Chickpeas
(1/2 cup = 1.25 mg of zinc)
How to Maximize Zince Absorption
Zinc absorption is affected by several factors. Protein supports zinc absorption. Adding garlic and/ or onion with your zinc containing plant foods can also increase their absoprtion
If you are especially low in zinc which is common in vegetarians/vegans who don’e eat enough of the plant foods that are high in zinc, then consider supplementation. The easiest supplement forms to absorb are: zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, zinc acetate, zinc glycerate, and zinc monomethinioine.
Always check with a doctor before starting a new supplement.
medical disclaimer:
This content is strictyly the opinions of allison christiani and is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice or to take the place of medical advice or treatment from a personal physician. All readers/ viewers of the content are advised to consult their doctors or qualified health professionals regarding specific health questions. Neither Allison nor the publisher of this content takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons reading or following the information in this educational content. All viewers of this content, espeically those taking prescription or over the counter medications should consult their phsyicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program.