Ahh the joys of winter! Rain, winds, cold and flu are again on our doorstep. While the family have remained relatively healthy so far, i have been doing everything i can to make sure they don’t pick up any of the nasty bugs that have been flying around – and I’m not talking about overdosing on the vitamin C. If you’re serious about your health, here are some great foods you can eat that will boost your immune system this season… Many of which you can grow at home!
1. Avocado
This is one of the few fruits that contain fat but it’s the good unsaturated kind that helps us absorb the vitamin E in avocados. Half an avocado gives you almost 50 per cent of the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of vitamin E. As a bonus, you also get a good source of vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid (another B vitamin)
Tip – use avocado as a spread, it has a quarter fat of butter or margarine
2. Berries
Half a punnet of most types of berries provides a full day’s supply of vitamin C and the tiny seeds in berries are an excellent source of fibre. Berries also contain vitamin E (especially blackberries and blueberries) and folate. But their greatest claim to fame is their high level of antioxidants, which help cells throughout the body stay youthful.
Tip – add a few strawberries or blueberries to your lunchbox as a treat
3. Rosemary
The flavour components of herbs are often antioxidants that contribute to health, and rosemary tops the list for its antioxidant content. Some of the dozens of compounds found in rosemary stop blood cells clumping together to form clots and so benefit the heart. Another constituent of rosemary, carnosol, has antioxidant, anti-cancer properties.
Tip – use fresh rosemary at barbecues to counterbalance carcinogens possibly formed on charred meat. (check out my post on Rosemary).
4. Oysters
A dozen oysters have about 10 times as much zinc as a good-sized steak. They also contain iron and iodine. And all this for very few kilojoules.
Tip – fresh oysters are fat and shiny with clear liquid in the shell. Creamy liquid indicates the oyster is spawning, which adversely affects the flavour
5. Garlic
Helps to control blood pressure and cholesterol and may also reduce the risk of cancer. Its benefits come from sulphur compounds.
Tip – roasted garlic is kinder to the breath than fried garlic
6. Asian Greens
They have no fat and lots of fibre plus vitamin C, beta carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A), folate (vital in the early stages of pregnancy) and many antioxidants. And most Asian greens are low in oxalic acid, which ties up the iron in veggies such as spinach.
Tip – the greener the leaves, the higher the antioxidant levels
7. Tomatoes
The deeper the colour and the more pronounced the flavour of tomatoes, the higher the content of lycopene. This antioxidant from the carotene family is good news for me because it helps preserve the health of the prostate. It’s absorbed better from tomatoes cooked in a little olive oil.
Tip – add a little fresh rosemary to your tomato pasta sauce for extra benefit
8. Nuts
Few foods can rival nuts for nutrition (protein, fibre, iron, zinc, calcium, vitamin E, seven of the eight B c-complex vitamins) but they’re often rejected because they’re high in fat, however they have essential fatty acids that are needed by the heart and nervous system. Studies have shown that they lower blood cholesterol, and 30-50 grams a day should not cause any weight gain
Tip – roast nuts in a dry frying pan for extra flavour
9. Broccoli
This green veggie is a powerhouse of protective nutrients, with foliate, beta carotene, potassium and iron, and dietary fibre. It also contains sulphoraphane, which has been identified as providing protection against cancer. Brussels sprouts, cabbage and turnips also contain sulphoraphane, but broccoli is a more pleasant tasting source.
Tip – for maximum nutrients, steam or stir-fry or microwave without water
10. Oats
When the Scots ate porridge their rates of heart disease were low. As consumption of oats fell last century, heart disease rates in Scotland rose dramatically. Oats are especially valuable for their soluble fibre. This is digested in the large intestine by good bacteria, which multiply in the process, producing a short-chain fatty acid. This acid provides direct nourishment to the cells in the bowel, helping them resist attack by cancer-causing substances.
Tip – for a quick winter breakfast, place oats in single serve breakfast bowl, just cover with water, cook in microwave for 2 mins, then mix in yoghurt and fresh or dried fruit and sunflower seeds or slivered almonds
11. Oranges
The vitamin C in oranges gives you protection from invading bugs because it works in synergy with the beta carotene and nature’s extensive range of protective bioflavinoids
Tip – eat the orange rather than just drinking the juice and you also get the benefits of its fibre
12. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Olive oil is good for your cholesterol but extra-virgin olive oil does even more, with studies confirming it helps reduce blood pressure and prevent blood clots. The extra benefits of extra-virgin olive oil come from its 35 or so antioxidants – other vegetable oils can’t compete on this score.
Tip – freshly harvested oils have the highest level of antioxidants. Check the label for the date
13. Wheat germ
Many studies show that wholegrain reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. And while this protection is partly due to their fibre, the nutrients they contain are also important. Wheat germ, which contains vitamin E, most of the B-complex vitamins (especially folate), iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, potassium and essential fatty acids, is hard to beat.
Tip – substitute wheat germ where breadcrumbs are used, or sprinkle it on cereal, add it to smoothies, or add to grated cheese and sprinkle over vegetables when baking.
14. Muesli
The combination of oats, wheat germ, seeds (sunflower, sesame and pumpkin), dried fruits and nuts provides protein, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and dietary fibre. Muesli is slowly digested and so provides long lasting energy (low GI)
Tip – Why not make your own healthy version – here’s my recipe that i posted a while back.
15. Chickpeas
Ask a nutritionist to design the perfect food and they would probably come up with a chickpea. These legumes provide protein, essential fatty acids and fibre, plus vitamin E and most of the B complex (except B12), iron, zinc and calcium. You can even sprout them to obtain vitamin C. The carbohydrate in chickpeas is digested slowly. While healthy bacteria in the bowel are digesting chickpea fibre, they do produce gases…there goes the ozone layer!
Tip – hummus is a great way to eat chickpeas, or you can put them in salads, stews, curries and casseroles. Use tinned or vacuum packed chickpeas to save preparation time
16. Salmon
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in all seafood but salmon is one of the best sources. The essential fats help prevent inflammation in the arteries, skin and joints. Salmon is also an excellent source of iodine, often in low supply now iodised salt is no longer used, dropped in favour of sea salt. Two servings of seafood a week will meet our omega 3 and iodine needs.
Tip – Frozen salmon fillets are a convenient way of buying, storing and cooking salmon. Tinned salmon is also great as a quick lunch option.
17. Sourdough bread
The long proving time, which sourdough bread needs for its wild yeasts to work, changes the nature of the starch granules so they’re broken down slowly within our intestine (low GI)
Tip – don’t be taken in by breads with sourdough flavouring (usually supermarket offerings). Buy the authentic product from a good bakery
18. Mangoes
A luscious mango has an impressive array of nutrients – one day’s supply of vitamin A (conversion of its beta carotene) and almost two days’ worth of vitamin C, plus folate and fibre. As a bonus, mangoes contain beneficial phenolic acids, which act as antioxidants.
Tip – in season mangoes contain the highest level of antioxidants
19. Tofu
The inhabitants of Okinawa, a chain of Japanese islands, have the world’s longest life expectancy and rarely get heart disease, osteoporosis, dementia, diabetes or cancer of the breast, bowel or prostate. Their diet of rice, fish, fruits and vegetables includes two daily servings of tofu or tempeh. As well as supplying protein, vitamins from the B complex, potassium, iron and calcium, tofu is also a source of isoflavines, which have a proven role in reducing heart disease and may also protect against some cancers.
Tip – incorporate other soy products into your diet for similar benefits
20. Yoghurt
The good bacteria in yoghurt partially digest the lactose in milk, making yoghurt a suitable source of calcium for those who are lactose intolerant. Some types of bacteria take up residence in the large intestine, where they may help prevent food poisoning bacteria or cancer cells getting a toehold.
Tip – look for ‘real’ yoghurt with living bacteria (a, b and c cultures). Avoid processed substitutes. Jalna and Attiki are the best supermarket yoghurts available
