
All fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, low fat dairy products, lean meats and fish contain essential vitamins and minerals that help to keep your immune system fighting fit. Here are a few of the ultimate ‘super foods’…
Green tea
A cup of green tea supports the growth of ‘good’ intestinal bacteria, whilst inhibiting the ‘bad’, keeping your digestive tract in top form to fight foreign bodies.
Berries
All berries are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, which help to protect and repair your skin from sun damage
Avocados
They contain protein, fibre, several B vitamins, and a healthy dose of monounsaturated (‘good’) fats. Avocados beat bananas for potassium content, and all other fruit (and even wheat cereals!) in fibre content. An average avocado has 289 calories and 24 grams of fat – but only 4 of those fat grams are saturated. Most are monounsaturated (17 grams), which lowers ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and raises ‘good’ HDL levels. When you consider all the nutrients housed in a single avocado, the calories no longer loom so large – especially if you give it a starring role on your plate, as you would a serving of meat or fish.
Sweet potatoes
Each sweet potato contains glutathione, which enhances immune-system health, and protects against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack, and strokes! This is definitely one of nature’s super foods!
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are full of lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant that has been associated with a decrease in prostate cancer in men, and may play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cooked or processed tomatoes (tomato sauce/paste/juice/tinned) contain the most lycopene per gram than fresh tomatoes – but watch the salt content of the processed tomatoes.
So the ultimate immune boosting dinner would be, a roasted sweet potato, tomato and avocado salad with a cup of green tea and a handful of berries for dessert!
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