IMMUNE BOOSTING BOWL
Our immune system is our defense system protecting us from external threats. It’s an efficient and complex system, working 24/7 in every part of our body, and it is positively affected by our habits, eating habits being a major one of them. So, we want to feed ourselves with kindness and support this great system! Especially at times when it might be threatened, for instance, by Corona! Or just a typical seasonal flu.
Some crucial ingredients for a healthy functioning immune system are vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, and the mineral Zinc. There are, of course, many other vital ingredients such as Omega 3, probiotics, and Selenium, but our immune system demands those first mentioned in larger quantities and in constant supply.
Here are some guidelines for nutrition-packed with these vitamins and minerals, foods we want to consume on a daily basis (unless of course, we have a specific sensitivity);
Food packed with vitamin C – Bell peppers, especially red and yellow, kiwi, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries, orange, and kale.
Food high in Zinc – pumpkin seeds, cacao, cashew nuts, oats, chickpeas and lentils.
Vitamin B foods – whole grains such as rice, oats and buckwheat.
Our body knows how to transform the active ingredients to vitamin A in these foods – all orange vegetables – yams, carrots, pumpkin, squash, as well as green leaves such as spinach, chard, parsley, coriander, basil, kale, lettuce, and seaweed, specifically Spirulina.
We also want to avoid burdening our body with the need to clear out potentially harmful foods so the immune system will have more available energy.
Sugar is bad for us mainly because it is one of the strongest oxidations promoting foods out there, causing our body to use important resources for antioxidant purposes instead of immune system health. It also affects the availability of important vitamins B and C.
In larger quantities, sugar creates inflammation, causing the immune system to focus on that instead of tackling Pathogens, disease promoters such as viruses, germs, etc.
The bottom line is that if we want a healthy immune system, protecting us from outside threats, we need to nurture our immune system. And this delicious bowl is a great way to do it!!!
Basically, you want to add as many of the mentioned high packed-in nutrients ingredients as possible!
A few tips – if you’re using kale, massage it with half a lemon and a pinch of salt to soften it. Make sure to take out the big, thick branches.
Yams! Oz telem has the perfect yam recipe, make sure you use a cold-pressed oil, I recommend olive oil.
I love adding brussels sprouts to the same tray, but they don’t need much oil and only about ten minutes, so keep an eye out for them.
Make your salad fun! Mix up as many colorful vegetables and many textures to keep it interesting. I for instance like to use Broccoli raw but fine chopped to gut the crunchiness, and then have a soft yam bite to balance nuts are another great way to keep that interesting.
Go easy on the dressing and opt for homemade ones, my favorite is simply olive oil and lemon. Good vegetables don’t need much more and the store-bought ones, often have a lot of sugar and preservatives our immune system will have to fight off.
Don’t mix too much to avoid a soggy salad, and for the same reason eat immediately or make sure to season and add oil only close to serving.
And last but definitely not least – try different things. Vegetables you don’t know, combinations you are curious about. And if you have any questions – I’m here.
