Coronavirus UK: Foods and vitamins to help boost your immune system – Metro.co.uk

As you head to the supermarket to fill up the stockpiling cupboard (jokes aside, please ease up on the stockpiling so we can all get food), it might be worth choosing items that could help protect you against infections.

Eating certain foods is not going to stave off coronavirus, but it may help you boost your immune system, which in turn could prepare your body to fight off the virus.

From vitamin-packed fruits to the benefits of bone broth, here are the foods and ingredients that are believed to improve your body’s natural defenses, as recommended by the experts.

A word of warning, however: if you are in the risk factor, have an underlying illness or are concerned about your health, always speak to a medical professional before dramatically changing your diet.

Vitamin C

Good ol’ vitamin C is known as an ascorbic acid, and is popular for a reason: it’s great for us.

‘Vitamin C is essential to boost the immune system, Yalda T Alaoui, founder of Eat Burn Sleep tells us.

‘Focus on whole foods as juicing makes for a huge nutrient loss. Raw apples, carrots, crudités are packed with vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants.

‘In a supplement form, liposomal vitamin C is more effective as it is slow delivery.’

Other foods rich in vitamin C include lemons, oranges, broccoli, bell peppers, kiwi and papaya, and more.

Zinc

‘This is necessary for a healthy immune system,’ says Melissa Snover, founder and CEO of Nourished.

‘A lack of zinc can make a person more susceptible to disease and illness. This essential nutrient helps maintain the body’s ability to make new cells and enzymes, process carbohydrate, fat and protein in food and also increases the speed of healing muscles and wounds.

‘Some evidence also suggests that zinc is helpful in the prevention of colds and viruses and minimises symptoms for allergy and hay fever sufferers.’

Sounds pretty great to us, but which foods contain copious amounts of zinc?

If you’re a meat-eater, good news: red meats are particularly high in zinc, as is shellfish and eggs.

Vegans, go for nuts, whole grains and legumes (chickpeas, lentils, beans).

Fermented foods

Now that you’re stocked up on rice, pasta and frozen vegetables, it’s time to visit the speciality aisle.

‘If you like saurkraut, miso, kefir and their immune-boosting relatives, add just a spoonful or two each day to your diet,’ says Sara Davenport, health expert and author of Reboot Your Health.

‘Fermented foods encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut and when their levels are high, so are your immune levels, defending you from viral infections. 

‘With saukraut, avoid shop-bought which is likely to have been pasteurised by heating and stuffed with sugar, which will kill the bacteria off and make it generally unhealthy. 

‘Instead, make your own by grating raw cabbage and putting in a jar to ferment with salt. ‘

Ginger

Ginger is a magical ingredient, especially if you’re already feeling under the weather.

The antioxidant is believed to fight off cold and flu symptoms, combat nausea, and is full of iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium.

However, it’s worth noting that a study from 2013 showed fresh ginger may help boost the body’s respiratory system, but dry ginger did not show the same results.

It’s also great to your gut, according to research which shows ginger can help with digestion and constipation.

‘A warming herb, known as “the universal medicine”, in Ayurveda,’ says Euan MacLennan, herbal director at Pukka Herbs and medical herbalist at an NHS practice in London.

‘Ginger stimulates defensive responses in the upper respiratory and digestive mucosa helping the body fend off infections. I would recommend ginger for bacterial and viral infections such as colds, flu, chest infections and sore throats. ‘

Elderberry Tincture

‘Viruses clad themselves in sharp spikes, to protect themselves and to attack and enable them to overrun your healthy cells,’ says Sara.

‘Research has shown that protective compounds in elderberries wipe out those spikes in a couple of days, preventing any further spreading of the virus – hence its nickname the ‘virus terminator’.

‘An Israeli study, looking at viruses and the efficacy of elderberry syrup, showed that those who took a daily dose recovered far more quickly than the control group – 20% were better within 24 hours, 70% in 48 hours, and 90% had recovered completely in three days.’

You can either get a store-bought version or, if you have some vodka lying around, make your own.

We’re not suggesting you sip on elderflower cocktails (though it that helps you, who are we to object) but rather, pour 100% pure vodka on fresh berries and leave them in a mason jar for up to six weeks.

A fun activity if you get bored in self-isolation.

Bone broth

OK, so it’s not the sexiest of foods and a no-go for vegetarians or vegans, but if you’re a meat-eater, bone broth could be a very beneficial ingredient to a meal.

‘Bone broth is full of L-Glutamine, an essential amino acid that the body can not manufacture and can only get from foods,’ says Yalda.

‘Glutamine supports cells repair, including the intestinal tract wall. A healthy and sealed gut is essential for a strong immune system.’

If you can stand the idea of boiling bones (in water and vinegar), these are jam-packed with calcium, magnesium and potassium, and if you go for fish bone broth specifically, you also get a hit of iodine.

Boiling bones too creepy for you to handle? Pick up some tablet-form vitamins instead.

Garlic

Before it became a staple in cooking, garlic was actually used for medicinal purposes.

From manganese to vitam B6 and C, as well as selenium and fiber, it is high in immune-boosting compounds.

‘Garlic is a potent anti-viral, anti-fungal agent, and eating it raw, or as an uncooked puree alongside your normal food (add it to salad dressings) will wipe-out most miscreants,’ says Sara.

One study, that saw participants eat garlic or a placebo, saw 63% of those who ate garlic recover faster and less likely to get a recurrent cold.

Beta glucan

‘This is a soluble fibre, comes from yeasts,’ says Melissa.

‘It can positively stimulate your immune system, reinforcing it against ailments like asthma, allergies, Crohn’s disease, and more.’

However, while some studies show beta glucan can improve the immune system, there are still inconclusive results – more research needs to be done.

Mushrooms

Euan says: ‘There are approximately 400 species of fungi that have been identified with medicinal properties, and many have antiviral, antimicrobial or anti-inflammatory qualities.

‘Mushrooms are high in beta glucans – natural substances found to help “prime” our immune system, making sure it’s ready for action to fight off infection.’

Andrographis

Also known as green chireta or ‘Indian echinacea’, andrographis is an anti-inflammatory herb found in south Asian countries like India and Sri Lanka.

‘Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to promote the production of antibodies and reduce the severity of infection, andrographis contains compounds that rally the immune system to fight effectively against invaders such as viruses,’ Euan adds.

But take this with a pinch of salt, as there is no conclusive scientific proof that andrographis can stave off colds or flu.

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