When temperatures drop in autumn and especially in winter, organic defenses must be raised to face the attacks of respiratory diseases in the best possible conditions, to which COVID-19 is now added.
And some foods can naturally help in these protective functions, according to some nutritionists.
“From the point of view of nutrition, nourishing consists of providing calories, lipids, proteins and other nutrients to the body to maintain adequate functioning and state of health,” highlights Estefanía Ramo, nutritionist and Food Technologist at the European Medical Institute of the Obesity (IMEO).
Explains that in this way, “nutrient” is the component present in food, assimilated by the body and used to obtain energy, repair tissues and regulate metabolic processes.
“If in addition to providing the previous benefits, the nutrient is capable of influencing the immune system then it could be called an ‘immunonutrient’,” this nutritionist tells Efe.
Next, Ramo and Rubén Bravo, dietician expert in nutrition and gastronomy at the Institute (www.imeoobesidad.com) describe that “some foods accessible to the entire population contain numerous nutrients capable of positively influencing the immune system,” explaining how they benefit us. and we can incorporate them into our regular diet.
SALMON, THE PROTECTION THAT COMES FROM THE SEA.
“This fish contains omega 3 fatty acids, which help strengthen the immune system and also B vitamins (B2, B3, B6, B9, B12), which regulate our body’s immune response against possible external attacks. of viruses and bacteria,” explain Ramo and Bravo.
They point out that vitamin A has an important role in the regulation of the immune system, both the innate or nonspecific (the organic defenses with which we are born) and the acquired or secondary, that is, the immunity that develops when exposed to various substances called antigens. , which provoke a defensive response from the body.
“This vitamin intervenes in the immune reaction to antigens or ‘humoral response’, consisting of the formation of antibodies, substances that fight infections that threaten our body,” they say.
According to these experts, vitamin D is a powerful modulator of the immune system, it interacts with most of the cells of the immune system and also improves innate immunity by intervening in the formation of macrophages, large immune blood cells, which “engulf ” and destroy pathogens or foreign substances.
“Salmon also contains iron, a mineral whose deficiency in the body affects the correct function of organic defenses, mainly by depressing certain aspects and cellular functions, such as the secretion of immune proteins called cytokines,” they add.
They point out that iron deficiency has also been related to a greater sensitivity to substances capable of producing oxidative stress (a process that causes cellular damage), as well as a higher incidence of gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases.
Ramo and Bravo recommend eating salmon “at dinner, grilled, baked, grilled accompanied by vegetables (green leaves, such as spinach) or in the form of a ‘tartar’ with avocado.”
ALMONDS, SWEET ALLIES OF IMMUNITY.
“Almonds are rich in minerals such as copper, which can contribute to the antimicrobial response of macrophages; and selenium, essential for a correct response, both of the innate and acquired immune systems,” according to Ramo and Bravo.
They indicate that, in addition to iron, this nut contains zinc, a mineral that exerts a multitude of effects on numerous types of immune cells, and has a direct effect on the number and function of macrophages.
IMEO experts recommend incorporating them into the diet “as an ingredient in salads or as an alternative to mid-morning meals or snacks, the best way to consume them raw or lightly toasted.”
KÉFIR, MAIRY BARRIER AGAINST GERMS.
This fermented milk rich in probiotic bacteria and yeasts, so called because they contain live microorganisms that provide benefits to the body, is rich in vitamins D and A, which promote immune activity through various mechanisms.
Ramo and Bravo highlight in particular a probiotic strain that is specific to kefir and is called ‘Lactobacillus Kefiri’, which helps the body defend itself against harmful bacteria such as ‘salmonella’ and ‘E. Coli’.
“This bacterial strain, along with others, helps modulate the immune system and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria,” they highlight.
Kefir also contains another powerful compound found only in this probiotic drink, an insoluble polysaccharide called ‘kefiran’, which has been shown to have antimicrobial properties to, for example, combat infection due to the fungus ‘candida’, according to these experts.
“The best way to include kefir in your weekly diet is at breakfast, ‘mid-morning’ meals and snacks, alone or accompanied by fruit,” they recommend.
SPINACH, ‘GREEN’ FORCE AGAINST INFECTION.
Spinach is a green leafy vegetable rich in copper, iron and zinc. They are great allies of our immune system, according to IMEO nutritionists, who advise eating them as a garnish at lunch and dinner, accompanying some lean meat or oily fish, raw or as a complement to salads, to make the most of their nutritional potential.
These experts emphasize that the popularly called “Popeye vegetable” contains “abundant nutrients, while providing few calories. “It can be an alternative to lettuce in salads and our recommendation is to include it regularly in a varied and healthy eating model.”
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