If your immunity is low, your ability to defend against germs and viruses is reduced. Not only do they get tired easily, but they are also prone to colds and body aches. It is good to maintain a regular lifestyle and manage the immune system-specific nutrients so that they are not lacking.
Which nutrients are good for immunity?
Protein is essential not only for immunity but also for life support. Protein, the three major nutrients along with carbohydrates and fats, is made up of amino acids. Amino acids include non-essential amino acids (alanine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, etc.) that can be synthesized by the body, and essential amino acids (methionine, leucine, valine, etc.) that must be supplemented with food. Meat, fish, eggs, milk and dairy products are complete proteins with sufficient essential amino acids.
The protein required per day is 50-60g for adults. The protein content per 100g is pork 19.8g, beef 17.1g, mackerel 21.1g, and anchovy 49.7g. However, eating too much protein can strain the glomeruli of the kidneys, so people with poor kidneys should be careful.
Zinc blocks the entry of pathogens into the body and regulates the inflammatory response. It activates immune cells and protects cells and tissues. Zinc deficiency causes symptoms such as reduced immunity, loss of appetite, and growth retardation. Zinc is abundant in protein-rich foods such as red meat and seafood such as pigs and cattle. In particular, raw oysters (100g) contain 15.9mg of zinc, and there are also many in anchovies, legumes, pine nuts, perilla seeds, and Brazil nuts.
Zinc is best eaten in animal foods. This is because the absorption rate is higher than that of plant foods. According to the Korean Nutrient Intake Standards of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the daily recommended amount of zinc for adults is 7 to 10 mg.
Vitamin D, which is widely known to be beneficial for bone health, is an important nutrient for the immune system. According to a study by Universidad de Sevilla in Spain, vitamin D regulates the function of immune cells and is involved in the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells that make red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. As a result of a joint research team study including Queen Mary University of London, which meta-analyzed 11,321 participants, it was found that vitamin D protects against acute respiratory infections.
Vitamin D is abundant in blue-colored fish such as salmon and saury, eggs, and mushrooms, and it can be supplemented with sunlight by exposing the skin to ultraviolet rays. The recommended vitamin D intake for both men and women is 10 μg for those aged 12 to 64 years and 15 μg for those aged 65 years or older. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so you need to keep the upper intake limit. If you are over 12 years of age, you should carefully check the content when using supplements so that your daily intake does not exceed 100 μg.
