Food ingredients that help fight infections during winter
From besan and dry fruits to citrus fruits and whole spices, the addition of these chef-approved food ingredients into your diet will boost immunity.
Come winter and our body gets susceptible to varioius infections. Therefore, it becomes crucial to consume foods that can boost our immune system. Here are recommendations shared by Chef Reetu Uday Kugaji that can be easily incorporated in your regular diet:
Besan: Besan Ka Sheera is an old aged effective nuskha / remedy from Punjabi households for cold and cough. Besan or chickpea flour is slow roasted until aromatic and then simmered with milk, turmeric and freshly ground black peppercorns. Turmeric and Black pepper are known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties aiding relief from severe cold. It induces good sleep when a person is down with cold and cough. Served very hot and consumed it before bedtime.
Citrus fruits: Try citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruits as they contain vitamin C, which further helps in lowering sugar and inflammation.
Pomegranate Juice: Pomegranate is a wonder ingredient. All parts of the plant are used as medicine in Ayurveda traditions; pomegranate juice is most valued for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. Studies show that extracts of the fruit are effective against dental plaque.
Dry Fruits: Dry fruits and nuts like walnuts, almonds and dates provide the essential vitamins and minerals for building immunity. Nuts can help improve circulation by reducing inflammation and oxidative damage in the arteries.
Garlic: Garlic is a powerful anti-bacterial that can fight yeast infections and fungus. It may taste repulsive but a traditional remedy to maintain health and protect you from diseases is to have raw garlic on an empty stomach.
Turmeric: Turmeric is known to possess anti-inflammatory properties that help boost immunity. A dash of turmeric can also manage your tummy troubles. So add some to your curries, dal, and rice dishes or just drink it up with a glassful of milk to boost immunity like never before.
Asafoetida: Asafoetida popularly known as hing, is said to have anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and anti-viral properties that can help boost the immunity system. Moreover, it scavenges cell damaging free radicals, which are responsible for many health conditions. Hing also helps reduce the chances of getting an upset stomach and other conditions like flatulence, gas, bloating, indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome.
Yoghurt and other fermented foods: Probiotics, the good bacteria present in certain yogurt and other fermented foods like pickled vegetables, can actually help boost your immune function. Just one cup of yoghurt with some chopped fruits can lower the risk of diabetes by almost 25%. It is also fortified with Vitamin D, another nutrient linked to cold and flu resistance.
Pepper: Pepper is available whole, crushed or powdered; black pepper has carminative properties that reduce the chances of intestinal gas and other stomach problems. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and fever-reducing properties. You can add pepper in Masala Chai, eggs, sandwiches, curries, soups and salads.
Cloves: Cloves contain high amount of antioxidants, which aid the immune system in fighting off oxidative damage and cell-damaging free radicals.
Fenugreek: Fenugreek or methi seeds have long been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, while simultaneously boosting the immune system and protecting against flu and various infections that are common during monsoons.
Cinnamon: Cinnamon or dalchini is rich in antioxidants and provides us with sufficient amounts of manganese, calcium, fibre and iron content. The essential oils including cinnamylacetate and cinnamaldehyde may help the immune system as they possess anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Drink cinnamon tea or add it in your puddings, rice dishes to make the most of it. It is rich in antioxidants, that give it a mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, and perhaps this is why it was traditionally used to aid recovery from colds, flu, sore throats, fever and headaches.
Star Anise: Star Anise helps you boost immunity. Add some spice to your desserts or add it in rice dishes like biryani. Although traditionally used to ease wind, hiccups and water retention, star anise excels in helping speed recovery from viral infections. Its potent antiviral properties are effective against both the herpes virus and the flu virus - so much so that its constituents have been harnessed by pharmaceutical companies to produce flu medicines.
Rosemary: Rosemary contains caffeic and rosmarinic acids, both potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that also have strong antiseptic properties. Its antioxidant action can help reduce inflammation, thereby helping to lower the risk of asthma. If used in a tea or gargle, it can help fight gum disease and relieve sore throats.
Dill: Dill is a natural diuretic and anti-bacterial that can be effective against cystitis and bladder infections. Its essential oil constituents have a calming, anti-inflammatory effect on the digestive tract, which is why it has long been used as a treatment for stomach upsets and colic.
Oregano: Oregano contains volatile oils thymol and carvacrol which may help in protecting against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the body.
Honey: Even though honey is made up of mostly simple sugars and water, it has many medicinal properties, including its ability to help heal skin wounds and ulcers. It contains a great source of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and essential oils.
