What to eat to help protect yourself from coronavirus: Nutrition experts reveal the foods and spices that boost your immunity and health FAST
- There are 57 people who have been infected by coronavirus in Australia
- Washing your hands and keeping away from high risk areas is the best method
- However there are some immune-boosting foods that can potentially help
- While they can't guarantee you won't get viral infection, they keep body strong
As the coronavirus outbreak sweeps across Australia the nation is stockpiling disinfectant, preparing to self-isolate and cancelling their travel plans to affected countries.
And while there is no one way to avoid infection entirely, strengthening your immune system with particular food ingredients can go a long way to reduce your risk of contamination.
Australian nutritionists and health professionals have shared how antioxidant-rich live bacteria supplements, garlic, eggs and turmeric can help boost your health fast.
Australian nutritionists and health professionals have shared how antioxidant-rich live bacteria supplements, garlic, eggs and turmeric can be of help during this period of panic (pictured is a man in Sydney on Monday)
There are plenty of foods - including citrus and tumeric (top left) - that can help boost your immune system
ONION
Antioxidant-rich foods including berries, garlic and onion are essential for building up the immune system, which fights off viruses, nutritionist Lee Holmes wrote in a blog post.
They contain Vitamins C, B and E which help reduce the risk of disease and help fight off infections.
According to Lee, antioxidant-rich foods, which also include eggplants, pumpkins and carrots, should be eaten at least once a day.
Antioxidant-rich foods including berries, garlic and onion (pictured) are essential for building up the immune system
Australian nutrition coach and chef Lee Holmes (pictured) has revealed the best tricks to boost your immunity ahead of winter
Lee's immune-boosting roasted garlic bisque recipe:
Ingredients
Serves four
- 4 garlic bulbs, unpeeled
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/14 cup) extra virgin olive or coconut
- 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
- 1 leek, white part only, washed well and roughly chopped
- 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) good-quality chicken stock or bone broth
- 3 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- 2 pinches of ground nutmeg, or to taste 100 g (312 oz) macadamia nuts, dry-roasted and roughly chopped or crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, to serve
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Cut about 5 mm (1/4 inch) off the tops of the garlic bulbs to expose the cloves
- Place the garlic bulbs in a small baking dish, add 1 tablespoon of the oil and toss to coat
- Turn the garlic cut side up, then cover the dish tightly with foil
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the garlic skins are golden brown and tender
- Leave to cool, then squeeze the garlic out of the skins
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and leek for 3–4 minutes, or until softened
- Add the roasted garlic, stock and parsnip. Reduce the heat to low, then cover and simmer for about 30–35 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender
- Leave to cool slightly, then purée the soup using a food processor or hand-held stick blender
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks. While the soup is still warm, and with the food processor or blender still running, add the egg yolks and whiz until combined
- Season to taste with the nutmeg, and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- If you need to warm the soup to serve, stir gently over low heat until heated through, but no longer than 1–2 minutes, or the yolks will curdle
- Ladle into bowls, top with the macadamias and parsley and serve
TURMERIC
'Now that we've fought off oxidative damage, it's time to look at controlling inflammation,' Lee said.
'Consuming anti-inflammatory rich foods is essential when it comes to the immune system. To ensure you're eating enough anti-inflammatory rich foods, up your intake of vegetables and fruits.'
Eating at least five vegetables each day can help fight inflammation and ingredients such as turmeric have additional benefits.
'One of my favourite anti-inflammatory ingredients is turmeric. I add it to everything. Seriously. The compound in turmeric known as curcumin holds a plethora of benefits,' Lee said.
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OYSTERS
Zinc can be found in a range of foodstuffs including grass-fed beef, lamb, spinach and oysters - and Lee describes it as 'the absolute underdog of the immune system pyramid'.
It helps skin and bones and is particularly useful for fighting the flu as it attacks the infected cells.
'Eating foods rich in zinc is vital when it comes to looking after your immune system, as well as your gut,' she explained.
You can include zinc in your diet by incorporating more fish and seafood into your day.
Zinc can be found in a range of foodstuffs including grass-fed beef, lamb, spinach and oysters (pictured) - and Lee describes it as 'the absolute underdog of the immune system pyramid'
LIVE BACTERIA SUPPLEMENTS
Nutritional therapist Hannah Braye said most people are aware of how bacteria supplements can benefit your digestion, but many others don't realise how good they can be at supporting the immune system.
'Over 70 per cent of the immune system resides in the lining of the gut and is supported by a diverse community of bacteria,' Ms Braye told FEMAIL.
'Beneficial species of gut bacteria have been shown to influence both the innate and acquired immune systems. Taken over the winter months, they have been shown to significantly shorten common colds and reduce the severity of symptoms.'
Ms Braye recommends multi-strain products like Bio-Kult Multi-Strain Advanced Formula, which contains 14 different strains, as they are believed to have more positive benefits overall.
EGGS
Eggs are an extremely nutritious food containing more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals including good quality protein, good fats and vitamins A and E, nutritionist Susie Burrell wrote on her website.
You can get many of these vitamins and minerals from other foods, but the one exception is selenium, a 'powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in cell health and is found in very few foods including eggs and Brazil nuts'.
A single egg, for example, provides a quarter of your daily selenium requirement.
As well as infertility, muscle weakness, hair loss and mental fog, depleted selenium can lead to a weakened immune system.
Eggs are an extremely nutritious food containing more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals including good quality protein, good fats and vitamins A and E
RHODIOLA ROSEA
A herb that blooms in the cool, high-altitude regions of the continent, Rhodiola Rosea is widely acknowledged for its ability to assist in managing stress and anxiety in humans.
A study by Appalachian State University Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus also suggests this super herb can help decrease the infection rate of viruses.
In this study, marathon runners who took 600 milligrams of Rhodiola Rosea one month before their race had a higher chance of protection against viral infection after the marathon.
This is significant because runners (and other athletes) often become extremely prone to viral sickness after exerting their bodies for an extended period.
Rhodiola Rosea can be consumed in tea or tablet form as found in Clariti supplements by Australian company, Xootro.
GREEN TEA
Green tea contains flavonoids that are believed to help block the production of virus-spreading enzymes in the body.
Beyond this, it is extremely high in antioxidants and can give our bodies a much-needed boost to help fight viral symptoms when we become infected by a virus.
It is also listed as a metabolism booster which is vital to maintaining a healthy, well-flushed body.
Green tea contains flavonoids that are believed to help block the production of virus-spreading enzymes in the body
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