With the sudden COVID-19 pandemic going on we all need to stay safe and keep our immunity at it’s strongest. Children are more susceptible to catching colds and viruses easily compared to us but we all need to learn how to use the foods around us to stay strong and healthy. Mother nature provides us with everything we need to lead a healthy lifestyle. Below are a list of vital vitamins we need that help strengthen our immune system, and the foods we can get them from:
- Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is important in helping our bodies fight off free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that damage our immune system. To get in our daily dose of vitamin C, include foods like broccoli, kiwi, berries, bell peppers, and citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and grapefruit.
Enjoy a fruit salad or make yourself a fruit smoothie. Add vegetables as a side to every meal and keep them exciting by using different spices. Sneak them into meals so that children don’t realize they’re eating them. Add them to pastas, vegetable pancakes, rice, wraps and much more!
- Zinc:
Zinc is a mineral needed to help produce immunity cells. Foods high in zinc are shellfish, nuts and seeds such as cashews, pecans, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds, legumes such as chickpeas, whole grains such as steel-cut oats and good quality dark chocolate. Milk and yoghurt also contain a good amount of zinc in them.
Make some home-made hummus with the chickpeas and enjoy them with carrot sticks. Give your kids and yourself a hearty helping of oats, cooked in milk and topped with fruits, nuts and honey so as to get in a well balanced, healthy and beneficial breakfast. A great dessert idea is chia seed pudding or 2 pieces of dark chocola
Vitamin E:
Vitamin E is a great antioxidant which, like Vitamin C, helps fight off free radicals. Vitamin E can be found in almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli, avocados, olive oil and fish such as trout.
A pro tip is to sneak in vegetables like spinach in smoothies so that your kids or you can’t taste it. This way, you get all the benefits of spinach, and you can still enjoy a tasty, healthy drink. You can also make some avocado toast, with sunflower seeds sprinkled on top or enjoy some seeded bread with peanut butter for a nourishing breakfast that your kids will enjoy as well!
- Carotenoids:
Carotenoids are antioxidants found in plants and vegetables. Once consumed, they turn into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps regulate the immune system. Vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mango, and apricots are a great source of carotenoids.
Carrot sticks and hummus is a simple and delicious snack for you and your kids. Another great idea is to bake some sweet potato wedges as a side dish and enjoy!
- Omega-3’s:
Omega 3’s help with inflammation. These essential fatty acids can be found in walnuts, flax seeds and oily fish such as tuna and salmon.
A well balanced diet can help keep your immunity as well as your kids strong. The foods we eat can either be a source of medicine or a source of poison. Teaching kids to eat whole, nourishing and nutritious foods instead of processed, junk foods, will keep them healthy and strong.
By: Anushka Chandaria – Certified Health Coach
Instagram: @nourishbynush