Ah, the onslaught of germs in winter! It can feel like everyone you meet has a sniffle or a cough. And what’s more, the chilly weather gives germs sneaky VIP access to our bodies because cold temperatures can damage the immune response that occurs in the nose. All the more reason to look at which foods we can eat to support our immune systems. Here are five top picks from the Zero Waste Cafe’s menu and dried goods section in December to support your immune health.
Pop to your local Zero Waste Cafe this month to stock up on store-cupboard essentials that not only nourish you on below-zero days – but also help your body fight germs.
Oats
A type of wholegrain you’ll find in abundance in Zero Waste Café baking, as well as in our dried goods section at 9p per 100g, oats are one of the best foods you can eat to support your immune health.
They deliver immune-system-friendly nutrients including the minerals copper, iron, selenium and zinc, as well as polyphenols (a type of plant compound), and, perhaps most importantly, dietary fibre in the shape of beta-glucans.
Beta-glucans are non-digestible polysaccharides (carbohydrates) that modulate the immune system. Human studies suggest that oat beta-glucans enhance the responsiveness of the innate immune system, while studies in mice report that they can decrease susceptibility to respiratory infection (1).
Our favourite way to eat oats? The pumpkin, oat and choc chip slice made by Zero Waste Cafe cook, Donna. Delicious!
Pumpkin
Have you been lucky enough to sample one of Donna’s pumpkin-based treats? Perhaps the pumpkin cake, which is so gooey and moist you’d never guess it was (sort of!) good for you? Well, as well as boasting sweet-earthy flavours, pumpkin is packed with immune-optimising vitamins and minerals. It is rich in vitamins A, C and E, as well as beta-carotene – all so-called antioxidant nutrients.
These have been shown to exhibit a protective effect in infections caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites (2). So, stock up on baked pumpkin treats – and for a suggested cafe donation of just £1, including a cup of tea or coffee.
Green Lentils
In the Zero Waste Cafe tinned food section (suggested donation of 40p per tin), you’ll find a range of wholefoods, including green lentils. Canned lentils require zero preparation and can be tossed into salads, soups and stews – and here’s why your immune system will thank you for it.
Lentils are rich in immune-optimising vitamins and minerals – especially selenium and zinc, which support the expansion of the population of T-cells (a type of white blood cell that fight germs and protect you from disease).
They also contain a range of B vitamins, which studies have shown may help the immune system respond to infection (3). But think variety: all wholefoods have a role to play in keeping our bodies – and immune systems – healthy. So why not pop to your local Zero Waste Cafe and see what you can find this month?
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are available tinned (and, when in season, fresh) at the Zero Waste Café. And we’d recommend consuming them to support your immune system thanks to their lycopene content. Lycopene is an antioxidant that has been shown to regulate the response of macrophages – a type of white blood cell that engulfs germs.
Lycopene is more easily absorbed when cooked and with the addition of a healthy fat source – so add tomatoes to stews and plant-based chillies and curries with a glug of olive oil.
Leafy Green’s
Every week, the Zero Waste Cafe sells Arran-grown leafy green vegetables from producers such as Cordon Community Garden, Lochranza community growers and Clachaig Farm in Kilmory. Not only gorgeously flavoursome and versatile, leafy green vegetables also ensure the delivery of a chemical signal that is important for a well-functioning immune system, according to a study published in the journal Cell (4).
Specifically, they ensure that immune cells in the gut and the skin (so-called intra-epithelial lymphocytes) function properly. These cells form a network beneath the skin barrier that acts as an important first line of defence and supports wound repair.
Keep an eye out this month for Asian salad greens, broccoli, kale, portulaca, Swiss chard and more.
Did you know?
Thanks to support from North Ayrshire Council, the Zero Waste Cafe can offer donation-based pricing. This means that you pay only what you can, making delicious, nutritious food easier to access.
When and where is your Local Zero Waste Cafe?
Each month our Zero Waste Cafe pop’s up in villages around the island. For more information on what to expect at a Zero Waste Cafe, you can watch this video here.
Sources
- Chen, O. et al. The Role of Oat Nutrients in the Immune System: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2021. Read here: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8063794/
- Thirumdas, R. et al. Role of food nutrients and supplementation in fighting against viral infections and boosting immunity: A review. 2021. Read here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421000777#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20potent%20antioxidant,et%20al.%2C%202019).
- Petersen, C.T. et al. B Vitamins and Their Role in Immune Regulation and Cancer. Nutrients. 2021. Read here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33158037/
- Science Daily, (2011). Eating green veggies improves immune defenses. Read here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111013121509.html
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