Every winter, influenza becomes an important cause of health hazards. American nutritionists have recently reminded everyone that there are four types of foods that can help us enhance our immune system and resist influenza.
The first type is foods rich in protein. When lacking protein, it can significantly reduce the number of lymphocytes in immune cells, leading to a severe decline in immune function. Protein is mainly obtained from lean meat. For elderly people who do not like meat or have poor teeth, tofu, beans, nuts, and eggs are also good alternative foods.
The second type is foods rich in iron. Scientists have found through research that the immune capacity of iron deficient elderly people is lower than that of elderly people who maintain normal iron absorption. This is because when the iron content is insufficient, the content of T cells that play a regulatory role in the immune system will decrease, resulting in the inability of the immune system to function effectively. Foods rich in iron mainly include animal liver, meat, pig blood, duck blood, eggs, dark vegetables, etc.
The third type is food containing zinc. Zinc can activate over 200 important hormones and enzymes for life, helping the immune system to play its maximum protective role. Foods rich in zinc mainly include oysters, crabs, beans, beef, lamb, dried fish, scallops, pig liver, wheat germ, etc.
But experts remind that excessive intake of iron and zinc is not beneficial to the body. According to the dietary intake reference standards published by the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, the recommended daily iron intake for males and postmenopausal women is 8 milligrams, 18 milligrams for premenopausal women, and 27 milligrams for pregnant women. The recommended daily intake of zinc for males is 11 milligrams, while for females it is 8 milligrams.
The fourth category is foods containing folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Experts say that these nutrients are abundant in vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and other foods, and the key is to pay attention to balanced and sufficient intake. They also pointed out that drinking more yogurt and lactobacillus drinks has great benefits in improving immune function