Keeping healthy in self-isolation

Right now is a really great time to be focusing on taking care of yourself. We’ve put together some deliciously helpful ways to assist your body in building up it’s natural defences, so you and your household stay healthy and nourished.

It probably comes to no surprise that fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds are comprised of powerful immune-boosting properties. So which nutrients, in particular, play important roles in helping our bodies fight infections and disease?

It’s a great time to be cooking up meals that include kumara, carrots and leafy greens. These veggies provide a host of vitamins and minerals but are also loaded with antioxidants like beta-carotene.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene improves our immune function by boosting up your quantity of white blood cells, that work hard throughout your body to fight off disease.

Baked kumara stuffed garnished with spicy dressing and herbs

Raw carrot and beetroot salad with toasted toppings

Spicy Moroccan silverbeet

Hearty bean ragù with carrot noodles

Vitamins C and E

Including foods rich in vitamins C and E will help support your body’s natural immune response. Get creative in the kitchen to include capsicums, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, lemon, spinach, nuts and seeds in your meals.

Fluffy spinach muffins

Mexican bean burrito bowl

Cranberry and peanut butter granola

Creamy citrus dressing

Zinc

Another effective way to enhance those essential white blood cells of yours is by getting a healthy dose of zinc. Garnish meals with pumpkin or sesame seeds, cook up some comforting meals with lentils and beans for a good dose of this helpful mineral.

Comforting lentil bolognese

Black bean burrito

Wholesome seed loaf

The more whole, plant-based meals you eat, the more powerful nutrients your body has to work with to keep you well.

Head here for more delicious plant-based recipes! Do you follow us on Facebook and Instagram yet? Don’t forget to share what you make so we can inspire more people with the immune-boosting power of plants!