What we feed our bodies also feeds the systems that compose our bodies. Many people share about specific foods and supplements that can strengthen immunity, but the real power comes from healthy eating and long-term lifestyle patterns.
We hope this article clarifies the role of the immune system, and also offers insight into how foods like moringa can benefit long-term wellness. For more, we recommend our most recent article on Nourishing Immunity.
Understanding the Immune System
The immune system is the body’s defense mechanism. It protects the body against various infections. These infections can be caused by various pathogens – bacteria, virus, toxins, parasites, etc. The fundamental property of a healthy immune system is to identify the pathogens from the organism’s own healthy tissues—and destroy them. The immune system can also affect cell mutations and carcinogenic growths of the body.
Read More about Nourishing Immunity
A healthy individual is a sign of a healthy immune system. Everyday we inhale the air polluted with innumerable germ particles and our immune system prevents them from entering the body. Sometimes, the germ particles are successful to cross that line of defense; then the immune system prepares the second line of defense by preparing the white blood cells to fight against the foreign bodies.
Ferm particles can initially affect the body; and symptoms like cough, cold, flu, etc are visible. These pathogen’s cells are then attacked by the robust cell destroying enzymes of the immune system, thereby, helping the body to get rid of the germ particles. Hence, we should try to keep our immune system healthy. Here comes the role of foods that help strengthen the immune system.
Foods that Can Strengthen the Immune System
Immune boosters are those substances which help to increase the performance level of our immune system. It’s important to do your research first regarding the nutritional density of a superfood. In general, foods that help the immune system do so by increasing the quantity and quality of the specialized white blood cells, aka, lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes are part of a body’s defense system, and help protect the body from pathogenic attacks. Boosters can also help to eliminate substances that sabotage the normal functioning of the body.
There are many superfoods that strengthen the immune system.
Why Moringa?
Eating moringa might be the new change your body and health routine needs. We cover a comprehensive article on the 10 Reasons to Eat Moringa Everyday, highlighting this miracle plant!
To review, moringa has many benefits, and is known to help the entire body, from healthy hair to a healthy heart. This supergreen is more nutritious than kale and provides powerful anti-inflammatory benefits that rival those of turmeric. Moringa is also a fast-growing and leafy tree that thrives in hot, arid climates.
Moringa can improve nutrition around the world, largely due to its nutrient density and resistance to drought. It also doesn’t require a lot of intensive labor for harvesting or growing.
When it comes to helping the body’s immune system, moringa helps in several ways. As a start, moringa is high in protein, which is like the skeleton of the immune system. Its functioning depends on the new protein synthesis, so protein-rich foods like milk, yogurt, meat, etc are recommended for daily intake. Moringa itself is known to contain two times more protein than yogurt.
What we feed our bodies also feeds the systems that compose our bodies. Moringa is high in vitamins A, C, E and a handful of B vitamins. These vitamins are known as the “antioxidant vitamins” and they help combat illness and infection. Vitamins A and E also help keep cells healthy, and prevent cellular mutations.
Inflammation can be a sign of a healthy immune system; it is the body’s natural response to quickly repair an injury or fight off a potential health threat. While more research is needed to fully understand the anti-inflammatory benefits of moringa, research suggests that moringa has many anti-inflammatory properties that could protect the body from several types of chronic diseases.
Research on Moringa and Immunity
The study conducted by Madukwe E.U, et. al. in 2013, determined the proximate amount of micronutrients like iron and calcium; and essential vitamins like Vitamins A and C in the Moringa Oleifera leaves. The result depicted abundance of all the nutrients.
Other researchers have also found that moringa helps to increase the immune response of the body (Ray-Yu Yang, et, al) Busani Moyo, et, al, determined the nutritional value of the dried moringa leaves. The result concluded that among all other nutrients, crude protein is present in notable amounts which are beneficial to boost the immune system.
We hope this article brings clarity to the importance of supporting the body with nutritional and potentially beneficial foods, like moringa. Moringa offers so many benefits, and can be one piece of the larger health puzzle.
What do you do to “feed” your immune system? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Follow us @kulikulifoods so we can see some of your favorite ways to fuel your system.
Additional References
Eme, P.E., M. (2013). Nutrient Composition and Sensory Evaluation of Dry Moringa Oleifera Aqueous Extract. International Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences, 13(3), 100-102.
http://www.ijens.org/Vol_13_I_03/131201-1303-7474-IJBAS-IJENS.pdf
Virginie Levasseur, R. (2006). Nutritional and Functional Properties of Moringa Leaves − From Germplasm, to Plant, to Food, to Health.Moringa and Other Highly Nutritious Plant Resources: Strategies, Standards and Markets for a Better Impact on Nutrition in Africa. Accra, Ghana,.
http://miracletrees.org/moringa-doc/from-germplasm-to-plant-to-food-to-health.pdf
V Muchenje, B. (2011). Nutritional characterization of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) leaves. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10(60), 12925-12933. doi:10.5897/AJB10.1599
http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajb/article/view/96497
http://www.saanendoah.com/immunesystem.html
http://www.themoringa.com/articles/moringa-ally-boosting-immune-system-response
http://www.livestrong.com/article/467971-protein-the-immune-system/
http://moringa4athletes.blogspot.com/p/vitamins-minerals-and-amino-acids-in.html
http://miracletrees.org/moringa-doc/nutrient-content-of-moringa-oleifera-leaves.pdf
I just went for my ante natal visit yesterday and was found HIV positive. I decided to google about the benefits of moringa tree,coz my dad planted a big tree in our yard before he died ,thank u so much for ur article it has helped a lot,,,,but my question is can I take it together with my ARV drangs?
Hi Inonge, thank you for reaching out and apologies for our delayed response here. It is best to check with your doctor, just to be sure, about taking moringa with ARV drugs. We cannot give medical advice, but moringa is a very nutritious tree that many people find helpful in their wellness. We wish you well!
Great post!! Thank you for sharing such useful information with us. Want to see more in future as well. All the very best.
Thanks so much Aditi!
Now I know why my mom so love buying anything moringa. Definitely learned a lot from this article! Thanks a lot for posting!
The way they display the article, I like their style very much and understand everything easily and very well.
My boyfriend is a diabetic and has high blood pressure. He is on multiple medications and takes diabetic injections. Can he take Morninga?