3 major nutrients required for a healthy immune system

What is proper nutrition?

Research has long shown that a diet rich in large variety of plant foods can enhance health without any harmful side effects. This is because plant foods contain an abundance of antioxidants, phytochemicals and polysaccharides-nutrients bestowed by Nature to help us prevent diseases.

Phytochemicals, antioxidants and polysaccharides are not specific components but generic terms. Each type of phytochemical, antioxidant and polysaccharide has its own unique health benefit to our body. Plant foods are rich in phytochemicals, antioxidant and polysaccharides which can enhance the human body’s immune system.

Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, are compounds unique to each fruit, vegetable and herb. Phytochemicals give fruits and vegetables their color, flavor and aroma. Phytochemicals protect these plants from sunlight and also ensure their survival.

Research has shown phytochemicals to possess enormous healing and disease-preventing properties such as preventing infection, reduction the probability of coronary heart disease, inhibiting and eliminating carcinogens in cells and cancer cell metabolism, as well as accelerating the wound healing process.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are compounds that prevent cell damage through oxidation. These compounds neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are high reactive and unstable molecules produced by cigarette smoke, toxic chemicals, excess sunlight and even our body’s own metabolic processes. These molecules can cuase the mutation of proteins, membranes and even our own DNA, leading to cancer and other degenerative diseases like cataracts and heart disease.

The effect of antioxidants has been likened to that of a vacuum cleaner. By neutralizing cell-mutation free radicals, antioxidants offer hope in the prevention of cancer.

A diet rich in antioxidants is also said to delay aging. Antioxidants have even been used as anti-inflammatory agents to reduce the severity of arthritis and bronchitis.

Example of antioxidant and phytochemicals

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides are long chains of sugars commonly found in some mushrooms. Research has shown that mushroom polysaccharides can inhibit tumor growth by activating immune cells. 

Polysaccharides help to balance the immune system and enable it to destroy existing cancer cells and viruses. Polysaccharide-rich mushroom extracts are also used in anti-viral medication.

Example of polysaccharides