At times of extraordinary stress such as the current coronavirus pandemic, our first line of defence should be to choose a healthy diet, and to reach for natural immunity boosters.
To prevent disease and cure infections, the immune system sometimes needs a boost that eating a diet rich in antioxidants found in superfoods may provide. Here are five plant-based ingredients that offer a range of benefits thanks to phytonutrient compounds that protect and enhance health – backed by science and used in Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old traditional Indian health science.
Gooseberries
This ancient, grape-sized and nutritious fruit has many fans, from American president Abraham Lincoln, who is reported to have loved his baked in pies, to practitioners of traditional Indian medicine. Ayurveda has included Indian gooseberries, or amla, in many medicinal formulations, particularly because of their rich vitamin C content (20 times more than lemon juice), to ward off common illnesses and build immunity.
The most common formulation is chyawanprash – a jammy preparation made primarily with gooseberries and spices, which has been a staple in Indian households for years. Chyawanprash has been known to improve digestion, strengthen the respiratory system, and boost immunity.
According to Dr Khushboo Thakker Garodia, a nutrition counsellor specialising in sports nutrition, based in Mumbai, gooseberries are also packed with other essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and vitamin B.
“This combination is great to boost immunity and metabolism. It helps prevent viral and bacterial infections, including colds and coughs,” Garodia says.
Gooseberries are easy to eat: grated and raw with honey, sliced and mixed in with salads, or in powdered form – add a teaspoonful to a glass of juice or smoothie.
Neem
Almost all of the neem plant – its bark, leaves and flowers – is used in Ayurvedic medicine to benefit the body in several ways, from purifying the blood to regulating blood sugar levels.
The focus of several research studies, neem’s bark is used to help relieve fevers and intestinal disorders. Neem leaf preparations are used to alleviate body heat, nosebleeds, intestinal worms, loss of appetite, diabetes and gum disease. The flower is used to reduce bile and to help eliminate phlegm.
This plant is also integral to personal care and household products from toothpaste to natural pest control remedies.
While neem capsules are convenient to take, fresh neem leaves, with their striking bitter taste, have the highest potency and the most healing properties. Garodia suggests stir-frying tender neem leaves with potatoes, or adding neem-leaf paste to mildly spiced gravies.
Giloy
Another powerful plant-based medicinal product, giloy, or Tinospora cordifolia, is used in Ayurveda for its power to heal recurrent fevers and digestive disorders and to help manage type 2 diabetes.
In the ancient Indian language Sanskrit, the plant is called Amrita, “the root of immortality”. A 2013 study by the School of Biological Sciences at the National Institute of Science Education and Research in the Indian state of Orissa found giloy to be effective in the treatment of asthma and skin diseases, too.
It is packed with antioxidants, which help remove toxins, purify blood, and boost the immune system.
Manali Scott, a certified nutritionist and naturotherapist in Ottawa, Canada, says giloy also helps fight bacteria that cause diseases, and can combat liver disease and urinary tract infections.
“If taken daily, it’s been known to help in fighting respiratory infections, and asthma as well,” Scott says.
The best way to have it is to mix 15-30 ml of giloy juice with water and drink it on an empty stomach, in the morning. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid this superfood, Scott says.