Inherent Functional Food Acts as an Immune Booster

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You don't have to eat less, you just have to eat right (Unknown)

The immune system protects the body against foreign invaders and provides a defense mechanism. There are two basic divisions of the immune system namely, innate and adaptive, and both components work in coordination. The innate immune system acts as the first line of defense and adaptive immunity initiates the response to eliminate the pathogen.

Skin and the gut are important parts of the innate immune system. Skin provides an external barrier whereas the intestine serves as an internal barrier between food-derived pathogens and the body’s internal system.

Owing to the significance of the gut in innate immunity and food processing ability, food is perceived to be important in determining an individual's immune status. The concept of using food as an immune booster is very old and it is discovered that Egyptians used to consume honey for wound healing around 4000 years ago. Moreover, due to the increase in the development of antibiotic resistance, the focus of research is shifted toward the use of alternative immune boosters such as food and natural herbs.

Various fruits and vegetables have been proven to exert immune-boosting functions and are known as inherent functional foods.

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Inherent functional foods

• Food	Functional activity
  Apples	Provides antioxidants
  Beetroot	Contain minerals and antioxidants. Immune-boosting, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and detoxifying properties
  Blue and blackberries	Rich in antioxidants
  Carrots	Contain carotenes
  Echinacea (flowering plant of the daisy family)	Immune system supplement
  Garlic	Stimulates the immune system, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties
  Guava	Contains cancer-treating vitamin C
  Papaya and mango	Contains immune-boosting beta-carotene
  Ginger	Anti-inflammatory properties
  Salad	Helps the liver in detoxification
  Kiwi fruit	Produces antibodies and boosts the immune system
  Onions	Contains quercetin (an important antioxidant) and sulfur (helps the immune system)
  Raw almonds	Facilitates immune system by providing required fatty acids and amino acids
  Mushrooms	Facilitates the immune system to fight against viruses and cancer
  Strawberries	High in vitamin C and pectin (soluble fiber) which help in detoxification and cholesterol reduction
  Spinach	Helps the immune system by providing vitamin E
  Red grapes	Rich in resveratrol which contains, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Antioxidant properties
  Sweet potatoes	Boosts the immune system by providing antioxidants and carotenoids
  Turmeric	It contains important compound curcumin that has anti-inflammatory properties
  Tea	Green and black tea is rich in antioxidants (polyphenols and quercetin) that help to alleviate cancer
  Tomatoes	Contains lycopene which fights against some cancers such as lung, prostate, and colon
  Wheatgrass	Detoxifies the body

  
  
• Reference: Smith, J., & Charter, E. (2010). Functional Food Product Development.