#HealthBytes: These yummy breakfast items can also boost immunity
The need of boosting our immunity has increased in the recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the best ways of doing so is modifying our meals. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, let's start there. These breakfast options are not just immunity-boosters themselves, but they can also give you ideas for modifying other breakfast recipes.
Burritos: Add cheese and nutritious vegetables like kidney beans, broccoli
Just like normal Mexican burritos, a breakfast burrito consists of a flour tortilla wrapped around stuffing. You can customize the stuffing in a million different ways, and can also make it an immunity-booster by adding nutritious vegetables like kidney beans, broccoli, etc. to it. Add cheese to amp up the taste. This compact breakfast can use leftover veggies from your last night's dinner.
Probiotic-rich smoothie with banana, turmeric and peanut butter
Blend one raw banana with peanut butter and turmeric, one tablespoon each. Mix it further with 1/4 cup of greek yogurt, a pinch of ground black pepper, some chopped ginger, and one cup of milk. For extra nutrition, you can add some chia seeds and oats. This probiotic-rich smoothie can protect the immune system by enhancing good gut bacteria and flushing out toxins.
The colorful berry quinoa breakfast salad is full of antioxidants
The berry quinoa salad, which looks like summer and spring combined in a bowl, may also improve your immune system. This salad is made out of berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries), nuts (preferable almonds), and quinoa, which are great sources of antioxidants that fight harmful free radicals. You can top the salad with simple citrus honey dressing and chopped basil and mint.
Add ginger and turmeric to your oatmeal to fight inflammation
To make this, mix oats with water, turmeric, and ginger. Add maple syrup and black pepper for taste and mix them well. Fresh or frozen berries can be thoughful additions as well. Adding turmeric and ginger to our food is always a good option since they naturally have immunity-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties, and have been used for medicinal purposes for centuries now.
Lastly, a good old protein shake after workout
Protein shakes are usually recommended after workout because they help in muscle and tissue repair. Meanwhile, some studies have shown a strong connection between protein intake and better immune function. While you can add protein to your solid-food breakfast, protein shakes can be fun. Just blend fruits and vegetable sources of protein like avocado, kiwi, spinach, etc. along with protein powder, and sweetener.
