As we continue to face challenges imposed by the pandemic, many of us have turned to foods that can help boost our immunity.
While focusing on what we must eat to stay healthy, we often overlook what we should avoid to maintain our health. Here are 5 common foods that should be avoided to maintain a strong immune system.
Limiting added sugar in your daily diet can have a significant impact on your overall health. Foods high in added sugar elevate blood sugar levels and increase the synthesis of inflammatory proteins such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, C-reactive protein, and interleukin-6, all of which can harm the immune system.
Salt
Chips, bakery items, and frozen foods are high in salt, which can weaken your immune system and make it more difficult for your body to fight bacterial infections. Excessive salt consumption might also raise glucocorticoid levels. The best-known glucocorticoid cortisone is traditionally used to fight inflammation.
Fried Foods
Fried foods are tasty and delicious. It can pose a serious threat to our overall health by weakening our immune system. Fried foods are high in a group of molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), when sugar reacts with protein or fats at high temperatures, such as during frying. AGE levels that are too high might cause inflammation and cellular damage.
These can damage the immune system in a variety of ways, including inflammation, depletion of the body’s antioxidant mechanisms, cellular dysfunction, and a negative impact on gut bacteria. Avoid deep-fried foods like French fries, samosas, packed chips, and anything deep-fried.
Caffeine
Too much coffee or tea might disrupt your sleep pattern, resulting in an inflammatory reaction and compromising your immunity.
Alcohol
According to studies, drinking more than moderately (one drink per day for women, two drinks per day for men) might negatively damage your immune system, making you more susceptible to illnesses like pneumonia and other respiratory problems.
