Dried Nuts Boost the Immune System

Nutrition and Diet Specialist Berrin Yiğit, emphasizing the importance of the immune system during these times when the COVID-19 virus pandemic is affecting the entire world, explains the positive effects of nuts on the human body while also stressing the importance of consuming packaged nuts for hygiene reasons. The immune system defends the body against microorganisms that cause disease. Sometimes a microbe arrives, invades the body, and the immune system fails. But is it possible to intervene in this process and strengthen the immune system? Nutrition and Diet Specialist Berrin Yiğit, who states that nuts are the most practical, healthy and nutritious snacks for strengthening the immune system, provided explanations on the subject. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Berrin Yiğit said: "During this period when we are trying to stay at home, we can consume carbohydrate-rich foods and heavy animal products in our meals. These foods not only fail to have a positive effect on the immune system but unfortunately also weaken it. We should consume foods that will strengthen our immune system, including our children. Nuts and dried fruits come at the top of these. Nuts, which contain the vitamins and minerals necessary for our bodies to gain resistance, also appear as healthy and nutritious snacks in between meals. The most important thing we need to pay attention to during this period is to buy nuts in packaged packaging. Nuts sold loose not only fail to meet hygiene conditions fully but can also have a negative effect on our immune system with a harmful virus." he said.

"The body's immune units in fighting viruses are vitamins A, C and E, selenium and zinc minerals."

"Citrus fruits, pomegranates, kiwis, red peppers and broccoli that are sources of vitamin C, which destroys the enemies invading the body, increases declining energy, provides a feeling of fullness and insulin balance, should be added to nutrition. Carrots, pumpkins, broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, eggs as sources of vitamin A that increase immune system cells, and nuts like hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, walnuts and sunflower seeds rich in vitamin E that create a barrier on cell walls should definitely be included in the diet because research has shown that vitamin E found especially in nuts like hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and sunflower seeds strengthens the defense mechanism. Pumpkin seeds strong in zinc and almonds, which are a good source of zinc and calcium, are important as calcium plays a role in bone and tooth development while zinc is important in the synthesis of DNA, RNA and various proteins, in wound healing and in supporting immunity. Selenium, an extremely important mineral for the human body and which increases immunity, plays a key role in protecting our body and metabolism and is found in abundance in brazil nuts. We can easily supplement the omega-3 fatty acid, which cannot be produced in the body, thanks to walnuts." he said.

"A handful of nuts should be consumed every day"

"Especially almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Antep pistachios... All of these can be eaten as a snack with 2-3 dried apricots or dried plums in an amount that does not exceed a handful. Or from mixed packaged nuts sold, a small, innocent handful can be eaten as a snack once or twice a day. Especially if preferred together with herbal tea, it both relieves the body and dried fruits and nuts, which are a source of fiber, increase the feeling of fullness together with tea. Because we are all experiencing false hunger right now. Actually, we are full but we feel emotionally hungry so we eat much more food. The most innocent way to prevent this is nuts." he said.