It’s no secret that gardening is good for your health. There is proof that a little garden therapy can benefit ailments such as stress, depression, and anxiety. When it comes to our immune system, some veggies are better than others in their ability to give us a big boost from the inside out.
Vegetables bought at the grocery store are often harvested long before they reach their peak ripeness. This is so that they will travel well during shipping and have a longer shelf life. The fresher the vegetable, the higher the nutrient value! Being able to pick as you grow will ensure that you are receiving optimum benefits.
With the latest health scare sweeping across the nation right now, we have to consider how many hands touched that vegetable before it made its way into our carts.
Take your food (and your health!) into your own hands and include these super veggies in your own immunity garden.
Best Vegetables to Boost Your Immune System
Broccoli
Packed with vitamins A, C and E, this cool-weather vegetable can be seeded into the garden up to 5 weeks prior to last frost. It loves a sunny spot and will be available to harvest within 6 to 8 weeks. Grill heads of Broccoli on the BBQ then toss in a little olive oil with a pinch of sea salt and cracked pepper.
Garlic
Garlic truly is a superfood! It enhances our recipes with savoury flavour and its nutrient value makes it one of the most powerful immune boosting vegetables we can grow! Separate the cloves and plant approximately 4″ to 6″ apart in fall for a spring harvest. Have you ever tried Garlic Scapes? They are delicious!
Spinach
The delicate green leaves of spinach contain anti-oxidants and beta carotene, believed to improve our immunity and fight infections. It is also considered a cool weather plant, meaning you can start this in the garden in early spring. From smoothies to salads, this versatile green is a must veggie for your immune system.
Cabbage
Cabbage is high in Vitamin C and an incredible vegetable for balancing our gut health when fermented, as in sauerkraut. Did you know that 70% of our immune cells live in our gut? To grow this crunchy vegetable, you need to plant it in a full sun spot in early spring for summer harvest. You can plant it again mid summer for a fall harvest for winter storage.
Peppers
All peppers contain phytochemicals and carotenoids that deliver anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Red peppers contain the highest levels of Vitamin C. In addition to all of these nutrients, these powerful vegetables can actually help you get over a flu or a cold sooner since they help eliminate toxins in the mucus membranes such as your nose and lungs. These immunity boosting vegetables love the heat, so plant after last frost date in a full sun spot for summer harvest.
All vegetables are healthy to eat and each have their own set of nutrients. The 5 discussed here are some of the best vegetables for the immune system and should be included if you wish to grow an immunity garden.
