Our immunity has a special role in keeping the body healthy and protecting it from the risks of diseases. People who have weak immunity fall ill more often, and the risk of infectious diseases is also high. Health experts say that building immunity is a continuous process, which means you need to make continuous efforts for it. A nutritious diet has a special role in this.
Eating healthy and nutritious foods not only keeps you energetic but also boosts your immunity to help protect us from many diseases.
However, if there is a disturbance in the diet or you are eating some things which are considered harmful, then your immunity can also be weakened. World Food Safety Day is celebrated every year on the 7th of June to make people aware of a healthy and hygienic diet.
Let us understand from Lucknow-based dietician Pragya Tanwar what are the food items that can put the body at risk of damaging the immune system.
More sugar-sweetened beverages can be harmful
If you like to eat sweets then this habit can be harmful to health. Too much sugar, sugary drinks like cold drinks, or things with added sugar can affect the body negatively. Over time, there is also a risk of weakening of the immune system.
In a study conducted to understand this, researchers found that a high intake of fructose (a component of sugar) can be harmful to the gut microbiota, as well as increase the risk of inflammation in the body.
Fried foods
Fried foods can be damaging to the immune system to overall physical-mental health. Deeply fried foods tend to have higher levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), compounds that naturally occur when foods are fried at high temperatures.
In another research, a team of scientists said that people who often eat fried things like French fries may have a higher risk of depression.
Excess of salt is also harmful
If there is salt in your diet or things that have high salt content, then it can cause many types of damage to the body. Its biggest side effect is an increase in blood pressure which is considered a major factor in heart diseases.
According to the study, consuming excessive amounts of salt increases inflammation in the body, which damages immunity. Healthy people are advised not to eat more than 1500 mg of salt a day.
Alcohol is the enemy of the body
Scientists consider alcohol as the enemy of the body. Even if you are consuming alcohol in moderation, it can harm the body. It damages the intestines-liver which plays an important role in the immune system.
According to a study report, alcohol is harmful to the good bacteria present in your gut. It can also inhibit the immune system's ability to make antibodies. Along with liver diseases, it has also been found to be harmful to mental health.
(PC:Freepik)
