Healing Foods that Taste Great

HEALING FOODS THAT TASTE GREAT

There is no denying that many health issues require medications or other medical interventions. But the foods you eat when you’re recovering from an illness, injury, or surgery can either support or hinder your recovery. Many foods have been shown to promote healing, reduce inflammation, boost your immune function, and provide the energy you need to snap back.

However, a lot of people believe that healing foods have a bland or unpalatable taste. But you do not have to choke down unpleasant-tasting foods before you can provide your body with the nutrients it needs to heal. Many healing foods taste great – sweet, spicy, and more. They sometimes even taste better than many common junk foods.

The following tasty foods can support your recovery by boosting your immunity and energy levels, promoting wound healing, among other things.

Berries

Berries are juicy and have a delicious flavor. They are also very rich in nutrients and phytochemicals – plant compounds – that help your body recover. Such nutrients include vitamin C, which stimulates collagen production for faster wound healing.

Berries are also rich in anthocyanins – plant compounds responsible for their color – that help support your immune function and ease inflammations. These anthocyanins can also help improve the memory of older adults.

Other healing nutrients found in berries include vitamins like folate and minerals like potassium and manganese. Some great berries include strawberries, blueberries, goji berries, acai berries, etc.

Nuts and Seeds

These foods provide your body with significant amounts of vitamins, minerals, plant-based proteins, and healthy fatty acids that it needs to heal. Some of these healing contents include zinc, magnesium, and vitamin E, among others.

Vitamin E has been shown to have an antioxidant effect that protects your body against cellular damage. It also helps supports your immune function. Some studies found that healthy vitamin E levels help improve the performance of your immune cells like the natural killer cells. This can help you to better fight infections and diseases.

The healthy fatty acids content has been shown to promote wound healing. They can also protect you against heart diseases and stroke.

Nuts and seeds can also help you relieve stress as they reduce your body’s response to stress. So, you can munch on a handful for a bit of pick-me-up.

These foods are tasty and usually require no preparation, so you can enjoy them raw. Examples of delicious and healing nuts and seeds include almonds, flaxseeds, and pistachios.

Sweet Potatoes

Insufficient carbohydrate intake can delay your healing. Fortunately, sweet potatoes are very rich in healthy carbohydrates that help boost your recovery. These carbohydrates not only provide your body cells with the energy they need to heal, but they also provide energy for wound repairing enzymes.

Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of antioxidants, like beta-carotene, that support your immunity and recovery. These antioxidants can also help you prevent some types of cancer.

In addition to the healthy carbohydrate and antioxidant content, sweet potatoes contain other compounds that encourage healing, including vitamins and minerals like B vitamins and manganese.

You do not have to worry about your weight or blood sugar levels with sweet potatoes because they have a low glycemic index.

No matter how you choose to consume them – boiled, baked, or fried – sweet potatoes have a fantastic taste that you can even enhance with sour cream or salted butter.

Eggs

Your body needs a lot more than the recommended daily amount of protein to recover after an illness, injury, or surgery. According to the American Society of Enhanced Recovery, you should consume 1.5-2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight after surgery instead of the usual 0.86 grams per kilogram. So, say you weigh 70 kg, you are looking at 105-140 grams of protein instead of the typical 60 grams.

Eggs are an excellent protein source that provides your body with highly absorbable protein. They also provide you with other nutrients like zinc, selenium, iron, vitamins A and B12 that boost your immune function, wound healing, and recovery.

Poultry

Poultry meats provide your body with specific amino acids that serve as building blocks for the proteins that your body needs for healthy immune function and wound healing. These amino acids include arginine and glutamine.

Glutamine protects your cells in stressful times like injury and illness. And arginine aids collagen production for better wound healing. But arginine is rapidly expended in times of stress. So, you must consume adequate amounts of this amino acid in foods like poultry.

Organ Meat

Organ meats are some of the most delicious foods. But beyond their taste, they are rich in immune-boosting nutrients like vitamin A, B vitamins, zinc, iron, and copper. These nutrients are also essential for connective tissue and collagen production - both are essential for wound healing and recovery from various illnesses.

In addition to supporting your immune health, the Vitamin A content also helps inhibit inflammation which can help ease your pain. It also plays a critical role in wound healing and maintaining your skin health.

Examples of organ meats include the liver, heart, and kidneys.

Oily Fishes

In addition to supporting brain and eye function, oily fishes like salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that act as natural painkillers because of their anti-inflammatory properties.

These fishes are also rich in protein, iron, selenium, zinc, and B vitamins. Many studies have shown that these nutrients, along with the omega-3 fatty acids, can help enhance your immune response, promote wound healing, and reduce inflammation.

Mangoes

This tropical fruit is rich in soluble fiber, phytochemicals, and powerful antioxidants, including vitamins A and C. The high antioxidant content can help protect your body cells from oxidative damage and reduce your risk for many chronic diseases, including cancer.

In addition to their delicious taste, mangoes have low calories and glycemic index. So, they would not cause any significant spike in your blood sugar levels.

You can enjoy mangoes alone or add them to your smoothies, yogurt, and breakfast porridges.

Yogurt

This fermented dairy product is not just healthy; it is also very delicious. It contains high-quality proteins and fats, as well as beneficial vitamins and minerals like calcium.

Consuming yogurt can help improve your immunity, digestion, and bone health. It can also improve your cholesterol, blood pressure, and gut synthesis of healing vitamins – B and K.

It gets even better. Yogurt is very versatile as you can add almost anything to it – from seeds and nuts to fruits. However, you should stay away from yogurt with high amounts of added sugars.

Watermelon

Watermelon is rich in nutrients and phytochemicals that have powerful healing properties.  This fruit can help reduce blood pressure, improve your insulin sensitivity, and reduce muscle soreness after workouts.

Watermelon also has low calories and a low glycemic index that help prevent significant spikes in your blood sugar levels.

They make refreshing snacks on hot summer days because of their high water content.

Ginger

Ginger contains a high amount of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds make it popular for many healing benefits, including boosting your immunity, reducing inflammation, and relieving pain. It can also improve your cardiovascular function and digestion.

Ginger is also famous for its ability to treat all types of nausea. So it can serve as a great alternative to tablets in managing the motion sickness.

You only need a small amount of ginger to enjoy its incredible flavor and healing benefits.

Garlic

Garlic contains nutrients that can help you prevent colds, heart disease, and even lung cancer. It also has a tremendous antibiotic effect. In fact, a study conducted at the University of East London found garlic to be effective against the most antibiotic-resistant strains of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

If you can get past the garlic breath, this food has a mind-blowing flavor, no matter how you choose to eat it – raw, roasted, etc.

Cruciferous Vegetables

These vegetables have exceptional health benefits and can help promote healing and recovery because they contain various antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in glucosinolates, which your body converts into isothiocyanates. Isothiocyanates have been shown to help boost your immunity by inducing the death of infected cells, suppressing inflammation, and activating your immune defenses.

These vegetables also contain many other nutrients like vitamin C and B vitamins that your body needs during recovery.

Examples of nice-tasting cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts (when cooked properly), and cauliflower.

Bananas

Bananas are well known for their antacid properties. Hence, they can help soothe painful heartburns and even protect you against stomach ulcers. So, if you suffer from heartburns or indigestion, you might benefit significantly from including this tasty fruit in your diet.

Bananas can also help reduce your risk of stroke and hypertension.

Cheese

A lot of people consider cheese to be one of the most delicious foods. But in addition to its great taste, cheese can do amazing things for your healing process and overall health. This is because of its rich vitamin and mineral content. Some of its healing content includes zinc, selenium, calcium, and vitamin B12.

Honey

Honey is a great immune-booster that is rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial and antiviral properties. It can help treat many health conditions, including digestive problems, ulcers, flu, sore throat, and acne.

Shellfish

Shellfish like clams and oysters are rich in many healing nutrients like zinc. Zinc plays a vital role in healthy immune function. It also speeds up recovery and wound healing.

SUMMARY

Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to endure unpalatable tastes to enjoy the healing properties of food. Many healing foods taste amazing, sometimes even better than common junk foods.

But you should note that even though healing foods can boost your health and support your recovery, they are not the only things your body needs to heal. You should endeavor to get enough sleep, hydrate optimally, and steer clear of alcohol and smoking.

Finally, you can snack on any of the above foods whenever you crave something tasty. Not only are they very delicious, but they can also boost your recovery and overall health.