5 Ways to Boost Your Immune System with Plant Protein
With increasing attention on protecting the environment and the rising popularity of plant-based lifestyles like veganism, many people want to buy plant protein online. Plant protein can have a variety of benefits, not least among which is the ability to strengthen your immune system as it fights illness and injury.
How buying plant protein online boosts the immune system:
1. Opt for fibre
Many important cells in the immune system are found in the intestine and through the digestive system. For the digestive system to function properly, it needs an adequate amount of fibre, which is generally found in grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit. In other words, in plant derived food. Of particular importance to the immune system are what are known as fermentable fibres, which in turn create short-chain fatty acids that stimulate immune cells to help you fight disease.
2. Include phenolic compounds
Pea protein, which is a form of plant protein, is high in what are known as phenolic compounds. These are antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory properties. For humans, they can help protect against a variety of diseases, including cancer.
3. Add other nutrients
There are a variety of nutrients that are important in boosting your immune system, and plant-based products can include most or even all of them. As well as obvious options such as protein and fibre, this includes vitamin A, B vitamins, zinc, iron, copper, iodine and calcium. It is not so much about finding the one magic nutrient as ensuring you have the right combination of all of them, and plant protein can help with that.
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Repair and Recover
We often think of the immune system as being about fighting disease, but it also has a role in recovering from injury and other forms of tissue damage. Similarly, we think of protein as being the nutrient that helps us build muscle, but it is also essential when muscle is damaged and needs to be repaired. It is therefore logical that ensuring you eat enough protein will help your immune system in its repair and recovery role. Conversely, protein deficiency can impair the immune system.
Recent developments in plant-based foods have shown that protein does not just have to come from meat, and plant proteins can be an important and effective part of your diet. Protein is made up of amino acids, and the best plant proteins will contain every amino acid essential to your body's functioning.
5. Alleviate stress and fatigue
At times of high stress, normal sleep patterns can be disturbed. Tiredness and lack of sleep then cause the immune system to function less effectively. Plant protein can be boosted with herbs such as Ashwagandha, which has been used to help alleviate the impact of stress. By restoring your sleep and helping you fight fatigue, it can also strengthen your immune system and make it able to function better.
Boosting your immune system is just one of the many advantages of buying plant protein online.