Wednesday, April 15, 2020

How to Boost Your Immune System - 6 Foods That Can Boost Your Immune System

      Recently, I have been into "Cho-katsu (腸活)," which is improving and maintaining your digestive health in order to improve your immune system. According to Koichiro Fujita, an immunologist of infectious diseases, 70% of the body's immune cells are found in the gut, so you can improve your immune system by getting your gut bacteria healthy. I try to eat more fermented foods and fiber on a daily basis. Today, I'm going to share with you 6 my favorite foods that can boost your immune system.

6 Foods That Can Boost Your Immune System  


 1. Natto (納豆)
Natto (納豆)
     Natto is fermented soybeans, which is the delicious Japanese superfood. It's probiotic-rich foods and improve gut flora and boosts immune system.
Hikiwari Natto (ひきわり納豆)
     As you can see the photos, natto is very sticky. If you don't like natto or have never had natto before, I recommend you to add a little amount of mayonnaise. I think that many people will love the taste of natto with mayonnaise. Natto is perfect with steamed rice. 😋
Hikiwari Natto + Mayonnaise

Hikiwari Natto + Mayonnaise
      Recently, my favorite way to eat natto is natto salad. Mix natto and mayonnaise, and toss the salad and the natto.    I also love natto maki, natto sushi rolls. I sometimes make futomaki with natto.
How to Make Ehomaki, Futomaki, Japanese Sushi Rolls for Setsubun




Miso Paste
     Miso is also the delicious Japanese superfood. It's a condiment made from fermented soybeans.  It's also rich source of probiotics which maintain healthy gut flora. I love miso soup and hoi-ko-ro.
How to Cook Wafu Hoi-Ko-Ro




 3. Gobo (ゴボウ, ごぼう), Burdock Roots
Gobo (ごぼう)
    Gobo, burdock root, is a fiber-rich vegetable. Oligosaccharides in burdock root improve gut flora. As soon as I come back home from grocery shopping, I cut or shave the all burdock roots and freeze them, so you can keep burdock fresh longer, and it's easy to use for your cooking such as miso soup and steamed rice.
How to Cook Tori Meshi - Savory Japanese Rice with Chicken and Gobo



 4. Mushrooms (キノコ)
Mushrooms
     Mushrooms are healthy foods you can eat every day. Mushrooms act as a prebiotics and improve your health.

Baby Bella Mushrooms
      As soon as I come back home from grocery shopping, I also cut or slice the all mushrooms and freeze them, so you can keep them fresh longer. Moreover, frozen mushrooms have more umami flavor than raw mushrooms do. It's easy to use for your cooking such as miso soup and mushroom pasta.
Shimeji Mushrooms
How to Cook Zoni, Japanese Mochi Soup for New Year's Day





5. Tofu (豆腐)
How to Cook Soon Tofu
     Tofu is made of soybeans, which contain soybean oligosaccharides increasing the number of bifidobacteria. Thus, tofu is good for your health, and it maintains healthy gut flora.
How to Cook Agedashi Tofu, Deep-Fried Tofu in Dashi Soup

How to Cook Healthy Tofu Okonomiyaki




6. Garlic 
Black Garlic (黒ニンニク)
       Garlic is a superfood and has a lot of health benefits such as antibacterial effect. I try to eat two to three cloves of garlic every day. When I have a sore throat or have a runny nose, I eat black garlic, fermented garlic. If you are a Costco member, you can find Polar Black Garlic around the produce aisle. You can check out my previous entry, Costco Haul - Polar Black Garlic Cured Super Food.
Black Garlic (黒ニンニク)
     If you have a rice cooker, you can make black garlic at home very easily. (However, I thought that not everyone can make it because the garlic releases very strong smell during fermentation. The strong smell might bother your neighbors.) If you are interested in making black garlic, you can check out my previous entry, How I Make Black Garlic at Home. I made black garlic at home before, and it took me 14 days to finish making it.






     These are my entries you might like.
How to Make A Face Mask - No Sewing Required

Coronavirus Panic Buying Hits California!

What I Bought at Japanese Supermarkets

Costco Haul - Polar Black Garlic Cured Super Food

Trader Joe's Japanese Aomori Black Garlic

Japanese Aomori Black Garlic

How I Make Black Garlic at Home

Costco Haul - the Big Island, Hawaii

What Do They Sell at Costco on the Big Island, Hawaii? - 12 Kinds of Unique Products!

COSTCO in Japan

10 Products I Purchased at Costco in Japan

What Do They Sell at Costco Business Center? (My Costco Haul)

Costco Haul - Tiger That Tempura Shrimp

Starbucks Winter Blend Melange D'Hiver 2017 at Costco

Starbucks Arizona Double Wall Traveler and Cold Cup

7 Best Japanese Beauty Products Hall of Fame



     My entries related to Costco can be seen here.

     My entries related to Starbucks can be seen here.

     My entries related to Best Japanese Beauty Products can be seen here.
 

     My entries related to Japan can be seen here.

     My entries related to beauty can be seen here.

     My entries related to Japan Haul can be seen here.

     You can find my beauty entries by categories from here.




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