BY TOYIN ONIGBANJO
One thing is constant in the midst of the panic about the Coronavirus- We will all be home and need to eat.
The kids are home from school and most companies have closed down till further notice, but one thing remains constant, we would need food, so the least we can do is to ensure we nourish ourselves, children, aged dependants and family.
Healthy blueberry and raspberry parfaits in mason jars, scene on dark rustic background
Especially for the young children and the aged, a nutritious diet is even much more imperative.
A lot of what happens around us is nothing compared with what happens within us. What we eat and feed our children determine most of our life outcomes compared with what happens around us.
Here are 5 top traditional foods that should be in every family’s diet at this time for building immunity.
1. NUTS: Think of snacking on slices of cucumber or garden eggs with some roasted groundnuts or peanut butter or almond butter. Think of foods for children that are rich in a mix of grains, peanuts or nut butters as soups?
Nuts are rich in manganese & Vitamin E that enhance cell activity. Ensure that aged women especially take foods containing nuts daily, it could be as simple as snacking of a trail of nuts such as cashew, almonds and peanuts.
Nuts. Photo: shutterstock
2. YOGHURT: The probiotics, otherwise known as healthy bacteria, present in yoghurt stimulates the immune system in adult and children. Unfortunately, when it has too much-added sugars, or base, it weakens its ability to perform such essential immune-boosting work as expected.
Make healthy snacks such as parfait with yoghurts, while at home; it’s a mix of yoghurts, nuts, coconut shavings, honey and fruits such as sliced bananas, pineapples, and apples.
Almost every child will say yes to this amazing snack and even adults too.
Also, try making a Yoghurt dip for grilled chicken. I use a combination of yoghurt, lemon juice, and honey.
3. VITAMIN-C RICH FOODS: Many think oranges are the only foods rich in Vitamin C, but that is far from it. There are foods such as Green peas which can be steamed and made into purees for babies, and also sweet potatoes which is a great source of beta-carotene. All of these can either be steamed or grilled.
From 6 months, you should begin to explore pureed carrots, sweet potatoes, green peas for younger babies in addition to breastfeeding if they have just started solids. It’s powerful what these can do even while babies are growing fast.
Fruits and Vegetables. Photo: Policygenius
4. SLEEP: In similar importance to food is a good sleep to the body. Even if you would be working from home, it is essential to take breaks in between just as you would do at work to rejuvenate. Ensure to take naps, no matter how short and ensure to engage the kids in same. They should enjoy sufficient sleep at this time to refresh, as against watching TV all day.
5. FRUITS & VEGETABLES: Fruits and vegetables are essentially rich in vitamins and minerals and should mostly be eaten raw. From Vitamin A, C, D, which boosts immunity and cell functions, you should ensure you and your family do not go a day without fruits & vegetables in your diet.
They are especially essential for children, the aged and everyone in the family.
You should also try fruit and vegetable smoothies.
For starters, these combinations are tasty:
• Watermelon + pineapple +ginger
• Spinach + pineapples +carrots
