Plant protection from Covid


By: Judy Davie - The Food Coach

I'm writing to you from lockdown after one of our houseguests tested positive for Covid the day before he and his wife were due to leave. Now we're holed up together, 4 good friends, trying to keep it that way for the next 7 days.

Our house is not very big so avoiding Bob is not that easy and let's not forget the 5 days before he tested positive with welcome hugs, cooking together, taste-testing sauces, and the general convivial closeness that comes with old friends reunited after a long time.

BUT, so far, we don't have it, and while I may be drawing on a long bow, I put it down to fresh produce. The three of us eat a lot of it and Bob doesn't!

It's not like we've escaped entirely. I have a sore throat and slightly sore head, my husband the same but we've both tested negative twice.

Over the past 2 years I've repeatedly stated that there's not enough public health information on the importance of taking responsibility for your own health. I'm at risk of osteoporosis; I don't like weight-bearing exercise, but I suck it up and do it anyway because I don't want to break my bones. It's not that hard.

Sure, vaccines will help reduce the risk of getting covid and reduce the symptoms if you do, but so will maintaining your health by eating nutritious food, staying within a healthy weight and exercising.

If you want to build your immune system and protect yourself as well as you can from Covid then head to this week's MarketFresh report and have a look to see what you can buy to build your resistance.

Plums are loaded with anthocyanin antioxidants. Both lemons and limes are abundant in Vitamin C and their juice and zest sprinkled over cooked vegetables can help increase the bioavailability of the other nutrients vegetables contain.

For a further boost of vitamin C, pomegranates are hard to beat and combined into a lentil pilaff with chopped herbs and toasted nuts both gut health, and your mood can be improved.

Sweet persimmons with their vibrant orange colour is an indication of beta-carotene another powerful antioxidant said to help reduce the risk of cancer.
Make no mistake, ALL fresh produce with antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals is believed to help reduce the risk of cancer and it stands to reason when you eat a lot of it, while there are no guarantees, you are insuring your health in the most sensible way possible.

The green vegetables are the BOMB when it comes to future-proofing your health and right now, there's an abundance of watercress, which contains many minerals necessary for bone health, including calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Watercress also contains over 100 percent the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.

Why is this important?

Vitamin K is a component of osteocalcin, a protein that makes up healthy bone tissue and helps regulate bone turnover. Studies show that people with the highest intake of vitamin K were 35 percent less likely to experience a hip fracture than people with the lowest intake

I could go on and discuss pumpkin, and broccolini, cauliflower and zucchini, some of the other vegetables included in this week's market fresh report. Maybe I should call it a health report because they all contribute to good health, and they can all protect us against the threat of infection.

I'll never convince Bob to eat better, he's a man who makes his own mind up about things, but maybe I'll have better luck with you and you'll have better luck convincing those around you who you love.

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