Immunity boosting foods?

by Emily Matchar (Subscribe to Emily Matchar's posts)
Posted Feb 20th 2008 2:03PM
Filed under: Restaurants, Science, Trends, Newspapers, Health & Medical

Print Email More

Remember when everyone went crazy over soy? Products from breakfast cereal to cookies touted their "soy isoflavone" content, credited with protecting against heart disease. Now a number of studies show that soy consumption has no affect on cardiovascular health and people are fretting that it may even increase the risk of some cancers.

The jury is still waaay out on just how specific foods affect the body.

So I rolled my eyes a bit reading this article in the New York Times about California restaurants claiming to serve immunity boosting foods.

Crustacean, a Vietnamese restaurant in Beverly Hills, puts a special icon next to menu items it claims boost immunity. Its Buddha roll, made with shiitake mushrooms which contains iron and Vitamin C, gets an icon, as does its lemongrass soup (lemongrass has folate, zinc and iron).

Sounds like a good way to sell more Buddha rolls. And to make a dinner out a little more like a trip to the doctor's office. I'll stick to my reasonably balanced diet (with the occasional unreasonable quantity of ice cream or pork barbecue) and pop a vitamin pill now and then for good measure.

What do you think? Any foods you believe boost your immune system?

Tags: Immunity, Medicine, Newspapers, Science, Trends

Comments [3]

Read

Permalink

Print Email Twitter Facebook Digg AIM Share

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-20-2008 @ 3:58PM

jrsygir1 said...

i believe anything you eat that gives you joy will boost your immune system....the positive energy, the endorphin rush, the feelings of well being....i think thats more effective than any of this food chemistry stuff...if i had to eat tofu or couldnt have things i love to eat anymore i would be miserable and that would open me up to sicknesses.

although i do know a few really miserable old people.

2-20-2008 @ 9:52PM

julia said...

I have a depressed immune system due to some chronic conditions. Basically, if my immune system isn't busy fighting something off, it will turn on my body and then we have supreme badness, let me tell you. I do things like drink unpasteurized milk, play with my pets constantly, do a lot of dusting...keeps my immune system busy.

When sick, I love Airborne. Not a food, but it is reputed to boost your immune system. And of course, there is always orange juice! I believe that the more nutrients straight from fresh sources I can give myself, the stronger my immune system is. Combined with always giving it something foreign to fight, I can generally stay healthy.

2-20-2008 @ 11:39PM

spoiler said...

My skeptical radar went off when I read it was in Beverly Hills. The way I understand the immune system, it cannot be "Boosted," but you should ask a doctor for an honest explanation if you don't believe me. No doubt the food is excellent, but there is no need to be deceptive about its effects.
Cheers.

#	Blogger	Posts	Cmts
1	Slashfood Editor	80	0
2	Alexa Weibel	54	2
3	Sarah LeTrent	34	0
4	Hanna Raskin	31	0
5	Emily Farris	19	0
6	Jennifer Lawinski	16	0
7	Sara Bonisteel	14	0
8	Michael Thomas Hastings	10	0
9	David Koeppel	8	0
10	Jennifer Iserloh	8	0
11	Jose Ralat Maldonado	7	1
12	LeNell Smothers	5	0
13	Sarah Christine	5	0
14	Mike Pomranz	5	1
15	Kristine Hansen	5	0
16	Joshua M. Bernstein	5	2
17	Monika Bartyzel	4	0
18	Erin Meister	4	0
19	John Devore	4	0
20	Max Shrem	4	0

Blogger

Posts

Cmts

Michael Thomas Hastings

The Tote Package: A Great-Looking Diaper Bag Olivia Newton-John Answers Your Questions Who Looks Like Charlie Brown?	Thanksgiving Leftovers: Healthy Post-Holiday Recipes Thanksgiving: The Year's Worst Diet-Buster? Denise Austin 3-Week Boot Camp: DVD Review
Patrick Dempsey 2 Fragrance Giveaway J. Crew Holiday Catalog - Jenna Lyons Gives StyleList a Sneak Peek A Holiday Gift Guide with Style - Design Guru Edition	Mysteries of "National Dog Show 2009," "Alton Brown Turkey," and "Ziggy Marley" Solved Lindsay Lohan to Stay on at Ungaro Paula Abdul Gets Her Pooches Painted
Store Your Paperwork On a Fabric Shelf? One $28 Frame, 5 Ways The First White House State Dinner Serves Up Modern Design	Florida Pig and Family May Be Pardoned Shelter Takes Pains to Unthaw Frozen Kitty PETA Thinks Next Uga Should Be a Robotic Dog