Protein builds you up. Growth and repair are protein’s major roles: Your body uses the protein you take in as food to build cells, synthesize new proteins, and keep your tissues healthy. Eating adequate protein supports your physique and satisfies your appetite.
Protein is a nutritional powerhouse in that it provides important immune-boosting nutrients — essential fatty acids (good fats), vitamins, and minerals. Among these minerals is zinc, which helps in the production of infection-fighting white blood cells. Even a mild deficiency in zinc can open the door to many diseases and infections. So sufficient amounts of protein are wonderful in supporting a healthy immune system.
The protein in meats strengthens your body by building strong muscle, providing fuel storage for bursts of energy, and even helping your body burn fat, which keeps you healthier.
Buy the leanest, organic grass-fed, free-range meat as possible. Beef, buffalo, lamb, goat, turkey, chicken, organic organ meats, pasture-raised pork, nitrite- and gluten-free deli meats, and nitrite- and gluten-free sausages are all good sources.
Wild meat (game) is the best kind of meat, if you can get it, because it’s full of good fats.
Venison, rabbit, pheasant, quail, and even boar are all good choices.
Purchase the best quality meat that hasn’t been irradiated with chemicals, which is counterproductive to your boosting immunity efforts.
When buying conventional meats, look for food that hasn’t been irradiated (exposed to ionizing radiation to kill bacteria, viruses, or microorganisms). Choose the leanest cuts and trim all visible fats before cooking. Make sure you drain as much of the fats released before you cook.
The benefit of fish is that healthy fish are loaded with healthy fats.
Purchase wild-caught, sustainable fish when you can. Fattier, deep cold-water fish are your best choices. Salmon, sardines, mackerel, cod, and herring are all great for boosting your health. Tuna packed in olive oil is another choice to add to your grocery list.
Eggs are amazing: They’re rich in key nutrients, especially fat-soluble vitamins A and D, and the egg yolk is also loaded with brain food and immune-fighting nutrients.
Capture as much of this immune-building nutrition as possible by buying the best quality. Organic pastured eggs have the best fatty acid profile. If you can find a farm that carries pastured eggs, you’re sure to get an explosion of nutrients!
Studies show that dietary cholesterol has very little affect on blood cholesterol. Actually, the egg yolk contains choline, which is a natural fat transporter, keeping cholesterol out of the blood! Dietary cholesterol is simply not a good indicator of heart disease.
If you choose to eat vegetarian protein sources, the most optimal choices are organic, non-GMO (genetically modified organisms, which have had changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques), plant-based foods.
Good choices are lentils, black beans, pinto beans, and red beans because they have the lowest impact on blood sugar (and having your blood sugar spike up and down causes you to become unhealthy and overweight). If you buy canned beans, be sure to rinse them a couple of times before eating.
If you’re preparing dried beans, soak them for at least 12 hours before cooking. Rinsing and soaking remove the starch (and salt, if canned) and reduce the gassiness that beans cause for many people.
Other possible choices are full-fat yogurt and kefir from milk of pasture-raised cows, high-quality protein powders, natto, and tempeh.