Autumn feeding
Autumn, with its cooler temperatures and vibrant colors, marks a significant shift in our eating habits. This season lends itself perfectly to a different diet, offering nutritional choices that boost our well-being.
As a transitional period between summer and winter, it is ideal for stocking up on nutrients that boost our immune system and help us cope with changing temperatures.
It’s time to focus on seasonal fruits and vegetables, apples , pears , fresh grapes , squash , pumpkin , beets , carrots and other root vegetables . Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they help strengthen our immune system while adding color and flavor to our dishes.
Legumes, such as lentils , chickpeas , and beans , are excellent sources of protein and fiber. They help stabilize blood sugar levels while prolonging feelings of fullness, which is especially important as the days get shorter.
Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds are rich in essential fatty acids, protein, and fiber, making them ideal as a snack or to add more flavor to your fall dishes.
Spices
It’s time for warm spices. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and turmeric are not only delicious, but also possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Perfect for boosting our immune system, they can be added to hot drinks, cereals, or meals, adding a comforting touch.
Teas and herbal teas
Infusions, such as chamomile , peppermint , or ginger , are ideal for cooler days. Soothing and comforting, they promote good digestion while offering a healthy way to stay hydrated.
Don’t overlook homemade dishes like vegetable soups, stews, or vegetarian chili. Not only do they warm the body, but they’re also nutritious and balanced options.
Finally, prioritize foods rich in vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. These essential nutrients help strengthen the immune system and fight infections, preparing you to face the challenges of the season.
Immunity vitamins
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an important mineral. The best-known effects of this vitamin concern bone health and balanced calcium metabolism. Vitamin D promotes the intestinal absorption of dietary calcium as well as its binding to bones. It also affects the immune system, making it especially important during this season.
The main source of vitamin D is its formation on the skin when exposed to sunlight. It contributes 80% to 90% of vitamin D intake. However, it’s autumn, the days are getting shorter, and the sun is getting lower in the sky. This is the time to support our immunity through diet.
- In the form of vitamin D2 : plant source provided by the consumption of mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitake mushrooms), avocado.
- In the form of vitamin D3 : animal sources, we turn to oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, egg yolk, sardines, anchovies), cod liver oil
Dairy products such as butter, Emmental cheese, margarine and cow’s milk also contain it.
Recommended intake
Population group Recommended daily intake
Infants during the 1st year of life 400 IU/day (10 µg/day)
Children during the 2nd and 3rd year of life 600 IU/day (15 µg/day)
People aged 3 to 60 years/pregnant women/breastfeeding 600 IU/day (15 µg/day
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an antioxidant. It contributes to several important metabolic processes in our body (used by the immune system, particularly by white blood cells in their protective function, improves iron assimilation in the intestine, fights against oxidation in the body and against fatigue).
To avoid internal imbalance, we need to boost our natural defenses and stimulate our immune system through diet.
It is found in fruits and vegetables, but be careful because some of the antioxidants in this vitamin are destroyed by heat (cooking). It is therefore necessary to avoid cooking certain foods such as parsley.
Foods rich in vitamin C
Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, parsley, Brussels sprouts, green pepper, kiwi, persimmon, papaya, fresh lemon, grapefruit, orange
Recommended intake
Population groups Recommended daily intake
Adults over 18 years 110 mg
Pregnant women 120 mg
Breastfeeding women 170 mg
Children 1 to 17 years 20 to 170 mg
Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace mineral that plays a crucial role in many biological functions.
- Skin health and healing : Zinc promotes cell regeneration, essential for wound healing.
- Immune system support : It contributes to the functioning of immune cells and cell signaling, thus strengthening the body’s defense against infections.
- DNA synthesis and protein production : essential for cell growth and renewal.
- Hormonal regulation : involved in the production and action of many hormones, such as insulin.
One of the enzymes essential for good taste and smell depends on zinc, so a zinc deficiency can reduce our ability to taste or smell.
Zinc deficiency
Because it is necessary for immune cell function and cell signaling, a deficiency can lead to various symptoms:
- Weakening of the immune system.
- Growth retardation in children.
- Loss of taste or smell.
- Slow healing of wounds.
Recommended intake
Needs vary depending on age, gender, and physiological status (pregnancy, breastfeeding). Recommended daily intakes are generally 8 to 11 mg for adults. A balanced intake through food is essential, as the body does not store zinc.
Food sources of zinc
Since our body cannot naturally produce zinc, it must be supplied through food.
The richest foods are seafood (oysters, clams, crabs, mussels), meat (beef, lamb), poultry (turkey, chicken), fish (sardines, salmon, sole), legumes (chickpeas, lentils), nuts and seeds (cashews, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds), mushrooms, kale. However, the concentration of Zinc is higher in meat and shellfish and are therefore better metabolized by our body.
Animal sources (meats, shellfish) contain zinc in a more easily absorbed form than plant sources. Plants rich in phytates (such as some whole grains) can inhibit zinc absorption.
Recommended intake
Needs vary depending on age, gender, and physiological status (pregnancy, breastfeeding). Recommended daily intakes are generally 8 to 11 mg for adults. A balanced intake through food is essential, as the body does not store zinc.
Recommended intake
Population groups Intakes
Children 3 mg – 11 mg
Pregnant women 11 mg – 12 mg
Breastfeeding women 12 mg – 13 mg
Microbiota – Prebiotics – Probiotics
It all starts in the gut; a healthy intestinal flora protects us from many diseases and infections. The human microbiota is defined as the entire microbial community that coexists in the human body. It determines the permeability of the intestinal membrane, the thickness of the mucus layer, immune balance, and the composition of secondary bile acids. The metabolites produced from carbohydrates, primarily SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids), are the most studied. SCFAs come directly from food or are produced in the colon following the fermentation of indigestible food components by bacteria. Hence the importance of paying attention to what we eat.
The microbiota’s super friends: probiotics, prebiotics, and fiber.
Probiotics are microorganisms essential to life. According to the WHO, they are defined as live microorganisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, provide health benefits. Certain foods are particularly rich in them, and their regular consumption is highly recommended.
Dairy products: raw milk cheeses (not recommended for pregnant women). Fermented milks , the strains of which are different from those of yogurt; fermented drinks (kefir, kombucha), raw sauerkraut. Lactofermented vegetables (cabbage, carrot, beetroot, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, leek).
Prebiotics
The microbiota loves fiber, but not only that. Anything that can serve as food for the microbiota (and therefore influence its richness and composition) and anything that can be used as raw material to produce metabolites: prebiotics .
On my page https://www.instagram.com/nnutrition.n/#, you have a selection of monthly seasonal vegetables and fruits.
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