The pollution levels in our country are high and in some cases actually dangerous. Did you know that India is the third-largest in the emission of greenhouse gases after China and the United States? The cocktail of toxins in our air is extremely dangerous and affects kids and old people the most.
So while there are measures that the Government announces every year, as parents we have to find ways to protect our family and keep their immunity levels up.
There are some foods that are recommended to help reverse the negative effects of air toxicity on our lungs. Including these in your meal plan can help protect your lungs.
Also, wouldn’t it be just amazing if somehow you could get a meal plan for every week including recipes, grocery lists and so much more? Sounds like a dream… Not anymore! With the KSP Meal Plan, you can get all this in your inbox every week!
Scroll down to know what they are.
Broccoli
This green vegetable is a necessary addition to your family’s diet. It has been proven that those who include broccoli in their daily diet excrete toxins which are associated with air pollution. Eat it steamed as a stir-fry or make broccoli soup – whatever works for the family.
Omega 3 Rich Food
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Omega-3 fatty acids are capable of reducing allergic reactions and soothing inflammation. Eat Omega-3-rich foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, salmon, and mackerel and oils such as mustard, canola and flaxseed. Omega 3 helps prevent inflammation in the body which is just what we need at this time. Try this chia seed pudding that the family is sure to love.
Jaggery
Jaggery or gur is just what our ancestors recommended. Consuming a small piece of gur every day is known to help fight carbon pollution. At a lot of mining places, miners are given gur at the end of their shift to help reverse the effects of the toxins they inhale at work. If your family doesn’t like eating gur raw, you can make these very tasty and healthy til gur laddo.
Citrus Food
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Eat citrus fruits like oranges, guava, kiwi, grapefruit, and lemons since these are rich in Vitamin C. This water-soluble vitamin is an extremely powerful antioxidant that we should include in our daily diet. Intake of Vitamin C is crucial to reduce the harmful effects of smog, inflammation and allergic reactions.
Amla
This tiny bitter-sour green berry packs a very powerful punch. It’s a very potent source of Vitamin C and can be given to your kids once they turn 2 years old. You can add Amla to your family’s meals in different. Check out our recipes using amla here.
Drink a lot of water and other fluids like green tea to flush out the toxins from your body. Add spices and herbs like turmeric, ginger, tulsi, black pepper is sufficient quantities to your food so that they have a cumulative effect on your family’s respiratory health.
Leafy Green Vegetables
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Vegetables like methi (fenugreek), spinach, chauli ka saag (amaranth) are the richest sources of beta-carotene. This is a very important micronutrient that our body needs to fight inflammation and protect our health.
Tomatoes
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Your diet should also eat plenty of fresh tomatoes since they are loaded with lycopene, an antioxidant that protects against respiratory conditions. Slice up some tomatoes, give it a squeeze of lime and eat up. Tomatoes are excellent for your lungs.
Avocado
Consuming food high in Vitamin E can reduce the effects of air pollution on the lungs. Food such as avocado is high in Vitamin E and can help to counteract the effects of certain types of particulate pollution. We have a few interesting recipes using avocado that you can add to your meal plan.
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Dhvani Shah
Janani S Koushik
Payal Kothari
