Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup

It’s that time of year where the controversy over getting the flu shot stirs up.  It’s a personal decision and important to make sure you make one that is informed.  Whether or not you decide to, making sure you’re supporting your immune system with food and managing stress is important.  My Roasted Carrot and Ginger Soup recipe is chock full of amazing immune supporting and boosting nutrients.

Carrots: A great source of beta-carotene, a provitamin A, which can be converted into retinol (preformed vitamin A) in the liver.  Beta-carotene tends to come from plant sources like squash, sweet potato and kale, while retinol comes from animal sources like liver, egg yolks and grass-fed dairy. Vitamin A helps maintain structural integrity of cells and healthy functioning of the mucous linings. By doing so it helps fight off infections and toxins. Retinol is known to support white blood cells in optimizing their function to recognize food antigens (allergy triggering substances) and block the activity of certain viruses. Vitamin A is overall a great immune system supporter.

Ginger: A great anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and effective antimicrobial. It also acts as an effective antibiotic without killing off all the good bacteria in your gut. Ginger cleanses the colon, stimulates circulation and protects the liver and stomach. It’s great for fevers, headaches, indigestion, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. It’s also a warming herb so good for the cooler months.

Garlic: Detoxifies the body and enhances the immune system, which protects against infection. It’s known for its ability to be antiviral, antimicrobial and antibacterial. Garlic contains allicin, which has an antibiotic affect. Garlic also has antioxidant properties, which help against oxidative damage and is an immune system stimulant.

Onion: They are rich in sulfur containing compounds, so have similar benefits to garlic but not quite as potent. They’re high in the antioxidant Quercitin, which is helpful for allergies and asthma. Onions are also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.

Turmeric: Contains curcumin, which is a potent antioxidant that protects against oxidative damage. It has antibiotic, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s best to consume turmeric with black pepper, which actually increases its bioavailability by 2000%.

Bone Broth: The part of chicken noodle soup that actually helps get rid of a cold is the broth made from the chicken bones.  It contains amino acids like glycine, proline and arginine which support the immune system and reduce inflammation in the respiratory system.  Collagen from the bones and joints produce gelatin in the broth and is beneficial to digestion, which we know is needed for ideal immune system function.

All these nutrients also support liver health and therefore the natural detoxification process, which always supports immune health!