Nutrition is an important factor in every aspect of life, as the foods we eat provide with the energy and nutrients our bodies need to function. It also helps determine the speed and efficiency of wound healing. While eating a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean meats and whole grains is key to proper nutrition, there are some foods with superior value that can help boost the immune system, enhance tissue production and speed up the body’s ability to recover. Consider some of these superfoods to benefit your healing wounds:
Tomatoes
These red fruits often mistaken for vegetables are abundant in lycopene, an antioxidant that’s rare in many other foods. This element is known to protect the body against oxidation that can damage cells, but it also supports good immune function. As such, it has the potential to reduce the risk of wound infection. To incorporate more of this superfood into your diet, add some tomato slices to your sandwich or atop a salad, and pump up the amount of tomatoes in your pasta sauce.
Broccoli
This cruciferous vegetable is high in phytonutrients. According to the National Institutes of Health, these are antioxidants that help manage inflammation and enhance immune function, among other benefits. It also contains vitamin C, which the NIH notes is mandatory for the repair and growth of all forms of tissue, from blood vessels to the upper dermal layer. Add some florets of broccoli to your fresh salad, a bowl of pasta or even your eggs in the morning to increase your intake of this tasty superfood.
Black beans
Protein is the component of black beans that bring them to superfood status. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a single serving – or 1/2 cup – of these legumes provides about 8 grams of protein, and they’re low in both sodium and saturated fats. When it comes to wound healing, protein is needed for the development of new tissue, and a deficiency could lead to slow recovery times. With that in mind, black beans are an excellent alternative to meat for vegetarians and vegans – they can be used as the foundation for meat-free burger patties, as the source of protein in soups and as side dishes and dips in a variety of ways.
Soy
Another go-to food for vegans and vegetarians is the superfood soy. The soybean contains a wide array of vitamins, including A, C, D, E and K, which promote good digestive function, support the immune system and enhance skin health. It’s also high in protein to advance the development of new tissue. Incorporating soy into one’s diet can be difficult, but it can be found in certain products in your grocer’s aisle, from instant oatmeal to vegetarian burgers to dairy-free cheeses.
Chocolate
Those with a sweet tooth will be happy to hear that chocolate has a plenitude of benefits for one’s overall wellness and, in particular, wound healing. According to a report in the Contemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, dark chocolate can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. This is key for the body’s ability to deliver oxygen, nutrients and vitamins to the wound bed. It also has strong antioxidizing properties, which can benefit the immune system to help stave off infection.
These foods, when added to a balanced diet, can be a helpful complement to wound dressings and other measures that support rapid and efficient recovery.
Turmeric: Turmeric is a well know spice which is used in India for cooking, as well as for the treatment of wounds. Curcumin, an antioxidant present in turmeric, helps in lowering inflammation and speeding up the healing process. In the olden days, people would put a paste of turmeric on their wounds and wrap it with a cloth for healing. In tribal areas of India, this is still a common practice.
Honey: Honey is used as a natural nutritive sweetener in our day to day life. It contains trace amounts of several vitamins and amino acids other than sugar. Using it for dressing wounds helps reduce inflammation, pain, and swelling. Its antibacterial properties further inhibit the infection of wounds.
Milk Products: It is believed that dairy products such as milk and yogurt can aid in the healing process of wounds due to the high concentrations of protein and zinc in these products. However, there is little scientific evidence to prove the role of proteins found in milk in terms of wound healing.
Meat Products: Like milk products, meat has a significant amount of protein and zinc and therefore aids in speeding up the healing of wounds. However, it is a complete myth that keeping a slice of meat on a wound will aid healing.
Zinc: There is ample clinical evidence showing that zinc aids in the promotion of epitheliazation of wounds. Consuming foods that contain zinc are recommended for people with wounds and injuries. Such foods include meat products (oysters and other sea foods, beef, chicken, etc), dairy products, whole wheat, and wheat germ, various nuts, beans, lentils, and various nuts.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is essential for several bodily functions. It is also useful for the healing of wounds and the formation of scar tissue. Therefore, people with wounds should eat ample amounts of amla, guava, lemon, orange, cranberry, strawberry, pineapple, kiwi fruit, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, and other food items that contain vitamin C.
Sweet potato: Sweet potatoes are a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C possess antioxidant properties. Animal tests have shown that the antioxidant property of sweet potatoes helps in wound healing.
Ghee: Ghee (made from cow’s milk), also known as clarified butter, is used extensively in Ayurveda for the healing of wounds. For those who are looking for scientific evidence – according to research conducted on rats (published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research) ghee aids in closing wounds and regenerating the cells around the wounds, eventually speeding up the healing process.
Iron: It is believed that a deficiency of iron, also known as anemia, retards the process of wound healing. Oftentimes, iron tablets and foods containing iron are recommended to people after surgeries to guarantee rapid wound healing. Some of these foods are leafy vegetables, lentils, turkey, and other similar foods. However, there is conflicting research that actually shows that there are few effects of anemia on wound healing.
Fluids: Finally, for any form of healing, it is necessary that you consume ample amounts of fluids. To be clear, we are not talking about coffee, carbonated drinks, and alcohol. The proper types of liquid are water, fruit juice, and healthy soups. Consumption of ample amounts of fluids is quite essential for the healing of wounds, so drink up!
Foods Rich in Vitamin A
Examples include: sunflower seeds, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, swiss chard, and spinach
Vitamin A promotes the production of white blood cells in your body. White blood cells are the main “keepers of the injury”; they help fight off infection and viruses.
Even if you don’t have a visual injury like an open wound, your body will still rely on the production of white blood cells to protect the injury and increase the rate of healing.
Foods Rich in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Examples include: salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts.
Many research studies have found that omega-3 fatty acids have the ability to reduce inflammation, so much so that other pain killers and drug may not be needed.
Most of these studies have been conducted on individuals with rheumatoid arthritis or other cases of extreme inflammation. The results of these numerous studies indicate that high quality omega-3s will reduce inflammation from an injury or daily run.
Reducing the swelling and inflammation around an injury will reduce the pain you may be experiencing and promote healing!
Foods Rich in Zinc
Examples include: oysters, nuts, seeds, and chicken.
Every single tissue in your body contains zinc; therefore, it becomes very important in the healing process of any injury. Zinc will help your body use the fats and proteins you consume to promote growth and healing of the injured tissue.
Zinc will also help keep your immune system strong, much like vitamin A, which will protect you from other infections or viruses.
Foods Rich in Antioxidants
Examples include: blueberries, tart cherries, prunes, turmeric, ginger, coffee.
Free radicals are the toxins that are roaming around our body, especially when we sustain a running injury. They make us weaker by taking from our healthy cells. Foods like blueberries, strawberries and tart cherries help to control those free radicals, so our body can focus on repair.
Ginger and numeric have also been named natures anti-inflammatory medicine as they accelerate recovery within our bodies.
Finally, coffee has been proven to not only decrease recovery time, but restore Central Nervous System function, so it can get back to making you better.
Foods Rich in Protein
Examples include: grass feed beef, chicken, turkey, eggs, Greek yogurt.
An injury to the body automatically increases the body’s demand for protein. Protein is required in multiple processes that take place as soon as the injury happens and through the injury recovery time.
How quickly and how well the injury heals can largely depend on consuming adequate amounts of high quality protein. Therefore, it is essential that runners who are hurt shift their diet from a high carbohydrate to high protein.