(Family Features) Staying healthy is important year-round, but especially in the cooler months when temperatures drop, people spend more time inside and germs can spread easily. What you eat and the lifestyle you embrace are critical components of staying healthy.
Nourishing meals full of fruits, vegetables, protein-rich foods and whole grains help provide the body’s immune system with the nutrients it needs. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by getting enough sleep, being physically active every day, having enough fluids and reducing stress also help keep the immune system in shape.
As a nutritious food to include on your grocery list, grapes of all colors – red, green and black – contain more than 1,600 natural plant compounds such as antioxidants and other polyphenols that help protect the health of cells throughout the body. They also contain about 82% water, so they provide important fluids for hydration, which is also critical to a healthy immune system.
Grapes can be enjoyed as a healthy snack or an immune-boosting ingredient in recipes like Chicken, Spinach and Grape Pita sandwiches. It provides a mix of immune-supporting nutrients, including zinc in chicken, vitamins A and C in kale, polyphenols in grapes and other important nutrients in the salmon, walnuts and barley.
Find these recipes and more in “Eating for Immune Health” along with additional ways to eat healthy and stay well at grapesfromcalifornia.com.
Chicken, Spinach and Grape Pita
Servings: 4
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced shallot
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground sumac
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 package (5-6 ounces) fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
1 1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 8 ounces)
1 cup red California grapes, sliced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 whole-wheat pita breads (6 1/2 inches each), warmed and halved
In small skillet over medium-high heat, toast pine nuts, stirring constantly until toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl and let cool. In large bowl, whisk lemon juice, shallot, olive oil, red pepper flakes, sumac, salt and pepper. Add spinach, chicken, grapes, feta and pine nuts; toss to mix. Stuff into pita breads and serve.
Nutritional information per serving: 445 calories; 24 g protein; 46 g carbohydrates; 20 g fat (39% calories from fat); 5 g saturated fat (10% calories from saturated fat); 57 mg cholesterol; 658 mg sodium; 6 g fiber.
