Known Internationally as Water Spinach, Kangkong is a widespread, popular and easily cultivated perennial that is a favorite leafy green in Filipino cuisine. It is cooked in many ways, basically boiled, deep fried and everything in between! It is also quite nutritious as we can see below:
Effects On Immunity
Kangkong is highly nutritious, containing significant levels of Vitamin A, C, Iron and Magnesium.
Vitamin A and C are very important in maintaining your skin and mocusal surfaces, your body’s first line of defense against any outside threat. They also have multiple uses within the immune system.
Magnesium is needed for your cells in your immune system to define their roles, which is essential for proper immune response, while iron is needed to build these cells in the first place.
COVID Resistance:
Vitamin A like we said is needed for building and regenerating mucosal surfaces. These surfaces are what protect your entire respiratory system, and if they fail, basically your entire immune system will be highly vulnerable. This is significant in COVID infection for obvious reasons.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, and immune-supporting nutrient. As an antioxidant, it is often the one used up first, saving other like Glutathione which specifically protects the lungs.
Magnesium is very important in COVID infection as it allows your macrophages to switch from inflammation causing to inflammation reducing. This is essential in avoiding Cykotine storms which cause severe and fatal symptoms.
Special Information
Kangkong is very hardy and easy to grow. Any cutting can be used to produce a plant, and can be grown in soil or even water.
Choose Organic
As mentioned above, Kangking will grow almost anywhere there is water. This means that you may find some growing in questionable areas such as canals, sewage, stagnant water and more. Do not eat these as the plants have absorbed dangerous contaminants.
Also despite the ease of cultivation, many commercial farmers grow kangkong with urea, as they are highly dependent on it and have no knowledge of natural fertilizer use.
Ensure your kangkong is organic to reduce any risks of harmful chemicals.