What are the best immune-boosting drinks for better health and a stronger you?
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If you want to keep the common cold and more severe health complaints at bay, you can start by bolstering your immune system. Of course, you can drop a vitamin C soluble tablet in water to get a healthy boost, but that’s a fairly basic option when there are so many great ways to keep yourself fighting fit.
The key to immunity is eating the right foods and drinking the right drinks – and along with regular exercise and a healthy sleep routine, you can keep illness at bay. Here’s what you need to know about immune-boosting drinks to keep you fit.
Immune-boosting drinks
There are plenty of great drinks that you can use to boost your immunity, and it’s all about choosing key immune-boosting ingredients to create the perfect immunity concoction. This is also a useful trick if there are certain healthy food items you don’t enjoy; adding them to a drink makes it easier to drink.
Consider using a copper water bottle to enjoy whatever your drink of choice. Copper is a trace element with anti-bacterial properties, meaning whatever you store in your copper bottle will be cleansed before you enjoy it.
A citrus boost
Citrus is an excellent source of vitamin C, and oranges are great for vitamins A and B. Adding citrus fruit to a smoothie or juice concoction provides you with antioxidants that help protect you from free radicals. In addition to boosting your immune system, vitamin C can lower your blood pressure. So, freshly made orange juice is more than just a delicious treat. It’s an effective health tonic. You can spice it up with carrots, apples, and turmeric, which all come with their own health benefits.
Golden milk
Golden milk, or Haldi ka Doodh, has been a traditional drink in Indian households for centuries. It is commonly used to relieve pain and fight off colds, and its main ingredient is turmeric. Many Indian dishes contain this delicious spice, known for its golden color. In addition, turmeric contains abundant curcumin, a polyphenol believed to be an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral agent.
You can make Haldi ka Doodh with any milk of your choice and a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder, crushed cinnamon and ginger, black pepper, and honey to sweeten.
Black pepper and cinnamon have health benefits, making this a delicious and super immune-boosting beverage. The best time to enjoy this is before bed if you feel unwell. However, you can drink it daily to keep your immune system strong and avoid a cold altogether.
Ginger tea
Ginger has many health benefits, from its anti-nausea properties and immune-boosting powers. It’s a delicious ingredient in food, but you can infuse it in hot (or cold) water to enjoy its benefits directly. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, ginger is an antioxidant. It fights inflammation, manages free radicals to protect cells, improves digestion, and it’s delicious.
Kadha
Another traditional Indian beverage, Kadha is generally used to fight sore throats, coughs, nasal congestion, and other signs of the common cold. It’s suitable for people of all ages, and various recipes are available online. The key is choosing ingredients with anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties to fight the symptoms, boost gut health, and keep your blood sugar levels in check.
The essential ingredients include fresh mint, black pepper, ginger, licorice, black and green cardamom, holy basil, cinnamon, cloves, and raisins. Add everything to two cups of water and simmer on low for up to ten minutes. You can add lemon to taste. It’s ideal for drinking first thing in the morning or the evening, and two cups a day are more than sufficient to enjoy the benefits.
Fruit and veg boost
In general, fruit is best eaten rather than juiced because of the number of sugars they contain, even if they are natural. However, you can incorporate a variety of fruit and veg for an immune boost and cover your five a day while you’re at it. Apple and carrots are a great base for a fruit and veggie drink. They provide the sweetness, while beetroot adds an earthiness, with ginger coming in with a warming flavor.
These combined ingredients provide vitamins A, B, and C and potassium, which are great for fighting colds, flues, and body aches.
Food that is packed with healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins is vital to a healthy, balanced diet. You should eat many whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins. Those choices can also extend to what you drink. Try the ideas above and feel the difference.