by Jeannine Re McNamara
Winter is coming!
The added stress of all the holiday preparations, endless nights up late for Holiday Parties and get-togethers, endless time spent indoors and the chill in the air, can all lead to the inevitable cold and flu.
But this year take matters into your own hands by enriching your diet with foods high in cold-fighting nutrients such as Vitamin C, antioxidants and zinc.
Foods that can help supply these nutrients include oranges, grapefruit, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, pomegranate, pineapple, dark chocolate, green tea, kale, spinach, and ginger. It is also very important to hydrate so your body can flush the cold toxins out of your body. So, drink lots of water, unsweetened teas, and even have some nice hot chicken soup. Try one of the Smoothie recipes below to incorporate some of these cold-fighting foods into your day and help you feel better!
Cold Fighting Smoothie from theseasidebaker.com
Ingredients:
spinach fresh
1/2 cup kale fresh
1/2 cup mango fresh or frozen
1/2 cup pineapple fresh
1/2 apple core and seeds removed
1 cup orange juice
Instructions:
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Serve immediately.
Cold Buster Smoothie from wholefully.com
Ingredients:
1 banana, frozen
1 large orange, peeled and segmented
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup dairy-free yogurt, such as almond or coconut
1 small carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup orange juice, or more as needed
Handful of ice (optional)
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to the carafe of a blender and blend on high until smooth. Add more orange juice and/or ice to adjust the consistency if desired. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.
Notes: You can use frozen peach slices instead of mango if you prefer.
Try adding 2-4 scoops of your favorite unsweetened protein powder to this smoothie.