So whether you’re trying to get a little extra nutrition into your diet or just looking for a healthy drink, you can check out this list of 10 healthy immune support juices .
How to support the immune system during an outbreak
Before we begin, let’s get one thing clear: lifestyle choices, like consuming healthy foods and juices, are secondary when it comes to preventing viral infections, particularly the new coronavirus.
No supplement, diet, or lifestyle modification can 100% protect someone from the virus.
Proper hygiene (hand washing, hand disinfection) and social distancing remain the most important lines of defense against the spread of the virus.
This includes coughing or sneezing into the crook of your elbow to prevent the spread of germs, staying at least 2-4 meters away from other people in public, avoiding touching your face when you’re outside, and washing your hands frequently.
Once you master these practices, you can begin to focus on strengthening your immune system to the best of your ability, and here are some ways you can do it:
- Exercise regularly
- Get enough sleep
- Keep hydrated
- Manage your stress levels
- Eat more whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes that are rich in nutrients like vitamin C, zinc, selenium, vitamin D, polyphenols, and fiber.
For example, apples, carrots, and oranges are rich in infection-fighting vitamins, potassium, and folate. Oranges are a known supplier of vitamin C, a powerful free radical scavenger.
Strawberry and mango are a sweet combination packed with vitamins A (as beta-carotene), C, and E, as well as iron and folate. Pumpkin seeds are underrated immune boosters that can also support healthy hair, skin, and bones.
Don’t forget the herbs and spices like ginger, cayenne and turmeric, they are phytochemical powerhouses.
10 juice recipes to support the immune system
One way to enjoy these healthy foods is through juices and smoothies. Enjoy these ingredients and more in the following juice recipes .
Note: If you don’t have a juicer, simply add a cup of coconut or almond milk to the ingredients and mix them in a blender for a delicious smoothie.
Juice with spinach
Ingredients:
- 2 cups raw spinach
- 2 oranges
- 2 stalks of celery
- 1 inch cube ginger root
Peel and cut each ingredient to fit in the juicer, then pass them through the juicer. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
If you don’t have a juicer that can juice leafy greens, then juice oranges, celery, and ginger, then mix with the spinach in a blender with some ice cubes. You will have the texture of a fresh smoothie.
Turmeric and ginger juice
Ingredients:
- 2.5 cm cube of fresh turmeric
- 2.5 cm cube of fresh ginger
- 1 lemon
Squeeze these ingredients together for a deliciously spicy immune fortifying shot. It can be quite spicy, so knock it down at once or enjoy it as a sip if you like it spicy.
Juice with carrot and apple
Ingredients:
- 2 medium to large carrots, tops trimmed
- 1 Granny Smith apple, sliced and cored
- 1 peeled orange
Rinse everything well, then squeeze it in your juicer.
Sweet and sour juice
Ingredients:
- 2 beets, peeled and sliced to fit in your juicer
- 3 carrots washed
- 1 green apple cored
- 1-inch ginger cube
- 1 lemon
Pass all the ingredients through your juicer and enjoy.
Hydrating green juice
Ingredients:
- 1 broccoli stalk, without florets
- 1 cucumber
- 2 to 3 fresh cabbage leaves
- 2 to 3 pears
- 1 lemon
Pass all the ingredients through the juicer and enjoy.
Tea with ginger and lemon juice
Ingredients:
- 2-inch cube ginger
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- ¾ of a cup of boiled water tea
Ginger and lemon juice together. You will probably make enough juice to make 2 to 4 cups of the hot ginger mixture. Add the ginger and lemon juice to the boiled water and drizzle in the honey while stirring. Drink whenever you want something warm, calming, and immune-boosting.
Strawberry, mango and banana smoothie
Ingredients:
- 10 strawberries
- 1 mango, cored and skinless
- 1 banana
- Orange juice, either fresh or store bought
Put everything in a blender with a handful of ice cubes and blend until thick and smooth. This smoothie can also be made with frozen strawberries and mangoes. Enjoy this sweet drink along with all its vitamins and folic acid.
Pumpkin seed milk
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 3 cups water, filtered if possible
- A pinch of sea salt
This is not a juice, but it can pass as one. In a medium bowl, cover the seeds with water and add a pinch of sea salt, then cover with a kitchen towel. Soak the pumpkin seeds in water for eight hours. The salt will draw out the bitter enzymes and antinutrients in the seeds.
After eight hours, discard the soaking water. Rinse the seeds several times.
Place the seeds, three cups of filtered water, and the pinch of sea salt in a blender, and blend for 30 to 60 seconds or until the seeds are completely crushed. The milk should have a slightly white-green tint.
This milk will last two to three days in the refrigerator if you want the maximum nutritional benefits.
Kale and pineapple juice
Ingredients:
- ¼ fresh pineapple, cut into pieces
- 4 fresh kale leaves, chopped
- 4 chard leaves or large spinach leaves
- 1 lime
Squeeze the ingredients into the juicer and enjoy.
Flu “vaccine” juice
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 1-inch ginger cube
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced and reserve for 10 minutes
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of hot water
Squeeze the lemon, orange and ginger into a glass. Add honey, turmeric powder, and hot water. Stir until the honey is combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. This juice is not as tasty as the others on the list, but it can contain a large number of nutrients. Enjoy it as a shot.