Easy Smoothie Recipes To Bolster Your Immune System
Starting the day off the right way is good for our bodies, as well as our minds, and what better breakfast than a delicious, healthy smoothie? Here, nutritionist and British Vogue contributing editor, Rosemary Ferguson, shares three simple smoothie recipes to help keep us healthy and happy. All you have to do is chuck the ingredients into a blender, and enjoy.
Immune Boosting Smoothie Recipes
Clinically reviewed by our Board of Advisors
From fighting nasty little pathogens to distinguishing harmful cells from beneficial ones, your immune system does a lot of work.1 Naturally, that means your immune system will need an occasional boost, whether its from the food you eat or an immune defense supplement.
Eating a well-balanced and nutritious diet is a great way to keep your immune system in tip-top shape. But given our sometimes hectic lifestyles, eating the right amount of fruits and veggies is often easier said than done.
Fortunately, the smoothie is a dietary cheat code, perfect at providing your body with its necessary daily nutrients.
In this article, well dive into 4 immune-boosting smoothie recipes designed to help keep your immune system in tip top shape and excite your taste buds.
What Vitamin Is Best For Your Immune System
There are 3 main vitamins when it comes to giving your immune system a boost. The Cleveland Clinic suggests getting adequate amounts of Vitamin C, B6 and E to help support a healthy immune system.
Vitamin C This is the best immune-boosting vitamin. Being low in Vitamin C can actually make you more susceptible to getting sick! Your body does not store Vitamin C, so it is essential to make sure you get your daily dose to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape.
Vitamin B6 This is a vitamin that is essential to biochemical reactions in the immune system. Your body cannot produce it, so you need to get it from food or supplements. Luckily this vitamin is found in many different foods!
Vitamin E This vitamin is full of antioxidants, which help your body to fight off infections. This is also easily consumed in many different types of foods.
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Immune Boosting Smoothie For Wellness
Whether you are looking for a refreshing drink, or want to give your wellness a little love, this immune boosting smoothie is the perfect recipe!
My immune system is pretty rock solid, something I credit to my overall attention to wellness. There are so many things that can help you fight those winter colds, and one of my favorites is delicious wholesome food!
Paleo Yogurt And Granola Smoothie
When it comes to plant-based yogurt, we tend to prefer coconut yogurt for smoothies because of its super creamy texture and mild tang that blends well with the other ingredients. However, unlike cow’s milk yogurt, plant-based yogurts tends to be lower in protein, so if you’re looking for this smoothie to fill you up and power you through the morning until lunchtime, we recommend adding a spoonful of paleo protein powder to the blender.
Get our recipe for Paleo Yogurt and Granola Smoothies.
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Substitutions For Immune Smoothie
Orange Juice: You can sub in pineapple juice or whatever other juice you like
Fresh Ginger & Turmeric: Fresh ginger and turmeric really work best in this recipe. You can use 1/4 teaspoon of dried ground ginger or dried turmeric
Carrots: Carrots are optional. You can sub in more fruit or even celery if youd like.
Spinach: You can omit spinach or sub in kale or your favorite greens.
Mango: You can sub in frozen pineapple for mango.
Are Smoothies Good When Sick
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that while there are no guaranteed smoothies that will cure an illness, helping support your immune system with nutrient-dense foods cant hurt.
Vitamin C alone wont cure a viral illness, but it will give your body the tools it needs to be able to battle it out. Same with the other vitamins I discuss below, there is no cure-all smoothie or drink.
But it is important to make sure you feed your body the nutrients it needs to be able to work at its best level. Smoothies are definitely a great way to do just that!
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Cashew Butter & Raspberry Smoothie
Cashews contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and are protein-rich. They are a great vegetarian source of copper and zinc. Frozen raspberries add a beautiful pink color, 9 grams of fiber, as well as 60% of the daily value of vitamin C to your smoothie.
Get our recipe for Cashew Butter & Raspberry Smoothies.
Smoothie Ingredients That Have Calming Effects
Berries, citrus, spinach, and yogurt
As I mentioned above, smoothies should have a healthy blend of fruits, vegetables and protein. In each of the smoothie ingredients listed above, milk and/or yogurt was mentioned as an ingredient that provides multiple nutritional benefits. So, in the Immune Boosting Smoothies I am going to share with you, they will each have milk and/or yogurt.
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Smoothies For Healthy Immune Systems
When you build a smoothie out of a variety of healthful ingredients, you are on the right track to having an immune system that functions well. Many of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are found in your smoothie ingredients are needed by your immune system. When you get a complete balance of nutrients every day, your whole body functions better.
Some of the nutrients that are particularly important for immunity include vitamins A, B2, B6, C, D, and E, and the minerals selenium and zinc. Make sure you vary your smoothies every day to get all kinds of good foods and a wide variety of nutrients in your daily diet.
Wait Why Is There Black Pepper In My Smoothie
As I mentioned above, turmeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties thanks to a compound called curcumin. To get a good dose of curcumin, youll need to add black pepper in with the turmeric, which enhances your bodys ability to absorb the compound. You wont be able to taste it at all. In fact it adds a nice zest of spice to the smoothie!
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Tips For Making The Best Green Smoothie
I used the unsweetened original Almond Breeze almondmilk flavor in this immune boosting smoothie recipe, but you could easily swap it with the coconut or vanilla flavor too.
The key to a well blended green smoothie is blending the liquid with the greens really well before adding the rest of the ingredients. Its the best way to avoid green chunks in your slurping straw and later in your toothy smile.
A lot of smoothies add banana for creaminess, but here simply freezing the fruit before blending does the job. If youre making this smoothie with fresh instead of frozen fruit, simply add 3-4 ice cubes when blending the liquid and greens and blend well.
Smoothies To Boost Your Immune System
Support your immune system and keep your belly balanced with these seven delicious smoothies, all made with fresh fruits, vegetables, and kefir!
We firmly believe that drinking a glass or two of kefir daily helps keep immune systems strong , but it never hurts to fortify your diet with extra vitamins and minerals. One of the easiest ways to do that is by blending up a custom kefir smoothie!
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Healthy Citrus Smoothie Ingredients
I LOVE this particular smoothie recipe because it can be made the night before and refrigerated until the next morning. I pour about two cups into these plastic freezer jars, making them a simple grab-and-go breakfast option.
My kids are CRAZY about them! And I love that each ingredient plays a role in keeping your immune system healthy:
Oranges Oranges are known for providing plenty of Vitamin C. I used two whole peeled navel oranges in this recipe for extra fiber. You can actually throw in whole unpeeled oranges for even more health benefits, but I really only recommend doing so if youre using organic oranges.
Mango Did you know that mangos actually contain twice the daily recommended value of Vitamin C? They add natural sweetness to this smoothie, so you wont find any added sugar in this recipe. I pick up the big bags of frozen mango chunks at Costco. Theyre great for a healthy snack option, too!
Bananas I almost always add a frozen banana to my smoothies because they make them so deliciously creamy. Theyre also great for extra energy and high in potassium , making them ideal for active kids.
Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk Every smoothie needs some liquid for blending, and refrigerated almond or coconut milk are both good choices for adding some plant-based protein. Choose your favorite, just make sure to pick up the unsweetened variety. Im loving this toasted coconut almond milk lately, its the best of both!
Other Ways To Help Your Immune System
Eating a balanced, healthy diet is a very important way to keep your immune system in good shape, and adding immune boosters to your smoothies helps even more. You can also do some other things as part of a healthy lifestyle to keep your immune system strong and to keep illness at bay.
- Get plenty of exercise. Raising your heart rate by doing aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, three times each week has been shown in research to increase your immune systems function. It does not have to be terribly rigorous either. Try a brisk walk five days a week.
- Laugh and relax more often. The act of laughing actually decreases the amount of stress hormones your body produces. At the same time, it increases the amount of certain white blood cells, a crucial part of your immune system for fighting infections. Relaxing has a similar effect because it helps to decrease stress hormones. Spend more time laughing with friends and watching funny movies. For relaxation, try practicing meditation.
- Get more sleep. Most Americans do not get nearly enough sleep each night. Adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep. When you are deprived of adequate sleep, you are more likely to get sick. This may be related to stress hormones, but researchers do not fully understand the connection.
Are there any other ingredients you feel I should have included? Do you have a specific immune boosting smoothie recipe or go to immune boosting ingredient? Please share in the comments below.
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Strawberries And Cream Smoothie
Looking for a smoothie that tastes like dessert? This strawberry one is also paleo, so you can indulge in it when the sweet cravings hit and you’re desperate for a naturally sweet paleo treat. Roasting strawberries in a bit of coconut sugar brings out their flavor so intensely that they taste more like strawberry candy than fruit. Blend them up with coconut water and frozen cashew milk, and you’ve got yourself a smoothie that’s more or less a strawberry milkshake. It can double as a paleo breakfast and paleo dessert.
Get our recipe for Strawberries and Cream Smoothies.
Immunity Boosting Smoothie Ingredients
In addition to maintaining a balanced daily diet, you can include some immune system boosters in your smoothies. While nothing is guaranteed, you can include these ingredients in your smoothies and expect to see positive results. Many of these have research to back up their benefits, but in some cases, experts would like to see more rigorous study for absolute proof that they help your immune system function better.
Probiotics:Probiotic is the term used for bacteria that are good for you. These are the little critters that live in your gastrointestinal tract and help you digest food. It is a symbiotic relationship. Research is just beginning to show that these helpful bacteria also work to improve your immune system. More specifically, taking a probiotic supplement has been shown to boost the immune system of participants in research and to reduce symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases and allergies. You can find probiotic supplements in any health food store and you can also eat yogurt or kefir with live and active cultures to get probiotics. See my kefir, yogurt, and fermented beverage smoothie category for recipes.
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Why We Love These Immune Boosting Smoothies
Smoothies are my go-to breakfast, but I find smoothie bowls to be far more satisfying. With the option to add just about any topping, they’ll keep you full for much longer!
As we head into winter, we could all use a bit of immune boosting. These 3 recipes feature a plethora of antioxidant-rich, immune-boosting ingredients to help you stay in tip-top shape!
The smoothies include: Pineapple Turmeric Ginger , Citrus Berry Ginger and Citrus Carrot . There’s a little something for everyone, and you can switch up the smoothies throughout the week to keep things fresh.
Where To Buy Elderberry Syrup
You can find Sambucol Elderberry Syrup at Target, Costco, , major drug stores and also on the Sambucol website. It’s been flying off the shelves since COVID-19 became a pandemic, which is exciting to see more and more people lean towards the natural remedies world.
Enjoy 15% OFF your Sambucol.com purchase with code SGS15.
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Golden Mango Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie bowls can be topped with anything that your heart desires. This particular recipe includes kiwi, mango, pomegranate seeds, and coconut chips as toppings for the mango smoothie bowl. However, if you would like to get creative, there are many smoothie bowl recipes to work with! Are you a fan of adding nut butters to your smoothies? How about some seeds? Better yet, sprinkle on some of your favorite granola for an extra satisfying crunch to this easy smoothie bowl recipe!
Get the recipe for our Golden Mango Smoothie Bowl.
Immune Boosting Green Ginger Smoothie
This Immune Boosting Green Ginger Smoothie is the perfect drink when you feel under weather. Packed with organic and wholesome ingredients like spinach, ginger, banana, maple syrup, oat milk, and pineapple. Enjoy the smoothie for breakfast or a nourishing snack.
Smoothies have always been on my weekly menu, even during winter. This smoothie is loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and immunity-boosting properties. Green smoothies are also perfect for the flu and cold season ahead. You can customize this smoothie to your taste and add your favorite smoothie ingredients like frozen berries, avocado chunks, or a spoon of chia seeds.
In this recipe, I used a ginger shot from Press Juices instead of fresh ginger, and it makes the smoothie even easier. Ginger shots contain a high level of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They are a great way to boost your immune system during winter and achieve your 5 a day. I also love Vitamin C and D shots from Press Juices, they are loaded with vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties to support your immune system.
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How To Meal Prep Healthy Smoothies
Smoothies are a meal prep star! Its so easy to measure out and chop your ingredients, then place them in a zip top freezer bag. Pop the bag into the freezer and then pull it out the morning you want to use it, dump directly into the blender and get it combined. Youll be enjoying your smoothie in no time at all. I love that this avoids lugging out my cutting board and chopping all the fruit on a busy weekday morning. Before I load up my freezer bag, I label it and include the steps, too.
If youve already made your smoothie but you have leftovers you can pour the leftover smoothie into ice cube trays and put it into the freezer. Then simply pop your cubes out and lightly blend before serving.
Faq’s And Expert Tips
How do you thicken a smoothie bowl?
The key is the perfect ratio of frozen and fresh ingredients to liquid. Frozen fruit helps make the smoothie thicker, while some fresh ingredients and a small amount of liquid help the smoothie blend. To make a smoothie thicker, we suggest adding more frozen fruit or a banana. We suggest starting with a small amount of liquid. You can always add more if necessary, but you may find that the smoothie will blend well without it.Do NOT add ice to a smoothie bowl. It will just make your smoothie grainy and watered down.
What should you add to make a smoothie sweeter?
We suggest using a natural sweetener, like medjool dates, agave, pure maple syrup or raw honey. Start with 1-2 teaspoon and add more if desired. When using dates in a smoothie, it’s best to soften them in warm water for about 10 minutes before blending, otherwise they may not blend well. Be sure to drain and remove the pit before adding to your blender.
How do I get a smoothie bowl to blend easily?
Instead of adding more and more liquid, my best tip is to slightly soften the frozen ingredients before blending. Frozen fruit blends SO much better when it’s not rock hard. You can either defrost at room temperature for about 15 minutes, or microwave for 30-45 seconds before blending.
What can I top my smoothie bowl with?
Pretty much anything! My favorite toppings include fresh berries, nut butter, coconut, granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, banana, pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, etc.
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Can I Make The Smoothie Ahead Of Time
You could make this smoothie ahead, by blending all ingredients together in a blender, then pour into a freezer-safe jar and freeze it overnight. The night before you plan to drink it, place the smoothie in the fridge to defrost. But just like any fruit and vegetable smoothie, this immune booster smoothie is best when freshly served.