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.
Ginger & Apple Cider Vinegar Soother
Apple cider vinegar has a high content of acetic acid and is also rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium. It improves immunity and helps clear the congestion of the respiratory tract.
Ginger on the other hand has several sesquiterpenes, which have antiviral properties, and are particularly effective against cold viruses.
Further, addition of honey and cayenne peppers increases the antimicrobial potency of this drink. Cayenne pepper has capsaicin that reduces inflammation of the nervous system.
Ingredients:
- Warm the water to a suitable temperature.
- Add the ginger and allow it to stand for a few minutes.
- Add apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper to this mixture.
- Drink in small sips while it is still warm.
Recommended intake:
You can have this drink once or twice a day.
When to consume:
Consume this on an empty stomach in the morning or before having a meal.However it is best to avoid this drink in case you suffer from conditions like acidity or indigestion.
Leafy Greens Are A Great Immune System Booster Food
Leafy greens are the powerhouse nutrition for vitamins A and C, as well as protein, fiber and calcium. They help clear out any toxins, leaving your body able to push past a cold and flu fast without relying on unnatural cough and cold syrups.
Parsley supports kidney function by flushing out excess fluid from the body. Its LOADED with vitamin K 1/2 cup is more than 500% the daily value. Whoa! The volatile oils and flavonoids in parsley have also been shown to be powerful antioxidants and may even fight the formation of tumors.
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Why Strengthen Your Immune System With A Smoothie
Supporting our immune system, particularly now more than ever, is vital for staying fit and healthy as we rely on it to defend ourselves against nasty disease-causing bugs, viruses, germs. When our immune system is strong, we can recover faster, increase our energy levels, improve our digestion, fight chronic fatigue, and avoid dreaded cold and flu season.
When made with the right immune-boosting ingredients, smoothies are a secret weapon to keep you feeling on top form. Plus, they are extremely versatile, so you can swap in your favourite fruit, vegetables, spices or other ingredients to suit your taste preference and health goals.
Are you lacking energy? Add a couple of handfuls of green leafy vegetables like spinach for an energising-dose of B vitamins. Are you feeling a bit under-the-weather? Load up with Vitamin-C rich fruits like strawberries, mango, pineapple and papaya. Are you struggling to get enough protein in your diet? Add a few tablespoons of hemp seeds or unsalted almond butter .
Whats In This Green Smoothie
Lets run down our smoothie benefits. This green smoothie is a far cry from tasting anything like the mega doses of greens and vitamins in it because of the natural sweetness of the fruit weve added to our blend.
I used both kale and spinach in this recipe for a mega doses of vitamin C. They provide a powerful antioxidant punch, plus calcium, folate and fiber to help boost immunity and sometimes even fight off infection.
Next up: the sweet stuff. Vitamin C-packed mango, pineapple and kiwi give this smoothie its sweet slurp. Mango has even been shown to protect against cancer and may help lower cholesterol. An extra squeeze of purifying lemon juice adds a fresh, bright squeeze, too.
To help ward against cold bugs even more, I added fresh ginger to the mix. Ginger has been proven to help with nausea, pain and inflammation. All the extras that come with a cold and general malaise.
Every smoothie needs a liquid and Almond Breeze Original Almondmilkdoes the best job here. I always have a box or two of the shelf stable Almondmilk in my pantry so that smoothie making is always an easy option.
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Homemade Immunity Boosting Drinks
Staying hydrated goes a long way in keeping your immune system healthy. Besides drinking sufficient water throughout the day, you can whisk up some of these nutrient-packed drinks to help your immune system.
Additionally, if you or your child does not like to eat certain fruits or vegetables, blending them into shakes or smoothies can help. This will ensure you do not miss out on the nutritional benefits of those fruits and vegetables.
Here are some of the tried and tested drinks made at home to boost immunity.
Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl
In addition to the health benefits you’ll get from the dragon fruit and the pineapple, this recipe also calls for a half cup of kombucha. The fermented drink is great for your immune system, and it’s a good source of probiotics, too. With all the healthy ingredients, this recipe is as nutrient-packed as it is delicious.
Get the recipe for our Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl.
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Peaches And Kale Smoothie Bowl
While it’s been a major player in the health scene for years, kale is still a superfood and a nutritional powerhouse. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which could help with eye health, as well as vitamin A, folate, and vitamin C. If you’re looking to add more of the green to your diet without eating yet another kale salad, this sweet bowl is a great place to start.
Get the recipe for our Peaches and Kale Smoothie Bowl.
Chocolate Tofu Smoothie With Reishi Mushroom
Don’t miss an opportunity to boost your tofu smoothie with some adaptogens. We’ve used reishi here for added immune support and sleep cycle regulation, but you can swap it out for an adaptogen of your choicelike a lion’s mane mushroom supplement for cognitive function or a cordyceps supplement for physical stamina .
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How To Make This Smoothie Thick & Creamy
I have a few tips & tricks for making this immune boosting wellness smoothie thick, cold and perfectly creamy every time:
Healthy Ways To Strengthen Your Immune System
Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward naturally keeping your immune system working properly. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables.
- Exercise regularly.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
- Get adequate sleep.
- Take steps to avoid infection, such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly.
- Try to minimize stress.
- Keep current with all recommended vaccines. Vaccines prime your immune system to fight off infections before they take hold in your body.
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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.
How To Make Healthy Smoothies To Boost Immune System
First and foremost, NO supplement or smoothie can substitute for an overall healthy diet and lifestyle. If youre eating well, making time for movement, getting enough sleep, and managing stress, youre already doing some of the BEST things you can for your immune system! But, these immune boosting smoothie recipes can certainly provide some powerful support.
Part of why I like Athletic Greens is its not trying to be a replacement. It truly supplements an already-healthy lifestyle. It eliminates the need for taking a multivitamin or tons of capsules, and I can add it into a smoothie as part of a healthy meal or snack. Plus, Athletic Greens also supports healthy energy levels, hormone balance, gut healthmuch more than just immunity!
Also important to note: making healthy smoothies to boost immune system health isnt about using a particular supplement. The true secret lies in using nutritious, colorful whole foods that are rich in essential nutrients. Our immune systems are complex, and we need a variety of quality nutrients to keep things in tip-top condition!
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Where To Buy These Herbs
Seeds and supplies can be purchased online from your local garden center. Additionally, these online seed and garden companies offer a bounty of choices to start your culinary herb garden:
- Botanical Interests seed company specializes in all things for the home gardener.
- Johnny’s Seeds offers an array of seeds and supplies for gardeners and farmers.
- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds focuses on heirloom seeds and obscure, intriguing, and difficult-to-find varieties.
- Gardeners Supply Company has everything you need to get an herb garden started.
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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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Green Smoothie Recipes + Immunity Smoothie Toppers
For some inspiration on your immunity smoothie journey, check out the double-layer immune boosting smoothie recipes that I came up with! Each recipe features a base green smoothie recipe PLUS an immunity smoothie topperfor some colorful flare and an added immune system boost.
Of course, if youd rather just make the base green smoothie recipe and skip the topper, go for it! Or, if the immunity smoothie topper recipe intrigues you more, go ahead and blend that up without the green smoothie base. Adjust the ingredients and ingredient amounts however you like, to come up with the immune boosting smoothie recipes that YOU want to drink!
TIPS for Double Layered Smoothies
Personally, I think the double-layering adds a nice touch to these immune boosting smoothie recipes. And when healthy food looks appealing, I enjoy it more! So, if you DO choose to prepare these as double-layer smoothies, here are some tips:
- Make sure that the bottom layer green smoothie is thick enough in texture to support the topper.
- For the thickest texture, make sure that your fruit is really frozen, and start with less liquid at first rather than more.
- Finally, if you need to thicken up any of these after blending, just add a spoonful of coconut flour and blend again until youve got the texture you like!
How To Make A Smoothie
1. Load: Add all of your ingredients to a high powered blender in the order they are listed above.
2. Blend: Process everything until its completely blended.
3. Test: Give it a little taste to test for sweetness. Adjust accordingly. If youre looking for a thicker smoothie, blend in more ice to make it thicker.
4. Serve: Pour your immunity boosting smoothie into your favorite glass or tumbler, insert a steel straw and garnish with fresh orange wedges. Enjoy!
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Benefits Of Black Elderberry Syrup
Black elderberries are a natural remedy to boost the immune system. I first learned about it from a friend, whos mom and grandmother used it. Its a natural remedy passed on generation to generation because it has been shown to work.
This plant-powered elderberry syrup is rich in a particular antioxidant: flavonoids. Flavonoids help prevent damage from free radicals at the cellular level. A particular flavonoid, anthocyanins, is found heavily in black elderberries.
In fact, the United State Department of Agriculture found that black elderberries contain nearly twice the amount of anthocyanins compared with other berries. Some studies suggest that consuming elderberries can help support and maintain a healthy immune system. Elderberries are also a good source of vitamins A, B, and C, which are also important for immune function.
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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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.
Ingredient And Flavor Combo Ideas
To cover those top 3 vitamins youll want to ensure you add in some of the below ingredient ideas:
Vitamin C oranges, chili peppers, sweet yellow peppers, guava, mustard greens, spinach, kale, kiwi, broccoli, lemons, papaya, pineapple, mango and strawberries.
Vitamin B6 chickpeas, bananas, squash, spinach, tofu, watermelon, and nuts.
Vitamin E wheatgerm oil, sunflower seeds or oil, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, spinach, collard greens, beet greens, leafy greens in general, pumpkin, mango, and avocado.
Other vitamins that can be helpful too:
Vitamin a: mango, carrot, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli
Zinc: mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, kale, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, pinenuts, peanuts, pecans, and cashews
Also, vitamin d is good, but most of it is not vegan unless you have fortified orange juice or soy milk.
The good news is, many of these will go really well together! Other than the recipe I give here, here are a couple of simple combination ideas for you to try:
- Orange, Mango, and Banana
- Chili pepper, Papaya, Kiwi, and Mango
- Watermelon, Mint, and Lime
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Raspberry & Peach Swirled Smoothie
Turmeric is the perfect ingredient for boosting your immune system, and it’s in this smoothie recipe! This two-layer paleo fruit smoothie is almost too pretty to drink. By basically making two distinct recipesa vibrant yellow smoothie featuring peaches and turmeric, and a pink smoothie with beets and cherriesyou get two distinct, delicious layers, as well as an Instagram-worthy healthy breakfast.
Get our recipe for Raspberry & Peach Swirled Smoothies.
Health Benefits Of Apples:
Its naturally sweet from the fruit. An apple a day keeps a doctor away has truth to it, apples are very nutritional. They contain a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Apples could also help with weight loss since they are so filling from the fiber.
This is so true, when I went sugar-free, I ate an apple every time I wanted to eat something sweet or have a snack. They helped me stop the sweet cravings and made me feel full.
Carrot
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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!
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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