The stronger your immune system, the less chance you’ll have of falling ill and if you do, the quicker you’ll recover. To make sure your immune system is in tip-top condition, it pays to think about what you’re putting into your body.
There are a number of foods that you should try to introduce to your diet to support your immune system, but if you don’t fancy chewing on raw broccoli or garlic, you could try one or more of these five drinks instead. As well as being super tasty, they’ll be even easier for your body to digest and absorb because they’re in fluid form.
Hot lemon and ginger tea
Lemon and ginger are full of anti-oxidants and vitamins so drinking a cup every day can be good for your immune system. Ginger can also help increase blood circulation and lemons can help sooth inflammation. For extra support, you could sprinkle some cinnamon on top as this can slow down any bacteria in your system and stop it from multiplying so quickly.
Watermelon and mint smoothie
If you love smoothies, why not have a go at making your own using a few slices of watermelon and some mint? Watermelon is an immune-supporting food as it contains lycopene. If your nose is bunged up, the mint will help you breathe more easily as it contains menthol.
Berry smoothie
Berries are really good for you as they’re full of the vitamins your body needs. You could combine strawberries with raspberries and blueberries or mix it up with some other types of fruit for an even more nutritious meal.
Orange or grapefruit juice
A glass of your favourite citrus juice every morning with your breakfast will give your body some much needed vitamin C, which will help it fight off any infections. You could make your own juice or buy it ready-made, the decision is yours. If you don’t like citrus fruits, a glass of tomato juice is a good alternative as tomatoes are rich in vitamin C too.
Kale, broccoli and spinach juice
If you don’t like eating vegetables, then this juice may not sound very appetising to you, but it’s worth giving it a try because it’s so good for your immune system. These vegetables are bursting with vitamins A, K, C (amongst other vitamins), calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium. And the taste might just surprise you!
Need more inspiration?
There are plenty of other juices and smoothies you can either make yourself or buy. The key is to experiment and find one or more that you particularly like the taste of, as this will make drinking them so much easier, and make it something you can look forward to.
If you’re short of time, you could add a superfood powder to your smoothie. There’s lots of different flavours to try and are packed with vitamins to ensure you get a boost.
Last updated: 6 May 2020
