Get ready for the flu season and prepare this immune-boosting turmeric and ginger drink. It’s very powerful, full of vitamins and antioxidants. That comes very handily especially when the temperature outside is low!
When the winter season is coming, I feel like I have to get ready for the flu season, too. I am talking about talking about nasty winter in Australia where I live. It’s great to be here in summer, but not so great in winter!
Boosting the immune system is important for a few different reasons. One of them is not to get sick when the temperature outside drops significantly. How can you boost your immune system?
The easiest way how to strenghten your immune system is to eat the right foods. You want to look for foods that contain a lot of vitamin C and many powerful antioxidants.
The foods rich in vitamin C and antioxidants are:
- Citrus fruits: lemon, grapefruit, lime, oranges, clementines, tangerines…
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Papaya
How to make this immune-boosting turmeric and ginger drink?
Use turmeric root.
I used about 5-6 cm long (2.5 inches). I gently removed the skin with a knife. You can also peel it with a peeler, depending on how thick the skin is. I then cut it in small pieces and place it in a blender.
Turmeric is well known for its bright yellow colour and a bitter taste. But don’t worry, it won’t turn a dish bitter. It has been used for thousands of years because of its anti-inflammatory properties. The ancient civilizations praised turmeric for its power to treat osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Apart from using turmeric as an immune booster, it helps with other medical treatments. Turmeric can help prevent cancer (some kinds), improve memory, and help reduce stress and anxiety.
The best use of turmeric in cooking is in curries, sauces, soups, and as a natural yellow colouring.
Try these recipes with turmeric:
- Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Dhal
- Cardamon And Orange Christmas Cookies
- Winter Lentil Soup (One Pot)
- Spicy Lentil And Chickpea Soup
- Miso Glazed Eggplant With Turmeric Sauce
- Creamy Mung Bean Curry
Use ginger root.
Ginger is another amazing natural remedy with anti-inflammatory properties. It has very distinguishing, a little bit of spicy flavour. You can make delicious ginger tea when you are sick. Ginger drink makes you feel the warmth almost instantly!
You have definitely come across ginger lozenges that help treat a sore throat. That’s because ginger reduces inflammation and also helps with pain!
Ginger is frequently used in sweet dishes, desserts, sweet baking (such as a famous gingerbread or gingerbread cookies) but in some cuisines, especially Indian or Thai, ginger adds the right spicy flavour to curries and stir-fries.
Try these recipes with ginger:
- Spicy Gingerbread Men
- Gingerbread Smoothie Bowl
- Mango Chickpea Curry
- Tom Yum Zoodle Soup (Vegan And Gluten-free)
- Asian Salad With Fried Tofu
- Vegan General Tso’s Tofu
Use lemon juice.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the most powerful and it’s loaded with vitamin C! Vitamin C is absolutely necessary for the white cell production. These cells are important for fighting infections and inflammation in a body.
Lemon has antiviral and antibacterial properties and therefore it’s very good for boosting the immune system. Drinking warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a little bit of maple syrup enhances your immune system very well.
Lemin is used as a natural remedy for other medical problems: fading scars, controlling high blood pressure, relieving nausea, stopping internal and nose bleeding, treating rheumatism and arthritis and others.
In cooking, lemon is used to make lemonades, tea, and other cold or warm drinks. It can be used to make cheesecakes, sour cream, cheese cream, cheeses, dressing, and sour sauces.
Try these recipes with lemon:
- Raw Lemon And Strawberry Cheesecake
- Zucchini ‘Carpaccio’
- Mango And Blue Spirulina Popsicles
- Vegan Tuna Salad
- Lemon Pasta With Sage And Spinach
- Vegan Dragon Fruit Tartlets
Wh does this recipe use black pepper??
Turmeric might be hard to absorb into the bloodstream and using freshly cracked black pepper can significantly help the turmeric absorption. Thanks to the compound piperine in black pepper turmeric may breakdown in liver more easily.
Piperine has other benefits, such as relieve nausea, headaches, and helping improve the poor digestion. Therefore, using frequently black pepper in your cooking may have some beneficial side effects for you!
Imunne-Boosting Turmeric and Ginger Drink
Equipment
- Small glass jars or shot glasses with a lid (about 15 ml)
- Fine sieve
- Blender
Ingredients
- 6 cm/2.5 inch turmeric piece1) skin peeled, cut in small pieces
- 8 cm/3.1 inch ginger piece skim peeled, cut in small pieces
- 1 large carrot peeled if preferred, cut in small pieces
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 cups water distilled if preferred
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or more if preferred sweeter
- 1/4 tsp black pepper cracked
Instructions
- Place the ginger and turmeric pieces in a blender. Add water, carrot, and lemon juice. Process for a few minutes, until you won't see any large pieces.
- Pass the drink through a fine sieve. Add maple syrup, freshly cracked black pepper, and stir. Add more maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter taste.
- Pour in desired glasses (try these 15 ml shot glasses) or jars and store in a fridge for 7 days.
- Discard the pulp or let it dry in a sunny place and use it later as spice for your curries, stir-fries or soups.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @writtenbyvegan or use hashtag #writtenbyvegan or share it with your friends and family! You can also rate this recipe below! 🙂