Cold Fighting Smoothie

When you’re sick with a cold, this cold fighting smoothie is just the thing you need! It’s full of immune boosting ingredients to help you feel better. And it tastes delicious!

When I’m sick, I always want a smoothie! It sounds good AND it’s an ideal way to pack in nutrients. This smoothie for a cold is packed with vitamins and minerals to help you feel better in no time!

Foods that Help Fight Colds:

While a smoothie isn’t a cure-all for a cold, it’s an easy way to enjoy healthy foods that support your immune system! A cold busting smoothie is only as effective as the ingredients it contains.

Here’s some nutrient-dense foods to help you fight sickness:

• Greens – Dark leafy greens are packed with iron, vitamin C, folate, and polyphenols. Polyphenols act as antioxidants and fight inflammation in your body.
• Fruit – Fruit is a good source of minerals, vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C, an antioxidant that supports your immune system. Especially citrus fruits!
• Avocado – A good source of monounsaturated fats, calories, and fiber. Plus they’re bland and blend well in smoothies.
• Seeds – Chia seeds, flax seeds, and hemp hearts are rich in essential fatty acids and plant-based protein.
• Carrots – A good source of beta-carotene, a vitamin A carotenoid. Use fresh squeezed carrot juice as a liquid base or add a handful of frozen carrots.
• Ginger root – Contains anti-inflammatory properties and beneficial plant compounds. Try a teaspoon of ginger paste in your next smoothie.
• Veggies – Vegetables are nutrient-dense! You can sneak them into smoothies. Try frozen broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots.

Key Ingredients:

• Banana – Creates a creamy smoothie! Bananas are rich in potassium, which help replenish your electrolytes. They’re easy to digest and they add natural sweetness. Win, win!
• Baby spinach – Spinach is nutrient dense and blends right in! It does alter the color a bit, but don’t worry about that. Baby greens pulverize better and they boast the same nutrients as mature greens.
• Hemp hearts – I buy a big bag at Costco! I love hemp hearts because they add plant-based protein with all nine essential amino acids AND they taste great. They don’t add texture like chia seeds. They just blend right in.
• Mango – Mangoes are rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, and fiber.
• Raspberries – Raspberries are rich in anthocyanins, antioxidants that prevent disease.
• Orange juice – For a boost of vitamin C. You can use fresh-squeezed navel orange (my favorite!) or store-bought. Avoid orange juice from concentrate.

How to Make a Cold Busting Smoothie:

This cold busting smoothie is easy to make!

• Combine ingredients: Combine the banana, baby spinach, hemp hearts, frozen mango, frozen raspberries, orange juice, water, and honey (if using).

• Blend: Start on low speed, then gradually increase the speed to high. Blend until the spinach is pulverized and the texture is smooth.
• Serve: Pour into glasses and enjoy immediately!

Substitutions & Variations:

• Kale – You can swap the baby spinach with baby kale.
• Protein – Add 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt, 3 tablespoons of protein powder, or another tablespoon of hemp hearts.
• Fruit – Swap the raspberries with strawberries, blueberries, or pineapple.
• Cucumber – Add 1/2 cup of chopped cucumber. Omit the water since cucumbers are more than 90 percent water.
• Sweetener – For a sweeter smoothie, add honey, light agave, maple syrup, or stevia. Or for less tang, swap half the orange juice with water or almond milk.

Expert Tips:

Smoothies are simple to make! There’s not much to it. That being said, there are a few things you can do to make a better smoothie.

• Combine ingredients from softest to hard. It gives the blades something to catch and reduces stalling. The liquid can go in first, last, or whenever. It sinks to the bottom anyway!
• Invest in a high-quality blender. A high-speed blender with a powerful motor pulverizes greens and veggies SO much better. A regular blender leaves you with little bits of pieces all throughout your smoothie.
• Use baby greens! They boast the same nutritional profile as mature greens but they have softer leaves so they blend easily.

Healthy Smoothie Recipes:

• Liver Detox Smoothie
• Detox Island Green Copycat Recipe
• Blueberry Banana Spinach Smoothie
• Alkaline Smoothie
• Clear Skin Smoothie
• Tropical Carrot Banana Smoothie