Worried About Getting Sick? Try These 8 Homemade Immunity Boosting Drinks

Our immune system is a shield that is at work round the clock, fighting the germs, viruses, and all other detrimental foreign substances that enter our body one way or the other. These foreign substances that are harmful to our health are called antigens.

Our immune system makes antibodies (aka immunoglobulins) to fight or keep you protected from the known antigens if they attack you again. We, Indians, have always been aware of the importance of a better immune system for a better life. We have several desi/gharelu nuskhe (homemade remedies) for various common diseases/fevers.

Be it a spoonful of honey with roasted pepper powder for cough and cold or a glass of warm milk with turmeric powder and cloves as an immune booster and better sleep inducer before bed. We all have been handed over these ayurvedic recipes by our elders.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, we all got a bit more careful about our health & immunity.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also stated that our first and essential defense against Covid-19 is a better immune system. The stronger our immune system is, the faster we can recover from the infection.

Here we will share some quick and easy recipes to prepare some of the best immune booster drinks at home with herbs and spices that are readily available in the local market.

Turmeric tea

Turmeric has been a part of Indian households for thousands of years. It has also been used as a herb in Ayurveda.

Turmeric contains a chemical called Curcumin that is yellow, hence the turmeric. Studies have revealed that Curcumin is therapeutic as it has immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.

Regular intake of homemade immune booster Turmeric tea protects you against many life-threatening diseases and helps fight the existing ones.

Ingredients

3 cups of water.
1 tablespoon turmeric powder or freshly grated turmeric
2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Few pinches freshly ground black pepper
½ tablespoon ground cinnamon

Method

- Bring the water to a boil, add turmeric and Cinnamon.
- Let it simmer for 5 to 7 minutes at low flame.
- Strain it in a mug, add the lemon juice, pepper, and honey.

Immune Booster Tea

This tea is a power-packed combination of 6 ingredients with immense health benefits, especially an immune booster.

Ingredients

1.5 cup of water
1/4 tsp grated ginger (fresh, preferably organic)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (or sub with 1/2 inch piece of a cinnamon stick)
1 clove
2 pinches freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried Indian basil leaves (preferably sub with 1 tsp fresh Indian basil leaves)
1 tsp honey
1/4 fresh lemon

Method

- In a small, heavy-bottom pan, bring filtered water to a boil over medium heat.
- Add all the spices and herbs. Simmer over low heat for two minutes.
- Turn the heat off, cover the pan with a lid, and let the spices and herb steep for another two minutes.
- Use a tea strainer to transfer the tea without the spices and add lemon through the filter. Enjoy hot with a tsp of maple syrup.

Chicken Bone Broth

Chicken bone broth is rich in vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus & amino acids. It also contains collagen, which is the most abundant protein in the bones, muscles, connective tissues, and skin in mammals.

Ingredients

Chicken bones
½ cups of water
¼ spoon apple cider vinegar
A pinch of sea salt and black pepper
1 sliced lemon
A small quantity of essential herbs & spices like basil, Cinnamon, cloves, etc.

Method

- Add chicken bones in a pot or kadhai, add water, add the vinegar, add the herbs and spices with salt and pepper.
- Bring it to a boil, reduce the flame and let it simmer for at least 5 to 6 hours until it reduces to ? or ½. The thicker it is, the more protein it has.
- Strain the soup/broth in a pot/jar and store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days or transfer to the freezer in a tightly sealed container for 2 to 3 months.
- Don’t forget to leave some space in the box as the frozen broth may expand.

Carrot Ginger Soup

This soup is a combo of two incredibly nutritious and therapeutic vegetables. Carrot is known for its richness in vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper & Iron. It gets better when cooked as cooked carrots have a higher level of phenolic acid & beta-carotene

Ingredients

350 grams chopped carrot
8 grams ginger or 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
60 grams onion or ? cup chopped onions
2 cups water or add as required
salt as required
¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or add as required
1 tablespoon olive oil or mustard oil
some fresh herbs like parsley, coriander, mint, or thyme

Method

- Heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Stir and saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Add the chopped ginger and saute for a minute. Now, add the chopped carrots, add salt and pepper, and saute for 2 minutes.
- At this point, add water and cover the pan to let it simmer on a medium flame till the carrots are tender.
- When the carrots are well cooked, and the heat has come down to warm, transfer the contents from pan to a grinder or blender.
- Add little water and make a puree.
- Pour the puree in the pan, add black pepper, add some water, according to the consistency required, and simmer it on a low flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve it hot after adding the herbs.

Golden Milk

This traditional Indian homemade immune booster drink has many health benefits as each ingredient used in the preparation has immense health & therapeutic benefits.

Ingredients

1 mug Milk
6 to 8 soaked almonds
1 tablespoon honey
1 spoon freshly grated turmeric or ½ spoon turmeric powder
½ spoon freshly grated ginger
2 pinches of black pepper powder
½ spoon cinnamon powder or 1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves (laung)
2 pinches of cardamom powder or 2 cardamoms

Method

- Pour the milk in a pan, add all the ingredients except almonds, bring to a boil and let it simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- When the milk is the mild strain in the mug and enjoy the soothing drink with the almonds. Sip and chew to the nirvana.

Garam Tamarind Rasam Tea

Rasam is a magical soup brought to the world by South India. All the critical ingredients in Rasam are highly nutritious and therapeutic in themselves.

Ingredients

1 soaked tamarind
1 chopped tomato
¼ spoon turmeric
4 cups of water
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
2 spoon mustard oil
Salt as per taste

Rasam Masala

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
½ tablespoon black pepper seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 red chilies
2 pinches of hing powder
15 curry leaves

Method

- Roast cumin, coriander seeds, pepper, and red chilies in a pan or tawa and let it cool.
- Add the garlic, coriander leaves, curry leaves in a blender, and the roasted spices and make a masala paste.
- Now, Take a kadai and add the mustard oil. Let it heat, then add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- When it starts spluttering, add the hing & turmeric followed by the chopped tomato, salt, and tamarind water.
- Let it boil for 10 minutes and then add the masala paste. - Keep it on a low flame for another 5 minutes.
- Serve hot after adding some coriander leaves for aroma.

Green Juice

This green juice is a treasure of various life-saving nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, iron, antioxidants, and more. It comes with many great therapeutic & health benefits.

Ingredients

1 leaf of kale without stem
Cucumber peeled and chopped – 1
1 rib celery
1 cup spinach
1½ spoon lime juice
1½ spoon fresh ginger root peeled
Pinch of salt
½ olive oil
1 cup of water

Method

- Add all the ingredients in the blender and let it blend.
- Pour it into a jar, add ice (if required) & enjoy.

Ragi Malt

Ragi is an ancient grain that is gluten-free, rich in fiber, and has numerous health benefits. Ragi has been an essential part of the kitchen staple in South India for centuries.

It is popularly known as Finger millet in English and Madua or Mandua or Nachni in North India. Ragi is considered to be a superfood due to the abundance of nutrients in it.

High in fiber, high in protein, rich in antioxidants, loaded with vitamins and calcium.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons ragi flour (finger millet flour)
3 cups of water
6 tablespoons jaggery powder
¼ tablespoon cardamom powder
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon chopped cashews

Method

- Dissolve the ragi flour in ½ cup water without forming any lumps.
- Boil 2 cups of water in a pan, add the ragi paste.
- Stir continuously keeping the flame on medium. It will start becoming thick in around 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the jaggery and stir until the jaggery dissolves in the paste.
- Now add the milk and cardamom powder and mix on low flame.
- Pour the malt in a mug and add the jaggery as per taste.