Vitamin C-packed 'shots' may help prevent the sniffles or fight an existing cold
With cold and flu season in full swing, many people are seeking natural remedies to either treat their symptoms or give their immune system a boost in advance of the sniffles.
One trending way to treat a cold is with "wellness shots" — small, roughly two-ounce "shots" of juices and other ingredients.
Typical ingredients in these "shots" include ginger, citrus juices and turmeric.
Wellness shots are "a great way to get a quick boost of nutrients into your diet," Ana Reisdorf, MS, RD, told Fox News Digital.
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"Turmeric, ginger, probiotics and apple cider vinegar all have nutritional properties that may be beneficial and may support immune health," she said.
While acknowledging that these ingredients are not "magical" in terms of curing a cold, "they can help provide additional nutrition to help you get better," said Reisdorf, who writes for the Food Trends website and is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
The ingredients in "wellness shots" may provide an immunity boost to help ward off or fight off a cold, according to some experts. (iStock)
Wellness shots are available at grocery stores and for order online. They can be homemade as well.
Lifestyle expert Limor Suss of New York shared her recipe for wellness shots with Fox News Digital.
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Her shots combine orange juice, lemon juice, ginger, turmeric, and pepper — and Suss recommended buying frozen ginger and turmeric from the grocery store for an even easier recipe.
‘Wellness Shot’ Recipe from Limor Suss
Ingredients
2 oz. orange juice (fresh-squeezed, if possible)
1 ounce lemon juice (fresh-squeezed, if possible)
1 cube frozen ginger
1 cube frozen turmeric
Black or cayenne pepper, to taste
Lifestyle expert Limor Suss of New York shared her recipe for "wellness shots" that she makes each year during cold and flu season. (Limor Suss)
Instructions
Put all ingredients into a pint glass, starting with the turmeric and ginger.
Stir until combined.
Strain into two-ounce shooter glasses.
Citrus fruits contain Vitamin C, which boosts the immune system. (iStock)
The recipe can be scaled up as needed, Suss told Fox News Digital.
To do this, she recommended using a 2:1 ratio of orange juice to lemon juice — and 1:1 for turmeric and ginger.
And while black pepper may seem like an odd addition to the shot, it is actually key for maximizing the health benefits of another ingredient, she said.
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Turmeric, said Suss, has anti-inflammatory properties.
When the turmeric is combined with black pepper, it enhances the body's ability to absorb it by up to 2,000%, according to research.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Christine Rousselle is a lifestyle reporter with Fox News Digital.
