Beating Summer Colds: Power Fighting Vitamin C Smoothie

Summer colds are the absolute worst. There's nothing more heartbreaking than seeing your child miss out on summer fun with friends and family because he or she is trapped in the house with a runny nose. Not to mention that experts say summer colds typically last longer than their winter counter parts and even have a higher chance of reoccurring—that's because the virus that make most people sick in the summer, enterovirus, is a lot more potent than rhino and corona viruses which cause upper respiratory issues in the winter.

To make sure that your little one(s) don't get sick this summer or at the very least keep infections at bay, it's important that you help boost up your child's immunity and natural defense system. One of the easiest ways to do this is to load him or her up with the recommended amount of antioxidants and vitamin c: 15 mg/day for children ages 1 to 3; 25 mg/day for children 4 to 8; and 54 mg/day for children ages 9 to 13. To help you on your mission, below is a vitamin-c packed smoothie delicious enough to enjoy for breakfast or as a midday snack—they're also great at keeping your child cool in the summer heat. 

This recipe yields two, perfect for twins.  

Ingredients

½ cup of low fat plain yogurt (my kids prefer Greek yogurt)

½ cup of frozen strawberries

1 orange, peeled, de-seeded and quartered

1 banana, peeled and chopped

1 kiwi, peeled and chopped

½ cup of Apple Juice

6 ice cups

In a blender, combine all of the "solid ingredients" including the yogurt, strawberries, orange, banana, and kiwi until a smooth mixtures develops. Then add the liquid ingredients— the apple juice and ice cups. Continue blending until well mixed. If your child would like it more thick, you can add a dollop more of yogurt. Or if your child would like it colder, place the smoothies in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired temperature.

Does anyone else have some great smoothie recipes loaded with vitamin c and other antioxidants to help to battle colds and other illnesses?

Amelia Wood, a blogger and freelance writer, lives to offer medical billing and coding advice to the curious job-seeker as well as diet and nutrition tips for the average consumer. Direct any questions or comments to amelia1612@gmail.com.