"Summer Homemade" Vegetable & Fruit Juice to Boost Your Immunity

Due to the effects of extreme climate change, South Korea, like neighboring Southeast Asian countries, is projected to become a subtropical country by the end of this century. According to Professor Choi Young-eun of Konkuk University, at a 2019 forum on the "Outlook for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report," "Without greenhouse gas reduction efforts, winters in Seoul will be about 40 days shorter and summers about 40 days longer between 2071 and 2100 than in the past 10 years." Professor Choi also said, "Winters will disappear in Busan and Jeju." Therefore, I believe that climate change is also an area that South Korea should pay attention to.

Summer's hot weather makes us sweat a lot and tire easily. With the sweltering heat of summer approaching every year, what daily efforts can we make to boost our immunity?

First, many people seem to be focusing on boosting their immune health through immune-boosting supplements in the COVID-19 era. In fact, according to an article published in Harvard Health Publishing in February 2021, people maintain their immune health by consuming vitamins A, C, B6, E, zinc, and folic acid. However, the article also states that taking these various supplements alone is not enough to fully boost immunity. Therefore, it is important to consistently consume seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Let's learn about three easy-to-make summer homemade immunity-boosting vegetable and fruit juices and their recipes.

Strawberry Lemonade

Strawberries are said to be a natural source of not only high amounts of vitamin C, but also folic acid (vitamin B9), which is beneficial for pregnant women, and fisetin, a flavonoid that inhibits the body's antioxidant action. Therefore, a healthy dose of fresh strawberries and lemon can help boost your immune system this summer.

*Strawberry Lemonade Recipe*

- Cut off the stems of the strawberries and blend them with the lemon juice in a blender until they become liquid. If you prefer a juice without the pulp, strain it once more and pour it into a bottle. - Prepare a 2L (1/2 gallon) glass bottle. Slice the lemon and put it in the glass with the blended strawberries and lemon juice. Do not add too much water and add ice to keep the finished juice cool. - Place the remaining lemon and strawberry slices in the prepared glass and enjoy.

Beta juice

According to the Korea Foodservice Industry Management Research Institute, beets, also known as "red radish," have nearly eight times the antioxidant effect of betaine compared to tomatoes. They are also very low in calories (37 kcal / 100 g) and are rich in nutrients such as manganese, iron, and vitamin C. In particular, beets are high in vitamins and iron, which helps protect the stomach lining and promote red blood cell production. Furthermore, one of the health benefits of beets is their blood purification function, which is also beneficial for menopausal women. Finally, beets are known to contain approximately 8% chlorine, which is known to be very beneficial for the development of infants, who require bone formation.

* Beet Juice (Hot Pink Cooler) Recipe *​

- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and wash the beets. At this time, remove the roots of the beets and cut off the ends with a knife. - Drop 3-4 drops of olive oil on the beets and coat them evenly. Wrap them well in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet. Place them in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes (if you are making a lot of beet juice, we recommend using more beets). Take out the beets and let them cool to room temperature (cooling process), then store them in the refrigerator. - Remove the beets from the aluminum foil and blend the beets and ginger root in a blender. Add orange and lemon juice to enhance the flavor. Enjoy with ice.

Cucumber Mint Cooler

Cucumbers, also known as the "vegetable of the gods," contain a large amount of vitamin C (about 14% of the daily recommended value), vitamin K, and potassium per cucumber (300g), but contain only 45 kcal, with little fat and carbohydrates. Cucumbers also contain antioxidant bioactive compounds like cucurbitacin and apigenin, as well as fisetin, which is said to help remove aging cells.

* Cucumber Mint Cooler Recipe *

- Place half a cucumber and 1/2 cup of grated mint in a 500ml cup with water. - Cover and refrigerate for an appropriate amount of time to allow the mint and cucumber flavors to intensify. Then, add ice and enjoy.

Taking care of your immune health in the hot summer of the COVID-19 era with 'Summer Homemade Immunity Boosting Vegetable & Fruit Juice' that you can easily make and drink at home seems like a win-win situation.

<Source of information>

[1] Yonhap News

[2] Science All

[3] Cancer Answer.

[4] Comedy.com

[5] Kyunghyang Shinmun

[6] CrediBlog

[7] Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard University Medical School)

[8] Timesnownews.com