Need Another Weapon to Stave Off Cold and Flu? Try Juicing

We're nearing the end of cold and flu season and if you haven't been down with either yet, consider yourself lucky … but not out of the woods yet. Hopefully you've gotten your flu shot, but to up your chances of staying healthy as winter draws to a close, you'll want to make sure your sleep schedule is steady and that your diet supports your immune system too. That's where juicing comes in. I always say that juicing puts the pharmacy in the palm of your hand. One swig of an emerald-green fruit-and-veggie nectar and you'll feel it instantly: You're revitalized, inspired, and the portrait of health — winter storms be damned.  When the weather is chilly or you're fighting off a cold, a warm, vitamin-infused drink can be the ultimate cure.

We first developed our Juice Farmacy for Broadway performers who frequent our 9th Avenue store in New York City. They requested ginger-spiked elixirs to help counteract a cold, or a warm, throat-soothing concoction that wouldn't dehydrate the vocal chords like caffeine does — all so that the show could go on. Actress Laura Linney has a drink dubbed the Dr. Bombay before every show. "It grounds me," she says, "soothes my whole system, and shores me up for eight shows a week."

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Chances are you own a basic blender. That will get you started whipping up blended drinks, but bear in mind that a $20 blender might lack the power to grind frozen fruits, and certainly raw nuts, into pureed or ground form. A burning smell during operation is a sure sign your blender can’t handle it. Medium-priced blenders can do a better job with frozen produce and achieve a good consistency. Look for a masticating or "single auger" juicer (affordable, easier to clean) or a twin-gear (also called "titrating") model if you are more demanding of your at-home juicer.  Before we get to the recipes, here are a few basics to keep in mind when making that perfect juice:

1. Pass your pulp through a second time to extract every ounce of juice from your produce.

2. Centrifugal juicers (which grind produce to a pulp and release the juice by spinning it) usually produce more foam in the juice because they are more oxygenated. If foam bothers you, pour juice through a tea strainer and squish it through with a clean finger.

3. Keep a toothbrush by your kitchen sink to clean pulp off your juicer’s metal graters.

Ready to keep fending off flu season? Here are the best concoctions you can make at home:

Grapefruit: Grapefruit is the vitamin C powerhouse your grandmother used to eat for breakfast every day. Ditch the idea that it's a breakfast for retirees and embrace this zingy fruit, which contains over 100 percent of your daily vitamin C in just one cup.

Pair it with a simple sprig of mint or make it the base of our Citrus Super C:
½ medium grapefruit, peeled
¾ cup pineapple
2 medium oranges, peeled
1 sprig mint

Orange: You may think of orange juice when you need to boost your vitamin C; so it’s only natural your mind goes to the original winter wonder. One large orange has over 160 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

The sweet orange makes a delicious base for any juice combination. Some of orange’s favorite co-conspirators include watermelon, pineapple, beet, apples, and spinach. Here's a simple recipe:
3 medium oranges, peeled
1 cup pineapple
½ small beet

Beets, it’s good to note, add a sweet, filling dynamic to juices — however, they aren’t high in vitamin C. While athletes rely on beet juice to help improve performance and increase energy, don’t rely on the round root for vitamin defense.

Other ingredients to grab:

Watermelons: They have a hefty dose of vitamin C, and are some of nature’s most hydrating emerald gems. Buy them off-season and use them liberally as a base, but you can do better when it comes to celebratory vitamin C fruits.

Mint: Add a touch of mint to grapefruit drinks. The easy-to-find herb helps soothe an upset stomach and has antiviral benefits to boot, making it a must-have in any grapefruit cold-buster.

Ginger: Ginger root is another potent and easy ingredient. It adds a spicy note to any recipe and complements every vitamin C citrus on the shelf. Grapefruit, orange, lemon — no matter the citrus base, add an inch of ginger to take advantage of nature’s strongest anti-inflammatory.

And here's one final favorite recipe from "The Juice Generation" to try. It's called the Verdant Vista. The bold green flavor of wheatgrass mingles seamlessly with the fresh sweetness of pineapple and pear — uplifted by a hint of mint — turning this detox drink into a delicious refresher.

Eric Helms is the founder of Juice Generation, the independent chain of juice bars. In 2009 he co-created Cooler Cleanse with Salma Hayek, which delivers detoxifying juice cleanses and raw food meals nationwide. His book, "The Juice Generation," was published in January 2014. Helms grew up in Virginia and lives in New York City.

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