Vitamin C in the Vitamix! It doesn’t get much sweeter or prettier than bright orange to lift the mood, bring energy and help fight off a bad cold.
I found myself nursing fevers and colds for five days in a row, and not only was I determined to bring wellness front and center, I went to war staging a front line of healthy food like smoothies and bone broth so I wouldn’t catch whatever it was that brought continuous high fever and coughing.
After green smoothies, red smoothies and purple smoothies, we went orange.
What a mood changer orange is. The color alone lifted spirits and the taste of oranges, and strawberries is kid friendly and fun, while not having a processed juice anywhere in sight.
We all know that oranges are famous for Vitamin C, but did you know strawberries have almost the same amount. 1 cup of strawberries has 89 mg of calcium. The good news is that kids love them, and they freeze so well.
The carrot is full of Vitamin A, and apples are all around healthy and go into just about every smoothie I make. If you don’t have oranges or want even more Vitamin C, add in frozen pineapple, one of the biggest health boosters around.
Here’s a funny video getting kids to help.
These fruits and veggies are exceptionally healthy, but a few of them have gotten a bad reputation for being high in carbs in our low carb world. This makes me a little crazy, because while I avoid processed carbs, I embrace whole food carbs, and especially fresh fruits and vegetables while the body is fighting off infection and viruses. I confess to a few years of my life being afraid of oranges and carrots. That’s so silly! Beyond silly, as the only orange food anyone should be afraid of comes in a box and in a bag and you know what they are.
So do indulge, especially when you’re sick, and make sure you read up on how to treat a fever, your own and those in your care. After doing some research on treating fevers, I thought I’d pass some helpful information on. (I’m not a doctor, just passing on some helpful tips; do consult your physician).
I’ve listed a few good articles and videos regarding fever, but wanted to quickly share a few important tips.
- Do not go old school and use cold rags, ice packs or a cold bath, which may actually interfere with the body’s ability to regulate itself, unless directed by a physician. Ice packs may cause chills and shivering which could increase the fever. Use a luke warm bath or tepid water. There is still information out there that will advise on ice packs, etc. Please consult your physician regarding this.
- Do not give aspirin to anyone under 16 years old.
- Never delay in calling your doctor’s office for advice.
Treating a Fever
What the Mayo Clinic says about Fever
Treating Fever in Children from Web M.D.
How to Use a Digital Thermometer Video
What to do and Importantly, What NOT to do Video
While there may be different treatments for fevers, we can all agree that it’s important to hydrate and take vitamin C. Smoothies without dairy products are great for colds, flu, and viruses. It’s not easy to get kids to eat when they are sick, but they will usually drink a fruit smoothie. Bright colors are appetizing, which makes this Vitamin C smoothie so appealing.
- 2 naval oranges, with skin removed
- 2 carrots
- 1 apple
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- ½ cup coconut water (or water)
- 1 cup ice
- Mix all ingredients together in Vitamix until the consistency is that of a smoothie. All fruit will crushed, and there should be no pulp. Add more water or ice as needed.
- Serves 2
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Sorry to hear about the sickness that was floating around your personal space for a while. It seems as though everyone has been sick lately. Sucking down an abundance of liquids, especially goods packed with all of these vitamins will definitely help to speed up the cure.
Thanks and yes I think I escaped it. Let’s hope.
It’s amazing how we forget that real food can be a help to what ails us. So often we jump to taking meds. It sounds delicious too!
Hi Angela,
Great looking smoothie. Wanted to share something I recently learned regarding Vitamin C. Most of the Vitamin C in an orange (and other citrus fruits) is in the pith. Yes, the white stuff between the peel and sweet fruit. In the picture, it looks like you left a good amount on. Intentional or not, good work!
Good things,
Lenny
Thanks Lenny
That’s good to know and yet another reason to use a Vitamix.
I was congested with a headache. Been drinking a glass per day of this smoothie since Sunday – no longer sick. Amazing! Thanks. Usually I go at least 2 weeks or more of being sick.