It’s getting chilly outside! Instead of frowning upon the cold weather, why not find ways to embrace it and appreciate the coziness that usually goes along with it? To lay the foundation right, review your stock of natural flu-fighting remedies at home that will help you stay healthy and well in the cold months ahead. Certainly, one of the best ways to recover from seasonal illness is to give yourself the chance to rest, enjoy anti-inflammatory meals and drink immune-boosting goodies. Even if you don’t get sick with a common cold, you might still want something warming and comforting once the temperature drops.
Here are the best keto-friendly hot drinks to reach out for and relish guilt-free that will make you feel all relaxed and snuggly while cooped up inside!
Hot lemon ginger water
This is as easy as it gets! A simple cup of hot water with lemon and ginger will supply you with incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients that will boost your immunity and enhance digestion. Lemon itself is an excellent source of vitamin C that may help enhance heart and skin health, reduce the risk of kidney stones, prevent cancer, boost iron absorption, and support weight loss. Additionally, ginger may relieve nausea symptoms, promote normal blood sugar levels, fight infections, ease inflammation, improve brain function, and alleviate pain resulting from menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, exercise, etc.
How to prepare? The easiest way is to blend for 20-30 seconds two cups of hot water with the juice and zest of one lemon and 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of peeled ginger. If the flavor is too intense for you, add keto-approved sweetener to taste. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Lemon ginger tea
To step it up a notch, you can use tea instead of water!
For instance, if you choose green tea, it can help reduce free radicals, protect against Alzheimer’s and heart disease, maintain stronger bones, improve vision, lower appetite, decrease anxiety and stress, and so much more. You can go for jasmine tea, which may reduce free radicals, protect cells and tissues from oxidative damage, and improve concentration and motivation while lowering heart rate and muscle tension.
Whatever type of tea you go for, prepare it the way you would usually do and let it steep with grated ginger and lemon slices. Then strain and relish.
Apple cider vinegar cinnamon tea
Yet another easy idea that may sound too complicated at first glance!
What will this tea do for you? On the one hand, apple cider vinegar will help relieve sore throat, reduce acid reflux symptoms, lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol and blood sugar, enhance weight loss, and improve skin appearance. On the other hand, cinnamon can decrease inflammation, protect heart and brain function, fight viruses and bacteria, optimize oral hygiene, and so on.
You can make this stellar tea by steeping one cup of hot water with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of unfiltered apple cider vinegar. For extra benefits, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can also substitute hot water for your preferred tea variety.
Pumpkin spice latte
Craving a creamy and frothy pumpkin spice latte that is free from added sugar and other offending ingredients typically found in its conventional counterparts? Then look no further and get ready to prep it at home and reap the most benefits possible!
Pumpkins are a staple fall and winter fruit loaded with valuable nutrients like vitamins A, C, B2, and E as well as minerals such as potassium, copper, manganese, and iron. Thus, pumpkins may support eye and heart health, improve sleep quality, enhance skin appearance, boost weight loss, modulate immunity, and reduce the risk of cancer. Besides, the combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg contains numerous disease-fighting antioxidants that can further improve your general health.
The most favorite drink on earth, coffee, comes with benefits too. It can increase energy levels and alertness, prevent inflammation triggered by free radicals, stimulate liver function, reduce the risk of heart disease, and speed up the weight loss process.
How to prepare? You need 1 cup of freshly brewed coffee or espresso, 2 tablespoons of pure pumpkin puree, 1 cup of hot coconut milk of full-fat cow’s milk, a dash of vanilla extract, and ½ tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you want to feel full throughout the whole morning or mid-afternoon, you can add 1 tablespoon of MCT oil. Blend all ingredients for 20-30 seconds to get a cup of smoothy and frothy pumpkin spice latte. If not sweet enough, add erythritol or monk fruit to taste.
Chai tea latte
Chai tea latte is packed with powerful components that help combat free radicals and reduce damage to your DNA and cells. The key ingredient, black tea, is known for its heart-boosting and cancer-preventing properties. Besides, it may reduce the risk of diabetes, relieve and upset stomach, inhibit bacterial infections, lower stress hormones, and more.
The usual spices added to this heavenly hot drink are grounded cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise, allspice, and gloves, all of which have a handful of disease-fighting antioxidants.
And here’s how to make it in a couple of minutes! Boil a bag of your favorite black tea. You can use caffeine-free if necessary and let it steep for a while. In the meantime, heat up a cup of coconut milk or full-fat cow’s milk. Pour both the tea and milk into a blender, add a dash of all spices previously listed, and blend until smooth and frothy. Sweeten to taste with erythritol or monk fruit, serve hot and enjoy.
Almond hot chocolate milk
What can really make you feel better when you feel under the weather?! Certainly, a cup of hot chocolate!
Cacao beans are jam-packed with antioxidants, including flavonoids and polyphenols, that can help fight free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body. They have a positive effect on heart health, and they may improve lipid profiles while supporting vision and cognitive function too. To make the most of those benefits, use organic raw cacao powder.
For this recipe, you’ll need a cup of homemade or store-bought sugar-free almond milk, 2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a keto-approved sweetener to taste. To prepare, heat all ingredients up in a medium pot and mix them well. Pour into a mug and top with whipped coconut cream, if you want. Sprinkle with a dash of cinnamon on top.
For a more intense chocolate flavor, you can add a few pieces of dark chocolate in the concoction and let them melt all the way through.
Golden milk
Also known as turmeric milk, this hot beverage is nothing but healthy! It usually requires just a few ingredients – plant-based or cow’s milk, turmeric, and some other spices to taste.
Turmeric is a relative of ginger and an absolute champion when it comes to antioxidant properties. Its main compound, curcumin, gives the spice its bright, vibrant color and numerous benefits. Turmeric is studied for its ability to help fight bacterial and viral infections, prevent cancer, boost vision and heart function, improve brain health, enhance digestion, relieve joint pain, and so much more.
Ready to roll up your sleeves and make golden milk at home? If yes, here’s how to do it! You’ll need 1 cup of full-fat cow’s milk or coconut milk, ½ tablespoon of turmeric, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or ghee and cinnamon, black pepper, ginger root powder, and vanilla extract to taste. You can also add one teaspoon of keto-approved sweetener.
In a small pot over medium heat, add milk, turmeric, and healthy fat of choice. Stir well until hot. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. You can serve right away with a dash of cinnamon on top or run through a high-powered blender if you feel like enjoying a smoothy froth.
The Fasting Diet is a structured eating pattern alternating between eating and fasting periods. This approach can promote various health benefits, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and cellular repair. By restricting calorie intake during specific time windows or days and excluding specific foods, fasting diets help the body tap into stored energy and promote fat loss.
Bone broth
Chicken soup isn’t just good for the soul. It’s actually healing because of its main ingredient – bone broth!
Bone broth is a nutrient-dense and easy-to-digest beverage that contains numerous beneficial compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, glutamine, and a handful of minerals. All combined, they can help protect the joints, improve gut function, enhance skin appearance, support the natural detoxification process, speed up metabolism, decrease inflammation, and modulate immunity.
To prepare, you’ll need about 2 kilograms of organic bones (chicken or beef), a few chopped celery stalks and medium onions, 4-5 garlic cloves, ¼ cup or raw apple cider vinegar and spices to taste (i.e., sea salt, whole peppercorns, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, etc.). Place all ingredients in an 8-litre slow cooker, top with water, and cook for at least 24-48 hours. Discard the solids, strain, and enjoy.
Final thoughts
Let’s be honest – sometimes it feels like winter will never end! Instead of focusing on that sad fact, especially if you are not into chilly weather, try to make the most of it and invite coziness into your home. To do so, include the above-mentioned hot drinks within your nutrient-dense ketogenic diet, don’t skip out on regular exercise, sleep well, and you are bound for great health not only during the winter months but also in the long run!
