Boost your immunity with healthy milk options

The immune system is the body’s multi-level defence network against potentially harmful bacteria, viruses and other organisms. A healthy lifestyle helps one’s immune system to be in the best shape possible to tackle pathogens, but it’s better to stop them entering the body in the first place. The corona virus pandemic has turned the world’s attention to the immune system, the body’s defense force against disease-causing bacteria, viruses and other organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale every day. Until a vaccine is available, our immune systems will need to adapt unaided to COVID-19.

Your moms and grand-moms may have told you infinite times that milk is a good source of protein, milk is rich in calcium, milk provides energy and re boost your immune system etc etc. But, how many times have you listened to those words? You must have tried to pinch your nose every time you drank a glass of the sweet white drink. But have you ever thought that this boring drink can turn delicious too? It can even taste more delectable than your favorite fresh lime soda or mango mock tail? If not, then now is the time to think. Milk can be converted into a tasty and healthy drink by making addition of other ingredients like saffron, turmeric, cardamom and flavors.

Here is a list of such top 7 alternatives to your regular drinking milk:

Saffron-infusing – Saffron milk is traditional milk in Indian families used only during special occasions, due to the high cost of saffron. The benefits of saffron are just as rich as the spice itself. It prevents cancer, helps in puberty in undernourished girls and helps grow healthy hair and skin. If this milk is had on a daily basis, it develops immunity, it prevents common cold and cough.

Turmeric: – Curcumin rich turmeric milk is one of the oldest and the best grandma’s recipes. It is the best home remedy for cold and cough. One cannot deny the benefits that turmeric milk gives as against antibiotic pills? In the west, Curcumin tablets have become a big craze and people are paying a bomb to buy and consume these tablets. On the other hand in India, turmeric is an integral ingredient in every kitchen. Let’s have yellow milk, to fight infections, body pains or just to feel fresh.

Chestnut (Singhara) powder– The Potassium rich Chestnuts are not only good for people with high blood pressure and heart patients but are also very useful for pregnant women. They give a feeling of fullness hence also helps in weight loss. I enjoy adding chestnut powder during summer in my glass of milk as it gives a cooling effect and prevents back pain.

Jaggery :-Jaggery is loaded with antioxidants and minerals such as zinc and selenium, which in turn help prevent free-radical damage and also boost resistance against infections. Jaggery also helps increase the total count of haemoglobin in the blood.You can eat it with a piece of ginger to alleviate joint pain, or even drink a glass of milk with jaggery every day to help strengthen the bones, thus preventing joint and bone problems such as arthritis.

Fennel Seed: – The selenium found in fennel appears to stimulate production of killer T-cells. This suggests that it can improve the immune response to infection.

Almonds and Pistachio powder: – Almond Milk (Badam Doodh), just like saffron,also has traditional value to it. You also find these flavors in the market powders too. However, they come with a lot of synthetic flavors. Instead, it takes just a few minutes to powder almonds and pistachios and the full packet of a kilo gets ready for a month’s use. The benefits of these dry fruits are known to most. They benefit people of all age groups, from children to old age. The impact of it on brain and memory boosting makes it my favorite family drink.

Dates: – Now this option is for sweet addicts who do not find any other options palatable because of lack of sweetness. They can freely use dates to sweeten their milk. This would be a very healthy post work out meal and filling snacks for young children.

So if you find these options convenient for your daily milk dose, then dump those so called ‘Health Drink’ powders and “GO ALL NATURAL”.