Nutrition and the food we put in our bodies are a powerful defence against colds, viruses and maintaining wellness.

Just remember there is no one stop shop to improving our health. Yes smoothies are fantastic but we must watch what we put into our bodies, get the right amount and sort of exercise and look after our mental health.

So what can we drink to boost our immune system? Drinks that are rich in vitamins and nutrients are the goal. Water is vital as it helps cells replenish and move the nutrients around.

There are 3 main vitamins when it comes to giving your immune system a boost. It's suggested to get adequate amounts of Vitamin C, B6 and E to help support a healthy immune system.

• Vitamin C – This is the best immune-boosting vitamin. Being low in Vitamin C can actually make you more susceptible to getting sick! Your body does not store Vitamin C, so it is essential to make sure you get your daily dose to help keep your immune system in tip-top shape.
• Vitamin B6 – This is a vitamin that is essential to biochemical reactions in the immune system. Your body cannot produce it, so you need to get it from food or supplements. Luckily this vitamin is found in many different foods!
• Vitamin E – This vitamin is full of antioxidants, which help your body to fight off infections. This is also easily consumed in many different types of foods.

To cover those top 3 vitamins you’ll want to ensure you add in some of the below ingredient ideas:

• Vitamin C – oranges, chilli peppers, sweet yellow peppers, guava, mustard greens, spinach, kale, kiwi, broccoli, lemons, papaya, pineapple, mango and strawberries.
• Vitamin B6 – chickpeas, bananas, squash, spinach, tofu, watermelon, and nuts.
• Vitamin E – wheatgerm oil, sunflower seeds or oil, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, spinach, collard greens, beet greens, leafy greens in general, pumpkin, mango, and avocado.

Other vitamins that can be helpful too:

• Vitamin A - mango, carrot, spinach, sweet potato, broccoli
• Zinc - mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, kale, chickpeas, lentils, black beans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, peanuts, pecans, and cashews

Also, vitamin d is good, but most of it is not vegan unless you have fortified orange juice or soy milk.

The good news is, many of these will go really well together! Other than the recipe I give here, here are a couple of simple combination ideas for you to try:

• Orange, Mango, and Banana
• Spinach, Kale, and Kiwi
• Chilli pepper, Papaya, Kiwi, and Mango
• Watermelon, Mint, and Lime
• Raspberry, Strawberry, and Blueberry
• Strawberry and Banana

Bottom line, get creative!!! Smoothies are the best way to practice experimenting in the kitchen!