Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Fight Flu Season with Anti-Oxidant Booze


Flu season is upon us, and that usually goes hand in hand with colds and the like.

NowSuffice it to say, we're in prime time to get sick. You could do what your mom always told you to do, and stock up on fruits and veggies until it looks like a produce truck exploded in your fridge. Or, you could drink your anti-oxidants.

Yes, as well-made Bloody Mary (with real tomatoes) will give you healthy doses of vitamin A, and a Screwdriver can net you some C ... but why not take it a step further and actually use alcohol that comes from or incorporates fruits with anti-oxidant properties?

For example, we all know about the mighty pomegranate, with 16% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B5, potassium and antioxidant polyphenols. PAMA pomegranate liqueur is made with real pomegranate juice, so you can get the benefits of pomegranate juice with a loopy kick.

Want to make it work even harder for your immune system? Make a drink like Mother Nature's Mix, with 1 oz of PAMA, a 1/2 oz of Acai juice, 1/2 an oz of ginger honey and 3 oz of chilled green tea. Not only will the pomegranate enhance immune function, but the green tea helps lower chances of heart disease!

Meanwhile, VeeV is a liqueur made from Açaí, the national fruit of Brazil purported to be a superfood. Why? Not only does it have tons of anti-oxidants, but it also has a ton of vitamins C and E, calcium, dietary fiber, protein, Omega 3s, and an almost perfect amino acid complex. On top of that, Açaí's nutrients reportedly fight premature aging, promote cardiovascular and digestive health, and are essential to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

So go ahead and make a VeeV Anti-Oxidant Cooler, with 2 oz of VeeV, a splash of pomegranate juice, 5 blueberries and 8 pomegranate seeds.Muddle the berries in a mixing glass and add the VeeV and pomegranate juice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain, pour into a chilled glass, and watch every illness you've ever had get annihilated. (Okay, not really. But wouldn't that be fun?)

Lemons are awesome sources of vitamin C, and they're also purported to be anti-bacterial. So why not put together an awesome martini using TRU Organic Lemon Vodka, which has an incredible flavor courtesy of real organic lemons. That's the base of their Skinny Blueberry Martini - 1.5 oz of TRU Organic Lemon vodka, chilled, with ¼ cup organic blueberries either fresh or frozen, lightly mashed and ¼ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger. You'll also need 1 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 oz of agave nectar (which has a very low glycemic value) and 1 oz soda water.

Just chill the martini glass with some ice, muddle the berries with the ginger, then add lemon juice and sweetener. Stir in the vodka and pour everything into your glass, including the berries. Then, top it with soda. The best part is you get to take advantage of antioxidants and heart-healthy fiber by eating the fruit, not just straining the juice.

And last but not least, you can always go the easy route and pour yourself some wine. Red wine is known for being rich in polyphenolic antioxidants, so why not get your daily dose from Bonterra Vineyards, the home of some of the tastiest wines made from organic grapes? Plus, Bonterra's grapes are produced without the use of any artificial fertilizers or synthetic chemicals, and Bonterra wines have less sulfites than non-organic wines.

Okay, so it may not be the secret cure we're all hoping for... but it's certainly more fun to get your vitamins in liquid form!



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