It's almost over - the sniffling, sneezing, coughing and aching"" cold and flu season. With the mix of Spring Break and record snowfall behind us, the campus has become a germ bank, and it is handing out free samples. So, battle the bug with one of nature's best cold warriors: citrus.
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid. Since it is a non fat-soluble vitamin, it must be consumed daily because bodies are not able to store it for later use. Not only has vitamin C been proven to help get rid of colds, but benefits also include collagen production, and it also functions as an anti-oxidant.
The recommended daily dosage for most college students is between 65 and 90 mg per day. But beware, consume too much vitamin C - 2,000 mg or more - and prepare to spend a good amount of time in the bathroom with your reading material of choice. So limit those mimosas and screwdrivers.
To help make better vitamin C decisions, here is a list of 12 ways to incorporate citrus into your diet:
1. Mimosas or screwdrivers
Hey, I said limit them, not forget them. If you are going to enjoy a cocktail anyway, make it taste good and keep yourself sniffle-free.
Pour two ounces of chilled orange juice into a champagne flute. Fill the remainder of the flute with a chilled dry champagne. Asti Spumante will work well for those on a budget. No need to stir.
2. Just plain citrus
Enjoy a navel orange for an afternoon snack or a grapefruit for breakfast. That mist of vitamin C goodness sprays off of citrus fruit as it is peeled. Plus, the smell of the fresh fruit in itself is uplifting.
3. Make a citrus vinaigrette
It is an important time of year to eat the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables, so prepare a great citrus dressing to go with your salad. They sell them by the bottle in the store, but it is simple to mix one up in a few minutes.
Whisk together one-fourth cup rice wine vinegar, three tablespoons of orange juice, one tablespoon lemon juice, one tablespoon honey, one tablespoon Dijon mustard, some lemon and orange zest and a pinch of salt. Then, slowly pour in one-fourth cup of olive oil and whisk some more. Toss it in with your greens, and bam - you have an instant cold combatant.
4. Speaking of salad
Pick up a can of mandarin oranges from the store, drain them and throw those in with mixed greens, citrus vinaigrette, grilled chicken, water chestnuts, slivered almonds and chow mein noodles. McDonald's will have nothing on this Asian-inspired salad.
5. Juice
Nutritionists may warn against unwanted calories and sugar found in fruit juice, however, if you don't have the time or patience to squeeze your own, brands like ""Simply Orange"" contain no extra sugar so you know you are just getting the good stuff. They even make lemonade, so have a glass minus the guilt.
6. Don't be a chicken
Be adventurous if the opportunity to cook comes along. Lemon pepper chicken is simple and delicious, plus it is a healthy way to enjoy Italian cuisine.
Pour a couple tablespoons of olive oil and some crushed black pepper in a skillet on medium heat. Lay a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the pan and squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of them, followed by another seasoning of pepper.
After five to seven minutes, flip the chicken and squeeze more lemon juice on top. Cook for another five to seven minutes, or until the juices run clear. Rest the chicken upon a bed of whole-wheat pasta and enjoy. Delicioso.
7. If life hands you lemons
Make lemon bars. Vitamin C even works well in desserts. It is as easy as going to Copps, picking up a box of Betty Crocker and having access to an oven.
8. Honey Muffin
Lemon poppy seed muffins are a pretty delicious way to prepare for a blustery winter day and should be available in most supermarkets or coffee houses. Whether they are pre-made or made with love in your kitchen, they're a good option.
9. Sweet lady marmalade
Whole-wheat toast with this traditionally citrus-based sweet preserve can't be beat.
10. Tea party
Add lemon to tea along with some honey. It will soothe aching throats and keep coughs at bay.
11. Marinade me
Citrus fruits make a great marinade for any protein. In a large Ziploc bag, mix the juice of several lemons and several limes with some chopped garlic, a few ounces of tequila, a few chopped green onions and some cilantro, along with salt and pepper.
Place the protein of choice - fish, chicken or steak will all work really well - in the bag with the marinade and toss gently to coat. Place the bag in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours.
Then, heat up the grill or the frying pan and cook for the appropriate cooking times. Fish can usually go about three to four minutes per side, beef about four to five and chicken about seven minutes, all depending on thickness of the meat.
12. Key lime or lemon meringue pie
Either of these can be fairly painless to prepare, especially when the grocery store has an amazing item called a prepared crust. It's the most difficult part of the pie to prepare, so skipping that step altogether can put even a novice baker at ease. A recipe for the filling can be easy to find on websites like foodnetwork.com or allrecipes.com.
There they are, a dozen different ways to welcome spring and say ""hell no"" to that pesky cold.
