The current situation of our country because of the Covid-19 crisis is grim. Though India on Monday witnessed a slight dip in the daily Covid-19 cases, as it registered over 3.68 lakh fresh cases, people need to be careful now more than ever. We need to ensure that we stay safe and healthy.

Right now, staying safe means not going out and wearing double face masks. On the other hand, being healthy means eating good food to build immunity. And you can do so by using the ingredients available in your kitchen - Indian spices.

For today’s segment of Build Your Immunity to Fight Covid, we got in touch with a practising dietician, Preeti Mehta. She suggests a kadha made from Indian spices that are easily available in our kitchen to help strengthen our immune system. The concoction requires very little time and is made with turmeric, Tulsi leaves, cinnamon, fresh ginger, clove and black pepper.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 litres of water

Fistful of Tulsi leaves

1 teaspoon of fresh ginger

1 teaspoon of fresh turmeric

2 ground peppercorns

1 clove

1 cinnamon stick

HOW TO MAKE

Take a utensil and pour the water into it. Add all the spices to the utensil, and boil it nicely. If you are putting in 3 litres of water, let it boil down to 2 litres. Then strain the mixture and have it early in the morning when the kadha is warm.

BENEFITS

All the spices included in this kadha are known for their immunity-boosting qualities, especially the antioxidant haldi or turmeric. It is a good antiseptic and anti-fungal spice. It helps in fighting any kind of infection in our body. As for ginger, it is great for the immune system as it is antibacterial and anti-parasitic.

According to Preeti Mehta, this concoction is the most potent drink for the health of the lungs. It will also help in opening up the nasal passages. All the spices together will help in building the immune system. Additionally, all the ingredients used in the kadha are potent antioxidants and help control blood sugar levels.