Fresh grapefruit and ginger are smart additions to your immunity-boosting winter diet. Paired together in a ginger and grapefruit cocktail recipe, these plant-based powerhouses help protect you from winter bugs and also keep you intoxicatingly refreshed.

Grapefruit is a low-sugar citrus fruit that provides a bounty of health benefits. In one cup of grapefruit juice there are 96 calories, 400 milligrams of potassium, 156 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, and 21 percent of the RDA of vitamin A. Its vitamin C content makes it effective at preventing the common cold, which is especially relevant during the winter. Grapefruit juice also lowers blood pressure, aids in weight loss, promotes a healthy heart, prevents cancer, improves digestion, hydrates the body, clears the skin, and prevents asthma.

Meanwhile, ginger brings a welcome buzz to the back of the throat and a boost in your overall health. The root decreases the risk of obesity and heart disease, improves digestion, suppresses nausea, reduces pain, and fights inflammation. It is a natural detoxifying agent, so is an excellent tool in keeping your liver robust and functioning at its finest. Ginger is also commonly used and praised for its positive effects on the immune system, helping to combat all sorts of diseases and illnesses that may creep up during the winter season.

The following ginger and grapefruit cocktail recipe brings together all of these incredible health benefits in one delicious and invigorating drink. Spiked with gin, the drink also fuels the soul with a crave-worthy buzz.

The recipe calls for basil leaves, but you can use fresh mint or any other fresh herb you have on hand. Enjoy!

Grapefruit Ginger Cocktail

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
• 6 basil leaves
• 2 ounces gin
• 8 ounces freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice
• 2-3 basil leaves for garnish
• 1-2 slices fresh ginger for garnish

Directions

Muddle the ginger and basil in a cocktail mixer. Add in the gin. Shake thoroughly. Strain the gin to remove the ginger pieces and basil leaves and then pour the gin into a tall glass filled with ice. Pour in the grapefruit juice. Serve with fresh basil leaves and a slice of fresh ginger.

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Grapefruit Cocktail Image from Shutterstock

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