Would you like an easy and enjoyable way to have the bulk of your daily fruits and vegetables -- and more! -- in one sitting?
A daily home-brewed smoothie gives you one serving of many of your favorite fruits and vegetables. If you are creative, you can add some that may not individually be your favorites but are nutritionally awesome and help produce an overall tasty treat.
It is important to figure out your top organic ingredients and experiment with different blends -- alternative dairy (non-carrageenan, of course!), coconut water-based, protein-based, etc. Adding fresh and frozen fruit, instead of maple syrup or honey, insures further nutrient value and avoids extra sugar.
Briana's Berry Greek Blend 10/22/15
Other possible add-ins include spirulina/wheat grass or other superfoods and cinnamon. If you are going to add different proteins, make sure you choose 100% pure – brown-rice protein, hemp-seed protein, for example.
Five fundamental reasons for drinking smoothies are:
* assist proper digestion, because you are letting your blender chew your food, while not losing the fiber
* facilitate detox -- your body gets its nourishment without taxing the digestive system
* strengthen your immune system, via added Vitamin C
* aid sleep, by speeding up digestion – kale, for instance, is easier to consume in a smoothie
* curb sugar cravings – you will be happier because you know you’ve done something right for your body
Briana's vegan green goodness Smoothie 10/20/15
Drink your smoothie slowly, whatever time of day. Savor each taste – do not down it in a few giant swigs. Pacing yourself insures you will feel satisfied and keeps you from further, unnecessary eating. Home-brewed smoothies are preferable to store-bought, since added sugar sneaks its way into so many of the latter.
Take the time to learn as much as you can about different categories of smoothies, including:
· Green (including powdered forms of greens)
· Fruit
· Meals
· Desserts
· “SuperFoods” – a baker’s dozen popular choices are greens, acai, apples, blueberries, cacao powder, Goji berries, hemp seeds, kefir, maca powder, seaweed, spinach, sunflower seeds, and tart cherries – all are nutrient-rich foods
Here are three highlights from clients:
· one can never get enough kale, and loves the alternative of kale as part of a smoothie, aiding digestion and assisting sound sleep patterns
· another, a fruit fanatic, relishes her favorite mix of mango, blueberries, banana and kefir
· a third’s preferred breakfast blends frozen pineapple, frozen strawberries, orange juice, and filtered water, and finds it adds energy to his morning
The possibilities are endless!
E-mail me if you would like more ideas, briana@lifesdecisionsblw.com
… and I would love to hear your brainstorms.