Drinking Smoothies Provides Multiple Benefits
Smoothies are my favorite and so good for you! It’s a simple way to incorporate a healthy meal into your diet, I promise! Here are a few reasons why they are so beneficial:
Beneficial in these ways:
Fat buster; hydrating; craving reduction; better digestion; antioxidant loaded; immunity boosting; better sleep; brain boosting; detoxing; lowers risks of diabetes, cancer and heart disease; hormone balancing and much more!
They are a great way to “hide” vegetables for people who don’t like them. Most people think that smoothies are just made of fruit, but the truth is that it’s also easy to incorporate vegetables into your smoothie and not even taste them! Go ahead, blend in some spinach or kale and your family will never know since the taste will be masked by the sweetness of the fruit!
Saves time. How long does it take to prepare a meal? Think how much time you would save if you could make breakfast, lunch or a snack in 2 minutes. If you haven’t made smoothies before, then it may take you a little longer at first to figure out a combination you like, but once you get the hang of it then it takes no time at all to throw everything together and have a delicious healthy meal ready just by the touch of your finger on the blender!
Helps you stay on track with healthy eating. It’s a fact that when we are busy and haven’t planned properly, that we typically reach for the first, easiest, most unhealthy “foods” such as fast food drive-thru, vending machines, something in a package or ANYTHING just to satisfy our hungry bellies. We are all busy so just a little planning goes a long way with time and your health. Plus, the added benefit is that you are incorporating more fruits & vegetables in your diet, which we can never get enough of!
Allows you to use up produce that may otherwise expire. How many times have you bought fruits and vegetables only to find you didn’t use them up fast enough and you had to throw them away? Before you let your produce turn bad, throw them in the freezer and use them in your smoothies. Some common produce that expires quickly and you can freeze are: bananas (cut them up into slices before freezing), berries, kale, spinach and pineapple.
Tip: You should CHEW your smoothie. A smoothie is a bunch of foods blended together, and while blending does make it easier on the digestive system, chewing is what initiates digestion. A smoothie is not a drink. It’s food that looks like a drink. Without chewing, the body may not release necessary ‘pre-digestive’ enzymes. Remember, digestion starts in the mouth. When consuming a smoothie, swish it around your mouth and get your digestive juices flowing.
Here are just three recipes out of hundreds that are beneficial to your health and well-being:
Hydrating/recovery smoothie:
- 1 c. Watermelon
- 1/4 c. Strawberries
- 1/2 a cucumber
- 1/2 serving of vanilla protein powder
- 1/2 c. pure unsweetened coconut water
- 4 ice cubes
- Blend
Keeps you full longer smoothie:
- 1/2 c. water
- 1/2 c. cherries
- 1/2 c. raspberries
- 1/2 c. blueberries
- 1/4 c. pomegranate seeds
- 1 serving of vanilla protein powder
- Handful of cashews
- Blend for 1 minute (if you desire thinner consistency, add more water)
Better night sleep smoothie:
- 1/2 c. warm almond milk
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 c. of cherries (tart is best, make sure the pits are out)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 c. kale
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- Blend
Tammy Nonni is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and the founder of the Mudly Crue Adventure Group where she organizes adventures to encourage people to get outside and explore. For more information, visit: the Mudly Crue Adventure Group on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1601209020112378/ or Tammy Lynne, Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach: https://www.facebook.com/SipME413. You may also contact her at: [email protected].
ELM™ | Maine
