Smoothies - How to Blast Nutrition into Your Day

I have a great way for you to blast some amazing nutrition into your life! Smoothies! I can’t think of anyone who has not enjoyed a smoothie at some point. They are versatile, there is a flavor for every palate and endless ways to create a nutritious concoction you and your loved ones will enjoy!

I want to introduce you to the idea of regularly making smoothies a part of your daily life. Why? Well, there are many reasons but we’ll start with an umbrella phrase that will cover it all - FANTASTIC NUTRITION BENEFITS IN A QUICK, EASY AND DELICIOUS DRINK! I hope that gets some of you interested.

To break it down a bit more we will look at a few of the specific things smoothies can bring to your health.

Nutrients

• When you make a smoothie you are using a lot of fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, most likely more than some people would eat in a day, all in one serving. The vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients you easily add to your diet this way will certainly give a boost to your health. Many people see amazing benefits in their energy, mood, skin, hair and nails, digestion, and immunity. Often people lose some weight without being hungry! Your body craves these nutrients and when they are available, the body finds balance.

Enzymes

• Enzymes are found in uncooked fruits and vegetables and help to digest and pull the energy from our food. Cooking damages the enzymes and makes them unavailable for this valuable work. The more raw food you put into your diet the better able to utilize these enzymes for energy. Low energy is one of the main complaints of adults today. Let a smoothie work for you by adding more of these enzymes to your diet and utilizing more of the energy from your food!

Fiber

• Today’s Standard American Diet is reallylacking in fiber. The symptoms of this are seen in all the digestive complaints we hear today. Constipation has become quite common even among children due to the lack of fiber in processed food which sadly makes up the majority of many people’s diets. Studies show that cultures who eat plenty of plant based foods generally have two to three bowel movements daily and the incidence of GI disorders including constipation, diverticulitis and colon cancer are almost non existent in these populations. When you make a smoothie part of your day you are easily getting a big dose of fiber which brings you closer to the recommended 25-30 grams a day. For even better digestive health you can lean towards 40 grams of fiber daily.

Fiber helps us feel satiated sooner and for a longer period of time. Fiber also acts as a broom, “sweeping” waste (including toxins) out of the body. It helps keep your digestive system regular which will certainly make you feel better. Researchers are learning more about the importance of fiber and the varied types including inulin, which is a type of soluble fiber known as a prebiotic. It actually feeds the good bacteria in your gut which is a great benefit to you and your health. When your gut biome is balanced and happy, you will be too!

Fiber also lowers LDL, or ‘bad cholesterol’ and plays a role in stabilizing blood sugar so you feel steady energy without a crash. Wow, don’t you want more of that? Make a smoothie! There are so many options to smoothie making, it’s almost unlimited. To get started choose your liquid (16oz). This could be spring water, coconut water, coconut milk, a nut or hemp based milk or a blend of any of these.

Next select your ingredients - If you are new to smoothies you may want to opt for a 50/50 blend of fruit to veggies to start. Berries, bananas, apples, tropical fruits, you name it, they’re all good. Frozen fruits add a cold and creamy, ice cream like texture. Throw in a big handful of greens, spinach and baby kale are good starters for newbies. Next toss in a mix of whatever you like-chopped beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, avocado, chard, arugula etc. I promise, you won’t taste them! If you like a sweeter version add stevia or a pitted date or two to the blend. Top it off with a protein powder of your choice, add some chia or flax seeds, raw sunflowers or cashews, cacao powder….see what I mean, endless possibilities! Visit my website SallyFraserWellness.com for my free smoothie recipes! I challenge you to add a smoothie a day to your life, you will love it!