Smoothies vs. Juicing
It is getting to that time of the year, when we feel the urge to start working out, eating healthy and getting ready for the summer! BRING ON THE SMOOTHIES AND JUICING!!!
I have been making smoothies and juicing consistently, year round for awhile and I feel that they are the best thing that I could do for my body. I can't believe it took me so long in life to integrate these amazing culinary delights!
It all started when I just simply wanted to lose weight, have a substantial meal replacement and energize my systems, so I started making smoothies. The problem that I ran into after making these for about a year was that I felt "bulked" up and I also developed a duodenal ulcer. I am not making any assumptions but I feared that these said issues were partially due to the products that I was adding to my smoothies. This particular product was a protein powder and a vitamin wellness supplement, which is full of "vitamins". They claim to come from a natural source but who really knows. Once I stopped using these products, I realized that my smoothies didn't have the "sweet zing" I was used to or the energy blast that I loved but I knew that my digestive system was raw and I had to make some major changes in what I was saturating my body with, day after day. Without FDA regulations, you never know what you are putting in your body, so going as natural as possible is always the best! Here is an interesting article on this very topic.
So, I decided to take a break from smoothies and start juicing. WHAT A JOY JUICING IS!!! Any fruit, literally, tastes like nectar of the gods. It is hydrating, sweet, natural, full of antioxidants. Oh man. I love juicing so much! I bet if everyone in the world juiced every day (along with yoga and meditation), the world would be such a happy place! Juicing makes you feel the sweetness in life!
Now, that my digestive system seems to be back in balance, I really wanted to get back into smoothies but without all of those other ingredients that my digestive system obviously just couldn't break down. My goal is to make delicious smoothies with only fresh food and super food ingredients.
I wanted to share this message with you so you could start to change your diet for the better and know that you don't need all of those "ingredients" that market themselves as "vitamins". All of the vitamins you need, you probably already have in your kitchen! :)
Here is a typical smoothie for me:
1 Banana
1 Orange
Handful of pineapple and strawberries
*you can use any fruit your heart desires or is in your kitchen :)
1/2 c. of nut milk of your choice
Handful of ice
1 big scoop of greek yogurt
Handful of spinach
1/2 tsp. Maca Powder (for energy, sustenance - *try a little at a time for a few days, then take a break for a few days. also, be sure to drink LOTS OF WATER when you use Maca)
1/2 tsp. Chia Seeds (to keep things moving along comfortably, if you know what I mean ;))
1/2 tsp. Bee Pollen (to help with those damn allergies we have in West Texas)
1 tsp. Hemp Seeds (for protein, so forget the protein powder!)
Sometimes, I add in a handful of granola for additional fiber and to make my smoothie more hearty
You could also throw in some raw almonds or any other nut you like
BLEND WELL AND ENJOY NOURISHING YOUR ENTIRE VESSEL!
For juicing, you can use any fruits or vegetables that you have available! I would say the "hardest" part of juicing, is thoroughly cleaning your juicer afterwards. But it literally takes a couple of minutes and that gives your juice time to settle so what's the big deal? :) Also, I would like to point out that some people are unable to digest foods with seeds. By investing in a good juicer, you won't have to worry about that. A decent juicer will filter out all seeds, even strawberry and raspberry seeds. Here is a link to help you find the best juicer for you.
Here are some of my favorite fruits and vegetables to juice, feel free to experiment and tell me what you love:
Apples
Pears
Oranges
Watermelon
Cucumber
Carrots
Grapes (a little labor intensive, but totally worth it)
Cherries (also a little labor intensive, but totally worth it)
Honeydew
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Blueberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
The list goes on and ON! :)
Allow the juice to settle while you clean your juicer to avoid a lot of "foam". You do not want to consume too much of this foam as it could give you some gas :) Once you are done cleaning your juicer, pour your delicious juice over ice and enjoy!!!
Happy Smoothing and Juicing! :) NAMASTE, KIM
