Smoothies featuring honey

Tasty Turmeric Smoothie

Tasty Turmeric SmoothieGet all the wonderful health benefits of turmeric, in particular its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, by incorporating it into this delicious and easy to make smoothie.

Turmeric has been used in Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for centuries because of its superior health promoting properties. In the health circles I hang out in I feel like this “super spice” is being talked about more and more, primarily because of its superior anti-inflammatory action.

With inflammation at the root of so many illness such as arthritis, it’s important to include anti-inflammatories into your diet. With turmeric you get much more than a reducer of inflammation though.

Here’s a quick rundown of turmeric’s other health benefits.

Continue Reading →

Red Hot Fruit Smoothie

Red Hot Fruit SmoothieSome people like it hot and I happen to be one of them. If you enjoy spicy and moderately to very hot foods, you’ll undoubtedly like this smoothie.

Why would you want to add cayenne pepper to your smoothie, other than to heat it up?

The health benefits of cayenne pepper are vast and various. First, it’s an anti-inflammatory and inflammation plays a role in almost every health problem. It’s also anti-cancerous, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-allergen, and anti-irritant. Call it the king of anti’s :)

Looking to lose a little weight? Studies have shown that people who consume cayenne pepper for breakfast have less appetite and thus reduces caloric intake throughout the day. Cayenne also boosts metabolism, which helps the body burn excess fat.

Continue Reading →

Sweet Dreams Smoothie

Sweet Dreams SmoothieAre you having trouble sleeping at night? Say goodbye to insomnia and hello to a good night’s sleep full of sweet dreams with this smoothie.

Most people aren’t getting enough sleep at night for one reason or another and their health and way of life is suffering because of it. Fortunately, there are a several foods that blend well in a smoothie that are known to induce a good night’s sleep.

These foods contain substances such as magnesium, a natural sedative, melatonin, sleep regulator, and serotonin, another chemical that induces sleep.

Here are the ingredients for this smoothie and how each one contributes to a good night’s sleep.

Continue Reading →

Spicy Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Spicy Anti-Inflammatory SmoothieThis is the most potent anti-inflammatory smoothie recipe I could concoct based on my current knowledge, research, and ingredients on hand. Whether you’re battling a health issue (many of which inflammation is at the root of) or sore from an intense workout, reducing inflammation through a delicious smoothie is easier than most other modalities.

There are a handful of spices known for their anti-inflammatory properties, four of which I included in this recipe. Turmeric, a new smoothie favorite of mine, ginger, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon, the first spice I began blending into smoothies years ago. Not only do these spices provide a wide array of health benefits, they imbue your smoothies with a wonderful flavor…if used in the right proportions.

Continue Reading →

Creamy Coconut Smoothie

Cream Coconut SmoothieThis smoothie is for all the coconut lovers out there, myself included. Coconut products such as coconut water and coconut oil are rising in popularity due to the increased awareness of all their wonderful health benefits.

Part of my inspiration for this recipe was an article I came across on Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, who revealed her love of coconut oil. She takes four tablespoons a day. To some that may seem extreme, but for those in the know, it’s a healthy habit.

Continue Reading →

Ginger Spinach Green Smoothie

Ginger Spinach Green SmoothieIt’s no secret that I love to use various spices in my smoothies to boost nutrition and improve the taste. This recipe calls for one of my favorites, ginger. With ginger you get that signature peppery, sweet taste and a bunch of health benefits. Combined with a little spinach, frozen blueberries, and banana, and you’ll be rocking one healthy smoothie!

Quick aside, I recently purchased a new grater by Kyocera (Kyocera ceramic grater), which makes grating things like ginger and turmeric a breeze, and actually kind of fun. You can pick one up from Amazon for around $20. Highly recommended.

Continue Reading →