It's In There

In my last blog email, I included a yummy smoothie recipe, and I thought what might be fun would be to look at the ingredients in said smoothie and see what each of those ingredients is doing for your body.

I find it nice sometimes to think of what my body is getting out of what I eat, and it often helps me decide whether or not to eat it.

To refresh, the smoothie recipe was as follows:

3 cups almond, soy, rice or other milk
1 cup frozen mango
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/3 cup yogurt of your choice
2 tablespoons almond or cashew butter
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave
dash of cinnamon
5 kale leaves, stems removed
large handful spinach

Put everything in a blender and whip it up good!

OK, so what've we got? (Much of this info is from The Juice Master by, Jason Vale)

MILKS:  Often fortified with calcium, which is good for bone health.  Though I have learned recently that calcium can interfere with iron absorption, so I opt for an almond milk without calcium added.
MANGO:  Source of vitamins B and C (good for brain and nerves, growth of body tissues, healthy skin and vision, boosts immune system, neutralizes free-radicals, aids absorption of calcium and iron), beta-carotene (antioxidant, cardiovascular health, boosts immune system), flavonoids, potassium (aids muscle and nerve function, helps maintain normal blood-sugar levels, helps control blood pressure), antioxidants and magnesium (important for healthy bones and teeth, helps transmit nerve impulses).
BLUEBERRIES:  anti-bacterial, antiviral, disease-fighting, anti-aging.
YOGURT:  calcium, friendly bacteria for healthy gut.
ALMOND BUTTER:  Nuts are great sources of protein and heart-healthy fats. Great, long-lasting energy.
CACAO:  raw cocoa powder loaded with antioxidants and iron.
MAPLE SYRUP OR AGAVE:  Lower-glycemic sweeteners
CINNAMON: wonder-spice which helps regulate blood sugar, reduce bad cholesterol, fight infection, reduces pain linked to arthritis, may reduce proliferation of cancer cells.
KALE:  Beta-carotene, calcium, Vitamins A & C, chlorophyll, folic acid (helps blood cells, helps prevent birth defects, helps fight anemia), iron (helps produce hemoglobin which carries oxygen around the body), phosphorous(building block for proteins, carbohydrates and fats).
SPINACH:  Anti-cancer, memory aid, antioxidant, anti-anemia.

Not bad for one beverage, huh?  Drink your smoothies, friends, your body will thank you!