smoothies a fast and convenient way of eating breakfast. here is my take on this breakfast idea - strawberry smoothie.
A lot of people find smoothies a fast and convenient way of eating breakfast. So here is my take on this breakfast idea – strawberry smoothie.
I have mixed feelings about smoothies. On the one hand they are fun to make, you can mix in all kinds of ingredients even the ones you are not a big fan of. You can also load them up with super foods that should be eaten raw. For example flaxseed is a true super food that is best eaten raw because heat destroys its fragile Omega-3 oils.
On the other hand it is somewhat unnatural to let the machine do the chewing for you, unless you have a problem chewing. Chewing is an important part of digestion! First of all when you taste food there is an important signaling sent to your brain. Then your brain responds with orders back to your digestive system to secrete all kinds of digestive juices. Second, when we chew, the food mixes up with salivary enzymes that start breaking down of nutrients. If we skip chewing or chew too fast, we make it harder for our digestive tract down the road. So if you really love drinking smoothies, make sure you swish them around your mouth to do some “chewing” before swallowing.
Health Benefits Of Strawberries
The best time to make strawberry smoothie is then the berries are in season. This is when they are richest in the nutrient content. They also have a very complex composition of phytonutrients that work together as anti-oxidantants and anti-inflammatory agents. For example, decreased oxidation of fats protects the cell membranes that line our blood vessels and support cardiovascular health. Ellagic acid, an anti-oxidant in strawberry of particular interest. It has been found to be an excellent cancer fighter. In addition it deactivates several carcinogens as a preventative step. It has also several mechanisms to slow down cancer growth.
Health Benefits Of Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds play an important role in regulating estrogen production and metabolism, lowering the risk of breast cancer, and improving the symptoms related to menopause. Lignans in flaxseed reduce the risk of incidence and recurrence of breast cancer by suppressing cancer tumor growth and metastasis. Flaxseeds are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s enhance anti-inflammatory pathways in our body and protect us against heart disease. The soluble fiber in flax seeds also promote regularity and soothe the digestive tract.
Strawberry Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries
½ banana
½ cup whole milk plain yogurt
¼ cup nut or seed butter
2 Tbsp flaxseed meal
1 cup coconut water or plain water