Tag: smoothie

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Guest Post: 7 Delicious Green Smoothies to Help Lower High Blood Pressure

Kate B. Forsyth of Be Healthy Today writes…

 

In this day and age, having high blood pressure is a common thing. A lot if things can lead to this, like the food you eat, the environment, stress, alcohol abuse, etc. Luckily, there are plenty of ways that can help you with this predicament. Drinking specific healthy green smoothies is one way to combat high blood pressure.

 

There are plenty of smoothie recipes out there that specifically target the lowering of blood pressure. Most of the ingredients used in these smoothies are fruits and vegetables, and just about every kind of each has a positive effect in lowering high blood pressure.

 

It’s best if you look for recipes that contain ingredients with high potassium content. What potassium does is it lessens the effects of sodium. That means the more food rich in potassium you eat, the more unhealthy sodium you eliminate through urination. Potassium also helps ease the tension in the blood vessel walls. This further helps lower high blood pressure.

 

For the average adult, the recommended potassium intake per day is 4,700 mg. Some examples of fruits and vegetables rich in potassium are apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, bananas, papaya, strawberries, kiwi, carrots, chard, beet greens, lima beans, spinach, and of course, kale.

 

Along with potassium, there are other elements that naturally lower blood pressure. Some examples are vitamin D, magnesium, anthocyanins, omega-3 fatty acids, melatonin, and acetyl-L-carnitine.

 

To get you started on your journey to a regulated blood pressure, here are some examples of easy-to-make green smoothies great for lowering high blood pressure. And bonus: they taste amazing too!

 

The Blood Pressure Regulator

The banana and spinach used in this helpful smoothie take center stage in beating away high blood pressure.

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces pomegranate juice
  • 1 banana, peeled
  • 1 apple, cored
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Put the pomegranate juice in the blender first. Next, add in the banana and apple. Blend until somewhat smooth. Add the spinach last. Continue blending. Put in ice cubes gradually until desired thickness is achieved.

 

Tomato-Cucumber-Carrot Smoothie

The antioxidant properties as well as the cleansing capabilities of this yummy smoothie promote the elimination of the accumulated toxins from the body. The parsley is a big help in getting rid of the excess sodium and retained fluids in the body that can affect your blood pressure.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 cucumber, sliced
  • a handful of parsley, minced
  • ½ cup water
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Place all the ingredients (except the ice cubes) in a high-power blender. Mix until fully incorporated. Add the ice cubes for desired consistency.

Green Heart-Healthy Smoothie

Practically all the ingredients used for this drink help in lowering high blood pressure. You definitely won’t go wrong with this smoothie.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 frozen banana, sliced
  • ¼ cup raw beets, chopped
  • 1 cup greens of choice (kale or spinach are best)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, minced
  • ½ cup frozen berries
  • honey to taste

 

Directions:

Put in the milk and beets. It’s best to blend the beets first as it requires more blending time. Once beet root and milk mixture is somewhat smooth, add the rest of the ingredients except for the honey. If it lacks some sweetness, that’s when you can put in the honey, but gradually.

Avocado-Kiwi-Melon Madness

Now this is a smoothie that’s super potassium packed. It contains close to a whopping 1,000 mg of potassium per serving. Now that’s one powerful blend.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 kiwi, sliced
  • 1 cup honeydew melon, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Blend together the avocado, kiwi, and melon slices. Wait until smooth. Add in the spinach last. Continue blending. Taste the drink to see if sweetness is needed. If so, slowly add in the honey. Put in the ice cubes and continue blending until desired consistency is reached.  

 

Green Smoothie for High Blood Pressure

Here’s another smoothie recipe whose ingredients greatly help in lowering blood pressure naturally.

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 green apples, chopped
  • 8-10 ribs of celery, chopped
  • a handful of spinach
  • a handful of cilantro
  • 1 lime
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Put in the apples, celery, cilantro, and juice from the lime in a high-speed blender. Mix until fully incorporated. Add the spinach. Resume blending. For the desired thickness, gradually add in the ice cubes.

 

Pineapple-Grapefruit-Spinach Smoothie

Pineapple and grapefruit are some of the most effective natural diuretics that combat fluid retention, lower high blood pressure, and also cleanse the kidneys. Due to their high water content and low calorie count, both are also ideal in any type of diet.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup grapefruit juice
  • 2 slices pineapple
  • 1 handful spinach leaves
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Blend the grapefruit juice and pineapple slices in a high-powered blender. As with other recipes using spinach, add in the spinach last. Resume blending until the mixture is lump-free. Add in the ice one by one for desired consistency.

 

Spinach and Carrot Smoothie

Not only will this smoothie positively impact blood pressure, it will also provide your body with that extra kick to increase your physical performance.

 

Ingredients:

  • 5 carrots, sliced
  • a handful of spinach
  • a handful of parsley
  • 2 celery stalks
  • ice cubes

 

Directions:

Put in the carrot slices, parsley, and celery stalks first and blend until lump-free. Add in a little water for moisture, then the spinach. Continue blending until smooth. You can slowly add the ice for a little thickness.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kate B. Forsyth is a writer for Be Healthy Today, who specializes in health and nutrition. Her passion is to help people get an overall transformation of health that lasts a lifetime. In her blog posts, she goes beyond research by providing health-concerned citizens doable and simple tricks to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

 

Sources:

10 Surprising Banana Health Benefits

http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/green-smoothies/5-green-smoothies-to-lower-high-blood-pressure/

https://steptohealth.com/top-4-green-smoothies-treat-high-blood-pressure/

https://www.healthysmoothiehq.com/lower-high-blood-pressure-with-smoothies

http://juicing-for-health.com/lowering-blood-pressure-naturally

http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/07/18/potassium-packed-smoothies-to-lower-your-blood-pressure/

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Spicy Mango-Coconut Popsicles

We live in a world addicted to sugar, it’s true, but going cold turkey doesn’t always work out so well. Deprivation can lead to yo-yo eating patterns, which won’t help you sustain your long-term healthy eating goals. A better approach that I often help my wellness clients take is making healthier versions of your favorite meals.

Dessert, while not the most essential of meals, is nonetheless an important food ritual many of us enjoy – and hey, life is best when enjoyed! One of my favorite challenges is finding ways to make sweets better for you without tasting like sawdust or bland ice.

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With that in mind, I recently experimented with  a Mango Coconut Popsicle recipe, spiced with ginger. Ginger is a superfood linked to relieving nausea, inflammation, pain and a whole host of digestive issues. I also threw some turmeric in there because, well, why not? It too has anti-inflammatory properties and might help your skin and joints look and feel their best.

This fast and tasty recipe is guilt-free and impossible to mess up. Bonus: any leftovers that won’t fit in your molds can be enjoyed on the spot as a healthy smoothie. Enjoy!

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Spicy Mango-Coconut Popsicles

Servings: 6-8 popsicles

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen mango
  • 1/2 very ripe banana
  • 1” fresh ginger, peeled
  • 1/2” fresh turmeric, scrubbed
  • 1/2 cup whole fat plain yogurt
  • 1/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk

 

Directions:

  1. Blend ingredients in a high-speed blender for 1 minute or until smooth.
  2. Pour into popsicle molds leaving about a 1/4” at the top. Any leftovers can be consumed like a smoothie – yum!
  3. Freeze for at least 3 hours, but ideally overnight.
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Sweet Potato Spice Smoothie

Happy October! This month is characterized by crisp air, cooling temps, changing colors and happy hearts. It also marks the beginning of peak apple picking season and, lest we forget, pumpkin spice everything!

Always a bit of a rebel, I’m skipping the pumpkin patch and going tuber on all of you who are craving fall flavors and sweet treats but hoping to stay as healthy as possible before the holidays set in. Sweet potatoes, my favorite tuber, are a root vegetable which swells underground to store more nutrients to survive the cold, dry winter months and to provide energy for regrowth. Sweet potatoes literally swell with nutrients like beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A (retinol) and give these tubers their orange hue. We need vitamin A for healthy skin and eyes and to reinforce our immune system. Sweet potatoes are also loaded with vitamin C–a boost we all need this flu season–and several B vitamins.

Go on now, put down the pumpkin spice latte and try this fun Sweet Potato Spice Smoothie, bursting with fall flavors and the fuel you need to fortify your body before hibernation season hits.

Sweet Potato Spice Smoothie_MOARfit by Amy Rizzotto

Sweet Potato Spice Smoothie

{serves 2}

What You’ll Need:

  • ¾ cup sweet potato purée (canned)
  • ¼ cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
  • 8 oz unsweetened almond milk (or use hemp, coconut or rice milk)
  • 4 oz apple cider
  • 1 Tbs maple syrup (optional)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp (or “a dash”) ground cloves
  • 1” fresh ginger, peeled
  • ½ tspn vanilla extract
  • ½ cup ice
  • 2 Tbs chia seeds

How to Make It:

  • Blend all ingredients except the chia seeds in a high speed blender until smooth.
  • Add more ice to thicken, or almond milk to thin out as desired.
  • Split into two portions and stir one tablespoon of chia seeds into each glass.

If you love this, try using the more conventional smoothie ingredient, pumpkin purée, or the less conventional but still delicious ingredient, butternut squash purée, instead. It’ll change the taste a touch but still be packed with immunity-boosting vitamins A and C. Bon apetit!

 

{Originally published on the Relay Foods blog, October 19, 2014.}

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Pumpkin Apricot Smoothie (GF)

No, you haven’t lost your mind, week 3 of my Meatless Monday Pumpkin Puree series is a week late—but I assure you, this one was worth the wait. Week 1 featured a healthy and hearty Vegan Pumpkin Soup, ideal for a quick lunch or comforting yet light dinner. Week 2 skipped straight to dessert with a sweet and satisfying dairy-free Pumpkin Bread. This time around, I’m helping you start your day out right with a protein and probiotic-packed Pumpkin Smoothie recipe that will please your palette and keep you full until the mid-morning snack or possibly even lunch. If you want to learn more about pumpkin puree’s superfood properties, refer to weeks 1 and 2. The key to this smoothie’s satiating power is Greek yogurt, which not only helps soothe tummy troubles with its probiotics but also boasts 22g of muscle-maintaining protein per 8-oz serving. The fiber found in the dried apricot and chia seeds called for by this recipe will also keep you full and help regulate your digestive system.

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This recipe is intended for two, but if you’re a morning workout warrior drink the whole batch for optimal muscle repair and calorie replenishment. It’s quick, easy, healthy and seasonal so slurp it up while fall’s in full swing.


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What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 vanilla bean (scraped)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 banana (frozen)
  • 1/4 cup apricots (soaked for 5 min hot water)
  • 2 dates (pitted)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 6 oz nonfat, plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup ice cubes
  • 2 tbs chia seeds

How to Make It:

  • Blend all ingredients except chia seeds together in your blender until smooth. Stir chia seeds in at the end, one tablespoon per serving (or both if you’re using this as a post-workout recovery fuel).
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MOARfit Clinic: Nutrition for Athletes

Last week, I put on my first MOARfit Nutrition for Athletes clinic at Earth Treks Climbing Center in Columbia, MD in partnership with Relay Foods (more on this awesome company later in the post). With my attentive audience of 35 rock climbers, I discussed healthy, non-processed options for optimal energy fueling pre-, during- and post- workout. I also covered topics ranging from proper nutrition for specific goals for weight loss, muscle gain, and healthy tendons/ligaments to information on a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.  Keep reading and you’ll get a nice snapshot of my most important takeaways for proper sports nutrition. Finally, the best part, I demoed two of my MOARfit recipes (below): one for pre-workout fuel and one for post-workout recovery.

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Rules to Live By for Pre-, During- and Post-Workout Fueling:

PRE-WORKOUT DURING WORKOUT POST-WORKOUT
  • Lots of water (and avoid diuretics)
  • High carb, low fat and low protein
  • Solid meals 3-4 hours ahead of event
  • Liquid or light meals 1-3 hours before
  • Consume complex, nutrient-dense carbs  (e.g. oatmeal and dried fruit) but avoid too much fiber (GI upset)
  • Eat foods you can easily digest
  • Stomach should be relatively empty prior to physical activity
  • For early starts, eat your heaviest meal the night before
  • Don’t skip meals for late-day events
  • Fluid replacement for athletic events lasting longer than 30 min
  • Carb replacement for athletic events lasting longer than 1 hour (to replenish glycogen)
  • Additional sodium (an important electrolyte) may be necessary for physical activities lasting more than 4 hours (tournaments, ultramarathons, etc)
  • 10-20 g of protein within 1 hour after physical activity to improve muscle repair
  • Carb-rich meal within 2 hours following event
  • Fluid and electrolyte replacement (sodium, potassium, calcium)
  • Ideal recovery meal is 3:1 carb to protein (e.g. Ezekiel bread w/ raw honey and almond butter, a banana, and 8 oz unsweetened soy milk)

My Key Takeaways:

  • Ideal caloric intake breakdown for athletes: 25-35% fat: 15-20% protein: 55-60% carbs
  • Post-workout you only need 10g protein for muscle repair and no more than 20g (unless you are in a weight training program); most American diets already surpass the RDA
  • Turmeric, basil and cinnamon have powerful anti-inflammatory properties to help muscles and joints. Ginger has been shown to relieve muscle pain and calm an upset stomach.
  • Our body needs fats for peak physical performance because they help us absorb vitamins A, D, K and E which are important for bone density, repairing muscle cells and promoting blood clotting. Some good fats are avocados, olive oil, walnuts, and raw almond butter.
  • You do not need supplements but if you take them, do your research: supplementwatch.org
  • Eat whole, healthy, real foods. Avoid hype and health claims, and ingredients that are unfamiliar, unpronounceable, number more than 5, or that contain high-fructose corn syrup.

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The Recipes: Pre- and Post-Workout Fuel

(1) MOAR’S PRE-WORKOUT HIPPIE FUEL (AKA GRANOLA):

(makes six ½-cup servings)

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 Tbs coconut oil
  • 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup walnuts pieces
  • 2 Tbs whole chia seeds
  • ¼ cup dried cherries, unsweetened
  • ¼ cup dark chocolate bits (dairy-free)
  • 2 Tbs raw honey
  • ¼ cup raw almond butter, unsalted
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cayenne (or more to taste)

How to Make It:

Preheat oven to 325F. Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add oats, coconut and walnuts to pan, cooking for 5-8 min until toasty but not burnt. Remove from heat. Add chia seeds, cherries, chocolate, honey and almond butter to the warm dry ingredients. Give everything a good stir until it all comes together. Spread mixture in an even layer across a baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 min until crunchy (stirring once halfway through). Dust with cinnamon and cayenne, toss and let cool.

Nutrition Facts: 330 kcal; 20 g fat; 37 g carbs (7.6 g dietary fiber); 7 g protein

(2) MOAR’S POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY GREENIE:

(makes two 16-oz servings)

What You’ll Need:

  • 10-oz rice milk
  • ½ small avocado
  • 1 medium banana (ripe)
  • 2 Tbs basil (~10 leaves)
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • 1” fresh ginger, peeled & sliced
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tbs whole chia seeds
  • 5 Tbs hemp protein powder
  • 2 ½ cups kale, chopped (2 handfuls)
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple
  • ½ cup ice (1 cup of fresh pineapple)

How to Make It:

Add all ingredients in the order listed to your blender. Blend at high speed until smooth.

Nutrition Facts: 338 kcal; 15.3 g fat; 42.8 g carbs (20.5 g dietary fiber); 19 g protein

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SHOUT OUTS:

The workshop was a success, in no small part thanks to my amazing partner Relay Foods. Relay is a super convenient online grocery store where you’ll find all the stuff you need from the best local stores, restaurants, and farms in and around your own neighborhood. I got almost all of my recipe ingredients from these guys and was very much pleased/impressed by the quality. If you’re going to try out my recipes, I’d encourage you to also try out Relay Foods. I’ve saved my shopping list called “Nutrition for Athletes” to make it even easier for you to get things going.

I also want to add that this event could not have happened were it not for the great staff at Earth Treks Columbia who share my belief that athletic performance and nutrition go hand-in-hand. Big thanks to everyone out there in Maryland!

If you’re interested in having me do a Nutrition for Athletes clinic at your gym, yoga studio, school or other venue, please contact me directly via email: [email protected].

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Q&A: Dairy vs. Non-Dairy Milk, The Calcium Showdown

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Source: English Tea Blog by A.C. Cargill
A good friend of mine, recently got in touch to say she loved my Greenie recipes but was used to making her morning smoothies with skim milk or Greek yogurt. What follows is the a little MOARyoga Q&A and the first in an ongoing series of Nutrition FAQs that will appear on my blog over time. Let the edification begin!

(Q): Is almond milk or rice milk healthier than skim milk? And is there still calcium in those?

(A): I prefer almond milk and almond milk yogurt due to my dairy allergy.

Soy and rice milk are also common alternatives used in smoothies. I like almond milk because it has less calories and more vitamin E than the others. Plus, given the debate surrounding the pros and cons of soy products, I tend to steer clear of soy milk.

In terms of calcium, our RDA (that’s “recommended daily allowance” in nutrition vernacular) is between 1000-1300 mg. Here’s a little breakdown per 8 oz serving:

  • Skim milk: 300 mg
  • Soy milk: 50 mg
  • Almond milk: 2 mg
  • Rice milk: 1 mg

On its own, milk is clearly the winner when it comes to being a natural source of dietary calcium, so if it agrees with your system I say stick to skim or 1% milk (just be sure it is fortified with Vitamin D which your body needs in order to absorb this important mineral). If you’re trying to cut back on calories, fortified almond milk is the way to go because it will save you about 50 calories per serving. Whether you’re watching your calories or you suffer from lactose-intolerance like myself, after fortification cow, soy, almond and rice milk are pretty much equivalent to milk (and sometimes surpass it) in calcium and vitamin D concentrations, delivering about 30% of your daily need for calcium and 25-45% of vitamin D per serving. Just make sure you shake the carton because these fortified nutrients tend to settle at the bottom (precipitation).

I’m a fan of Almond Breeze and Silk‘s PureAlmond unsweetened vanilla almond milks. Most brands will come in both the small, rectangular cartons (which are not refrigerated in grocery stores but need to be once opened) and the bigger pour cartons that should be available in your grocer’s dairy section.

If you have a question you’d like to submit for a future MOARyoga Q&A post, contact me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you!