Smoothies are for me the fastest, easiest way to get a bunch of nutrients and antioxidants in the system. This tasty blueberry-avocado-walnut-kale smoothie nourishes the brain, liver, body and soul.
Avocados:
Avocados are loaded with healthy fats to support nervous system and brain development/function.
Blueberries:
Blueberries, aka ‘brainberries’, are reported to protect the brain from oxidative stress, boost cognitive function and improve memory.
Kale:
Kale is one of the best foods for liver health. For some people, raw kale can be a bit challenging to digest though, so could be a good idea to slightly steam it before adding it your smoothie.
Walnuts:
Walnuts are considered the top nut for brain health, and are reported to help reduce inflammation on brain cells (source: PubMed).
Nutritional Yeast B12:
I also add nutritional yeast to my smoothies, a good source of B12, which is important for those of us on a plantbased diet.
A few Ayurveda-inspired suggestions when making smoothies:
- Keep ingredients room temperature: Traditionally in Ayurveda, smoothies have not been recommended because they may be too cooling for the digestive system, especially if you use frozen fruit or raw food. One of the best ways to balance this is to use fresh fruit (or thaw frozen fruit/run frozen fruit under water to warm it up).
- Add warming spices: Also, consider adding warming ingredients like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or other spice. Also important is to not add ice to the mix.
- Don’t mix fruit and dairy: Another interesting thing I learned in my study of Ayurveda is that it’s important not to mix fruit and dairy. The reason for this is because these two digest at different speeds in our gut; fruit is light and digests faster than dairy which tends to be heavy. Mixing them together can lead to toxin build up in our gut. To remedy this, I simply use water for the liquid in my smoothies. Kale is reported to have a bit more calcium than milk and “exhibits excellent absorbability for its calcium” (PubMed). 🤓
This smoothie, btw, is delish!
Blueberry-Avocado-Walnut-Kale Smoothie
Add in a blender and press play. Hope you enjoy!
1 banana
1/2 cup blueberries
Avocado
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Handful of walnuts + kale
Filtered water
Optional:
Chia seeds: Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, are rich in antioxidants, and provide fiber, iron, and calcium. They help improve heart health, support healthy skin and promote digestive health.
Dates: I also add one date for extra sweetness. Dates contain iron for your blood, potassium for your heart, B vitamins, vitamin A for your eyes and more.
* organic everything
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