Sunday, October 27, 2013
What to Drink to Enjoy Long Youth
Do you want to live forever? Maybe not. Do you want to stay young forever? Most likely. Would you believe if you drank these following healthy drinks you will stay young forever? Probably not.
We’re just kidding. However, if you drink these, you stand a chance of staying healthy for a long time. According to Toronto-based nutrition and health expert Dr. Rhea Meta, the secret to prolonged youth and fixing pre-existing health problems is just simple; eat healthy (therefore unprocessed) foods.
Super-Berry Antioxidant Smoothie
“Antioxidants are great. They are found in things like blueberries, blackberries, goji berries,” says Mehta, “there’s a really high antioxidant effect through berries which is one of the reasons why I capitalize on them for this recipe. They’re also sweet and beautiful tasting.”
For this smoothie you will need:
- 1 cup greens (choose between romaine, spinach, kale, chard or bok choy)
- 1 cup berries (choose between blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries)
- 1/4 cup goji berries
- 1 tbsp. raw cacao (raw chocolate powder)
- 1 tbsp. almond butter
- 1 tbsp. chia or hemp seeds
Blend all the ingredients and serve, add more water to taste. This drink is recommended as a whole-food meal substitute or for an afternoon snack.
Exotic Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie
Inflammation can be caused by many things, but the main cause of this is the typical western diet, says Meta, particularly the regular consumption of foods with saturated fat, common allergens such as wheat, soy and dairy, and foods high in refined sugar.
For this recipe, use as base 2.5 cups of an unsweetened almond or hemp milk. Then add:
- 1 cup greens (choose between romaine, spinach, kale, chard, bok choy)
- 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 cup papaya (fresh or frozen)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 tbsp. flax oil or flax seeds
- 1 tsp. spirulina, chlorella or blue-green algae
Blend all the ingredients and serve. Add more dairy-free milk or water to taste.
This drink is recommended as a whole-food meal substitute or for an afternoon snack.
Cleansing Anti-inflammatory Lemon Drink
For most of us, most days are busy days; not all of us have the time to make a complicated drink. For the kind of people always on the go, this quick lemon-based drink should do.
For this recipe, use as base a cup of warm water. Then add:
- 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
- 1/8 tsp. turmeric (freshly grated or powder)
- 1/8 tsp. ginger (freshly grated or powder)
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon (freshly grated or powder)
- A pinch of cayenne
- raw (unpasteurized) honey to taste (optional)
Stir and drink on an empty stomach. This drink is recommended to be taken first thing in the morning and in between meals.
Fruit and Nut Chia Pudding
“The fiber is going to be supporting your gut microflora which aids in nutrient absorption and the balancing of good bacteria. Our gut microbiome, when healthy, also produces vitamins that we rarely get from our diet,” she says. The seeds are also rich in protein and essential fatty acids.
For this recipe you will need:
- 2 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or hemp milk
- 1/8 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup berries (blueberries and/or blackberries)
- 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
Add chia seeds to milk, stir then let sit for 10 minutes, mixing once or twice. Add the other ingredients, mix then serve.
Green or White Tea with Organic Leaves
“There is a difference in the amount of antioxidants,” says Mehta, “there’s a lot of debate over what’s considered healthier. Green tea is a bit of a classic but white tea has recently been discovered as having more antioxidants. If you want to get the most out of your one tea a day, I would go with white tea.”
You can add lemon and/or ginger slices for an added variety. This is recommended in the morning and/or in between meals.
There are other healthy drinks to try.
Banana-Ginger smoothie
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 banana, sliced
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces) vanilla yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Orange smoothie
For this recipe you will need:
- 1 navel orange, peeled
- 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half or fat-free yogurt
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Green Tea, Blueberry, and Banana Smoothie
Going back to what has been mentioned; green tea can prolong your life, berries have lots of antioxidants and bananas are a natural antacid. Why not have them all in a single drink?
For this recipe you will need:
- 3 tbsp. water
- 1 green tea bag
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 med banana
- 3/4 cup calcium fortified light vanilla soy milk
In small bowl, microwave water on high until steaming hot. Add the tea bag and allow to brew for three minutes. Remove the tea bag. Stir honey into the tea until it dissolves.
In a blender that can crush ice, combine berries, banana, and milk.
Add tea to blender. Blend ingredients on “ice crush” or highest setting until smooth. Pour smoothie into tall glass and serve.
“If you are eating primarily living foods, if you are drinking a lot of water, if you are chewing really well, if you are deep breathing, if you are happy – if all of those were in place, I believe you could definitely look 20 years younger,” says Mehta.
