Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Pescatarian, Soy Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Description

Green juices are such a trend these days. But why should that be a bad thing? At ARDERE we believe that green is the colour of health and so we love getting as much green into our diet as possible.

This smoothie is absolutely full of goodness. Starting with pineapple, a great source of the enzyme bromelain, which has been used for its medicinal effects around the world for many years (it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent).

Consuming pineapple is also an excellent way to increase your intake of vitamin C, potassium and manganese, amongst its many other nutrients that can help to promote health.

I’ve also included celery in this smoothie because it’s rich in vitamin K, which is an important nutrient that plays a role in everything from promoting blood clotting to supporting cognitive function. Studies have shown that vitamin K plays a role in sphingolipid metabolism, which are compounds found in the brain that support cognitive behaviour (Denisova et al. 2005).

Spinach is considered to be one of the healthiest foods in the world, since researchers have uncovered over a dozen different types of antioxidants present in this green leafy vegetable. Its phytonutrients include carotenoids such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lutein. Spinach is also a rich source of vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium and manganese.

Coconut water is the juice found in the centre of a young, green coconut. The water is a great source of electrolytes, which are minerals (such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, calcium) that play many important roles in the body, including maintaining proper fluid balance. Coconut water is super hydrating for the body and replenishing electrolytes after exercise, so this can be a great smoothie to drink post-workout.

Wheatgrass is the young grass of the common wheat plant called ‘triticum aestivum’. In case you were wondering, wheat grass qualifies as gluten-free, because the gluten protein is only found in the seed kernels of the wheat plant, not in its grasses. Rich in chlorophyll, (a substance that creates a green pigment), wheatgrass can help to improve liver detoxification by way of increasing phase II detoxification enzymes (Fahey et al. 2005). Whilst this sounds pretty scientific and complex, all you need to know is that phase II enzymes are involved in promoting optimal liver health (they help to remove toxic substances from the body).

Turmeric is well-known for its role in reducing inflammation in the body and so I have included this ingredient for obvious reasons. We could all do to increase our intake of this wondrous spice!

Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. The benefits of vitamin A include promoting eye health (particularly our vision), immune health and also supporting growth and development.

Apples are high in fibre, vitamin C and various antioxidants. The fibre content in apples is made up of both insoluble and soluble fibres called pectin, which helps to provide bulk to stools.

Wow, that’s a long list of benefits! I hope you enjoy this recipe and its bountiful supply of nutrition. Let me know how you get on!

Ingredients

• 1 peeled carrot, chopped
• 1 bunch of celery, chopped into pieces
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups of spinach
• 500ml coconut water
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp wheatgrass powder
• 3/4 pineapple, chopped
• 1 apple

Method

1. Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Serve into glasses with ice and enjoy!

 

References:

Denisova, N.A and Booth, S.L. (2005). ‘Vitamin K and Sphingolipid Metabolism: Evidence to Date’, Nutrition Reviews, 63 (4), pp. 111-121, NCBI [Online]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15869125 (Accessed: 24 May 2018).

Fahey, J.W. Stephenson, K.K. Dinkova-Kotsova, A.T. et al. (2005). ‘Chlorophyll, Chlorophyllin and Related Tetrapyrroles are Significant Inducers of Mammalian Phase 2 Cytoprotective Genes’, Carcinogenesis, 26 (7), pp. 1247-1255, Oxford Academic [Online]. Available at: https://academic.oup.com/carcin/article/26/7/1247/2390883 (Accessed: 24 May 2018).