Smoothie power comes into play as we age, and our digestion slows down. We may find ourselves eating less and choosing the easy options on our plate rather than the healthy options. Easy to make smoothies are a terrific way to incorporate needed vegetables, fruits, proteins, vitamins, and minerals into your diet. By using a blender to puree these ingredients, the first part of the digestion process has already been completed, so its easier for your body to absorb all the nutrients. Look for foods rich in antioxidants, Omega-3s, and Vitamin E. Antioxidants which are found in many fruits, vegetables, legumes, tea and dark chocolate help rid the body of free radicals, which break down and impair high functioning brain cells.
Omega-3s and Vitamin E, which can be found in certain nuts, seeds, and whole grains, as well as there prospective oils, are also highly anti-inflammatory and help support brain health.
Smoothies can be customized for those with food sensitivities. For example, it’s easy to make a smoothie Gluten and Dairy free. Finally, smoothies are great because you don’t need to have fresh fruits on hand because “flash frozen” fruits retain all their nutrients and are both convenient and economical. Please encourage your family, professional caregivers and senior communities to prepare and offer healthy smoothies.
The following smoothie recipe is just one of many smoothie recipes that incorporate brain-healthy ingredients.
Chocolate Antioxidant Smoothie I Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
-1 cup any milk
(Almond, Hemp, Cow, etc)
-1 Ripe Banana (frozen or fresh)
-2 tbsp Cocoa Powder, preferably organic
-1/2 tsp Vanilla
-1 tbsp Ground Flax Seed
-Pinch or Sea Salt
-1-2 tbsp Raw Honey or Agave
-8 Ice Cubes if not using frozen
bananas
Put all ingredients in the high-speed blender and process until smooth.
Drink and enjoy!
Article Provided by:
Home Care Assistance
503-305-6055
www.HomeCareAssistance.com/Portland
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