By Chef Centehua
I began adding smoothies to my diet when my first born was around one year old. He really wasn’t interested in food, and I was breast feeding and making fruit smoothies with spirulina. He loved them, and the spirulina provided essential protein and minerals for us both. It was through motherhood that I began my journey towards health and well being.
Smoothies are a great way to get optimum nutrition and, as you know, “sugar makes the medicine go down,” so giving children fruit smoothies with superfoods is an easy way to enhance their nutrition. Superfoods are foods that are wild harvested and have essential amino acids, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals which provide optimum nutrition and a surplus of energy. My favorite superfoods include goji berries, hemp seeds, spirulina, cacao, chlorella, coconut, chia seeds …. Adaptogenic herbs are also a great addition to smoothies and appropriate for older kids. Adaptogenic herbs and foods assist the body’s adaptation to environmental stress, support brain function, and detoxify effectively. These include shilajit, maca, ashwaganda, moringa, camu camu, astragalus, and reishi mushroom. Ashwaganda is a staple in my diet and I also include this amazing herb in my teenager’s smoothies. Ashwaganda restores nerve endings and has anti-inflammatory properties, shilajit is another one I recommend for busy bodies. This substance from the Himalayas acts as a conductor, driving nutrients deep into the muscle tissues and a little goes a long way. It is also a powerful detoxifier.
I recommend investing in a good, high powered blender. That way, you can also blend kale
, cilantro, nuts, seeds, etc. Texture is an important consideration when feeding kids: while I don’t mind a slightly gritty smoothy, my young ones prefer a smooth consistency. Smoothies can be life saving for busy moms and kids. It’s as easy as blending kale, fresh squeezed orange juice, hemp seeds, coconut butter, frozen mango, bananas and berries, spirulina, chia and some goji berries. Then, get ready to have the best day ever!
I believe the majority of our hunger comes from a lack of nutrients. Eating healthy fats and nutrient rich foods are essential for proper brain function and cellular regeneration. Breakfast smoothies feed your brain and body when it’s the hungriest, and help diffuse those sugary, carb emotional cravings. So fuel up and make healthy choices during the day.
Where to get superfoods and superherbs?
http://alchemygoddess.bigcartel.com/category/superherbs
http://www.wildernesspoets.com/
Recipes-
http://www.centehualiving.com/raw-foods-recipes/
http://www.centehualiving.com/raw-food-recipes/spiced-mango-sorbet/
Happy blending!
