Vitamins and Herbs

There are many ways you can diet, or just plain eat healthier, without
it being boring. Great examples of these are blended or ’smoothie’
drinks. These beverages, if prepared properly, offer an enjoyable taste
and health experience all in one.

A smoothie is a drink that can also be a meal replacement. It consists
of a combination of liquids and solids blended down into a smooth
mixture. Hence, its name, which is also apropos for the feeling of ease
one gets while drinking one.

Health authorities recognize smoothies that are low in fat, and rich in beneficial fruit.

However, there are numbers of ways you can make smoothies. Recipes
abound for making your own fresh vegetable smoothie, vitamin and herbal
smoothie, as well as ones of different fruit combinations. We often
receive reminders to get the necessary servings of vegetables and fruit
into our daily diet.

A smoothie is one great way to do it. As a weight-loss tool, this type
of beverage offers the bulk required to give you a satisfied ‘full’
feeling while eating low-cal at the same time. A typical diet smoothie
will have low-fat milk and non-fat yogurt as part of its make up. It’s
a great way to ‘drink yourself slim’.

To give yourself a lift you can add your favorite fruit to a smoothie
as the natural sugars will provide the boost you need. A fresh fruit
smoothie is helpful when you feel that mid-afternoon decrease in your
energy level at your place of work. In fact, workplace productivity
receives its own boost when workers are operating at peak performance
levels due to increased energy and alertness. Numerous websites offer
free recipes for nutritious fruit smoothies.

With increased energy levels and a general feeling of alertness and
well-being there is less chance of depression taking over one’s life.
Studies show that supplements can help reduce fatigue and promote
energy, which in turn can stave off bouts of depression. Therefore,
adding these to your smoothie recipe can help your mental and emotional
health as well.

For vegetarians and vegans, healthy smoothies offer an additional
healthy diet alternative. A fresh smoothie with spinach added provides
needed nutrients and provides a source of energy for the day. Spinach
is a powerful natural product giving these elements and the fruit blend
can mask the taste of the spinach if it’s not your favorite vegetable.

Fresh smoothies with added herbs and vitamins such as B-12, ginkgo
biloba, and echinacea are also popular. These and other herbs and
vitamins give a smoothie an extra kick that can help boost a person’s
work performance. Herbs such as echinacea have many benefits. “Several
laboratory and animal studies suggest that echinacea contains active
substances that enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve
pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and
antioxidant effects.”

Gaining in popularity as a natural smoothie additive is wheatgrass.
This is in powder form made from young wheat plants. It’s benefits are
the vitamins, enzymes, minerals, and chlorophyll it contains. A sprig
of mint is also a nice flavoring item for a fresh fruit smoothie.

A smoothie is definitely a better beverage to take ‘to go’ during your
workday, compared to a can of soda or a cup of coffee. As an after
dinner, healthy dessert, a supplement can provide the needed boost to
keep you vibrant and energized for an assortment of activities and even
the nocturnal ones with your paramour!

That’s reason enough to explore this healthy drink alternative.