The cacao bean is the source of perhaps the most magical and beloved foods on Earth because it is the source of chocolate. Even the cacao tree's official name, Theobroma cacao, recognizes the long-standing love most of us have for the fruit of this tree. Theobroma comes from the Greek language for "food of the gods." And while chocolate is the most popular and favorite of these foods from the cacao bean, an even healthier choice is raw cacao powder. How Is Cacao Powder Made? To produce raw cacao powder, raw cacao beans are simply cold pressed to remove the fat, and the remaining solids are ground into a fine powder. Cacao vs. Cocoa: What's the Difference? Cacao powder contains all the beneficial nutrients and beneficial compounds of the raw cacao bean minus the fat. In contrast, cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. And even if they look alike, the two are different. In making cocoa powder, up to 90% of the nutrients and beneficial compounds in raw c
When spring arrives, I can't help but think about cleaning up my eating habits. After all, spring detox is a thing (along with spring cleaning,
which technically is a detox for your home). That's why I’m sharing
with you a smoothie packed with nutrients your body will love. Drink it
in the morning and you'll give your body a much-needed boost of energy
to get you through the day.
Ingredient Breakdown: Why Each One Matters
Before
I get to the actual recipe, I'd like to shine the spotlight on each
individual ingredient used in this smoothie. You'll quickly see why this
is a great spring detox smoothie worth drinking.
Green Tea
Not only is green tea tasty
to drink on its own, but it's also full of health benefits. It's high
in antioxidants and contains a large amount of
catechins, polyphenolic compounds that are thought to exert numerous
protective effects, especially for your heart. Green tea is great for
your cardiovascular system and can even help ward off different kinds of
cancer, such as skin, breast, ovarian, prostate, and lung. There are
also several other benefits to green tea, such as reducing
"bad cholesterol," aiding weight loss, and improving memory. It's no
wonder you should drink green tea for health: There are so many reasons it makes an excellent addition to this spring detox smoothie.
Cilantro
Love it or hate it, cilantro contains several phytonutrients, flavonoids, and active phenolic compounds.
This rids the body of heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, aluminum,
lead, and mercury. All these metals can reside in our tissues and lead
to serious problems like neurological conditions, heart disease,
infertility, hormonal imbalances, and so much more. Cilantro can bind
these toxic metals together, which helps the body eliminate them faster,
loosening them from tissue. Heavy metals are absorbed through the body in many ways:
Primarily through seafood, especially mercury found in fish. But heavy
metals can also enter our bodies through other means such as lead in
paint used in older homes, cadmium in furniture, and aluminum in (some)
deodorants. To be on the safe side, it's a good idea to get some
cilantro in your diet to help your body detox from any possible exposure
to these metals. Cilantro, for this reason, makes the perfect
ingredient in a spring detox smoothie!
Cucumbers
Cucumbers deserve
a lot more love—they do so much for us! They mainly consist of water
(96 percent to be exact) so they're a great way to stay hydrated and
flush out toxins from the body. Cucumbers are also full of
phytonutrients that provide anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and
antioxidant benefits. They're also loaded with nutrients, particularly
vitamin K, C, and molybdenum, manganese, potassium, silica, and sulfur.
There are several health benefits to ingesting all these nutrients, such
as supporting a healthy bone structure, lowering blood pressure,
regenerating skin, and promoting hair and nail growth. Since cucumbers
have all these healthy nutrients, using them in
a spring detox smoothie is a great idea.
Pineapple
Got
a sweet tooth? Pineapple is a healthy way to curb sugar cravings. It's
not only sweet, but it's also a great source of vitamin C. Just 1 cup of
pineapple chunks provides 131 percent daily value of vitamin C. This makes it great for supporting your immune system
and energizing you in the morning. The fruit is also great for bone
strength, considering it contains nearly 75 percent of the
daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese. As an added bonus,
pineapple contains dietary fiber which helps keep you regular and
supports healthy intestines. Pineapple contains significant amounts of
bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein, which is what makes it
extra efficient at helping with digestion. Adding pineapple to
a spring detox smoothie will improve your health in more ways than one.
Kale
Kale is
a powerhouse of nutrients and one of the best superfoods out there.
It's a high fiber vegetable that has relatively low calories and
contains no fat. It helps aid digestion, is a powerful antioxidant, and
contains more iron than a serving of beef. This makes it great for
preventing cancer, maintaining proper liver function, and promoting cell
growth. It's also high in vitamins K, A, and C which is necessary for
healthy bones, eye health, and the immune system. Adding this to
your smoothie will really pack a punch.
Raw Honey
Raw honey is not just sweet, it's also a treat for your health. Raw honey is great for helping people who suffer from allergies
specifically. That's because allergies are triggered by continuous
exposure to the same allergen over time. However, honey made from bees
in proximity to the plant will act as a sort of vaccine if taken in
small amounts. That's because honey can contain tiny amounts of pollen
from the allergenic plant. This typically only works when buying raw
honey that's local to your area though, so keep that in mind. Raw honey
is also great for reducing symptoms of colds and flus, inducing restful
nights, and supplying active enzymes, B vitamins, and minerals to your
body. It makes a tasty sweetener to add to any smoothie.
Lemon Juice
Many health buffs agree lemon juice is
a key component in their diet. That's probably because lemon juice is
loaded with vitamin C, soothes the stomach, and can even reduce fever.
Adding just a little bit of it to a meal can help cure things like
indigestion. It also works with the liver to cleanse the body and can
help balance pH levels, leaving you with clearer skin. That's why adding
some to this spring detox smoothie will be sure to help you out
(especially if you plan on drinking it in the morning).
Spring Detox Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup green tea (chilled)
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 cup cucumber
- 1 cup kale
- 1 cup pineapple
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2–3 tablespoons of raw honey (optional)
Directions
Place
ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth. Drink up and enjoy!
You'll get the best results possible if you drink this once a day in the
morning throughout the spring. If you can't drink it that often, try
drinking it at least two times a week.
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