Pomegranates, berries and avocados blended together!? Smoothies are the ultimate way to combine multiple servings of those ultra tastey fruits and veggies that you need throughout the day. We reckon that you combine this list of cancer fighting foods into the best breakfast since sliced bread.
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds – this unique fruit is a rich source of punicalagins, which are powerful antioxidants that reduce free radical damage in our bodies. Pomegranate is an anti-inflammatory, which may help fight cancer and increases exercise performance. Recently, City of Hope researchers identified six chemicals in the pomegranate that suppress aromatase — a substance in the body that helps produce estrogen. About 70 percent of breast cancers need estrogen to grow, so pomegranate is a prime candidate as a breast-cancer-blocking super food. Other scientists have detected two substances in the fruit with potential to fight both colon cancer and diabetes. The primary source of pomegranate’s benefits come from its antioxidant content including punicalagins, punicalins, vitamin C, with one pomegranate providing about 40 percent of the daily requirement for this vitamin. Pomegranate’s antioxidant activity is known to inhibit cell proliferation and invasion, and promote apoptosis (cell death) in various cancer cells.
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries – strawberries, raspberries, blackberries & blueberries are all high in vitamin C. This vitamin is needed for a wide range of processes in the body including wound healing, gum health and immune support. Using frozen berries helps to give the smoothie a thick milkshake like consistency.
1/2 cucumber – did you know that despite their firmness, cucumbers are actually made up of 96% water? This makes them a great food to eat when you are thirsty. Cucumbers have a cooling effect on the body and are quite mellow in flavor, making them a perfect ingredient for smoothies.
1 cup Swiss chard – this leafy green vegetable is the best source of vitamin K that there is. A 1 cup serving provides you with more than 3 times your daily requirement. Vitamin K is required for bone, tooth and brain health. In place of Swiss chard you can also use spinach or kale.
1/2 cup frozen pineapple – thanks to the large amounts of natural sugars that it contains, pineapple gives this smoothie a wonderful sweetness and makes it much more palatable. Pineapples are the only source of a compound called bromelain, the consumption of which can reduce inflammation, improve gut health and prevent cancer.
1/2 avocado – if there is one food that you want to start eating more of, it is avocado. It’s actually a fruit and not a vegetable, and a fantastic source of monounsaturated fat, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin E and magnesium.
1 cup coconut water – you need to add a liquid to smoothies, so that you can actually drink them. Coconut water is one of the best options. Unlike ordinary water, it is rich in electrolytes that replenish salts in the body. Using chilled coconut water will keep this smoothie nice and cool.
1 tablespoon chia seeds – finally, some seeds to boost the protein content of the smoothie. Chia seeds don’t have an overpowering taste which is why they work so well. In place of them you can also use flax or hemp seeds.
Preparation
Preparing this smoothie couldn’t be easier. Simply pour the coconut water into a blender, add in the rest of the ingredients and blend for 15 seconds or so. If you don’t already have one, there are lots of great smoothie blenders to choose from.
Contributed by Veronica Shah.
Read more at http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/pomegranate-berry-avocado-smoothie/#2Xk8b8htce7RJ8V5.99
