9 Smoothies To Turn Your Mood Around
Feeling Down
Bye-Bye, Blues Super Smoothie
When you’re blah, a little nutrition can do wonders. This cleverly named smoothie is full of antioxidant-rich blueberries, vitamin-loaded spirulia, and good fatty acids from chia seeds to help with mood and (bonus!) heart health.
Get the recipe at Pure Ella.
This article originally appeared on Redbook.com.
Sluggish Mornings
Sunshine Smoothie
Consider this your new a.m. pick-me-up. Unlike coffee, which only supplies your body with caffeine, this smoothie includes kiwis, lemon juice, and orange juice, which are loaded with vitamin C to help rid your body of harmful free radicals—and guarantee safe passage for anyone who dares cross your path too early.
2 cups fresh chopped kale
2 kiwis, peeled, sliced
1 1/4 cups orange juice
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
4–5 ice cubes
Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Recipe excerpted from The Part-Time Vegetarian Smoothies and Juices by Tina Haupert. Cider Mill Press, 2014.
Headaches
Watermelon Smoothie
Even if they’re not migraine-level, headaches mess with your focus and make you want to climb into a deep, dark, antisocial cave. The easiest way to cure them may not be aspirin but hydration, which is where this cheery pink beverage comes in. Watermelon is about 90-percent H20, so sipping on a cup and a half of it helps take the edge off.
Get the recipe at CitronLimette.
PMS
Not-So-Moody Maca Smoothie
When bloating, irritability, and crazy hormones kick in, sometimes only miracles can get us through—or the right smoothie. Maca, the key ingredient in this one, is a Peruvian plant said to help with everything from boosting energy levels to regulating hormones.
Get the recipe at Ascension Kitchen.
Fatigue
Strawberry and Spinach Energy Smoothie
When your to-do list outpaces your motivation and you just can’t find the energy to get anything done, it’s time for some spinach. The leafy green is filled with iron and magnesium, both of which are essential for helping your body effectively use energy.
Get the recipe at Pure Ella.
4 P.M. Snack Attack
The Sage’s Smoothie
Step away from the vending machine and stop the hanger, now. Not only are chia seeds packed with filling fiber, they give you a boost of energy to finish the day strong.
1 freshly-cracked young Thai coconut (meat and water)
1/2 cup papaya
2 Tbsp soaked goji berries
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 medium frozen banana
3 dates, pitted
Blend and serve.
Recipe excerpted from The Juice Generation by Eric Helms. Touchstone, 2014.
Bad Breath
Mint-Berry Smoothie
So maybe you didn’t heed our advice about starting your day off with a sunshine smoothie, and come early afternoon, you have some pretty intense coffee-breath. Mint, which also contains a phytonutrient that may help prevent multiple types of cancer, is sure to fix that right up.
1/2 banana
1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
1 apple, cored, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 tsp honey or agave nectar (optional)
10-12 fresh mint leaves
Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Recipe excerpted from The Part-Time Vegetarian Smoothies and Juices by Tina Haupert. Cider Mill Press, 2014.
Post-Workout Pain
Coconut-Kale Smoothie
While you're trying to get your beach body back, make sure to load up on leafy greens like kale. The green contains a compound that helps combat inflammation, so you can rest easier after showing that treadmill who's boss.
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen chopped kale
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp ground flaxseed meal
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
1/4 Tbsp coconut extract
Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Recipe excerpted from The Part-Time Vegetarian Smoothies and Juices by Tina Haupert. Cider Mill Press, 2014.
Peaches and Greens
Peaches and Greens
A few of these juicy fruits a day keep the wrinkles away. Peaches are high in chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that helps slow the aging process. And thanks to almond milk, this drink is smooth and creamy—almost like a dessert.
1 cup spinach
1/2 cup peaches
1/2 medium frozen banana
1 cup almond milk
3 dates, pitted
Blend and serve.
Recipe excerpted from The Juice Generation by Eric Helms. Touchstone, 2014.
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