oxygenmagAU Jan/Feb 2018 65
F
ood, like exercise, can be
viewed as either an enemy or
a friend. Your food choices are
messages to your body, mind,
and soul about how much you value
them, so every decision you make about
what to put into your mouth has the
potential to make you feel good about
yourself.
There are so many benefits of choos-
ing to take two minutes to blend up a
green smoothie. The obvious one is
that it’s easy and quick. You don’t need
a super-duper blender or fancy juicer.
And you’re going to love them even
more because there is limited cleaning
up to do afterward — some blenders
can even let you blend and drink from
the same container. Happy days! You
can also up your vegetable intake by
packing in some greens — tick for that
food group!
Smoothies are also a perfect choice
for before and after you get your body
moving. Eating a big breakfast just
before a morning workout is going to
make moving your body more difficult
(and, let’s face it, something you’re
much less likely to do!) than if you’d
gone for a nutrient-packed, easily-
digestible smoothie.
The same applies for when you aren’t
ready for a full meal, but want some-
thing to give you the fuel to put more
energy into your moves and get you
really going for it. Post-workout, they
are also a perfect way to refuel and top
up your electrolytes.
Once you hit ‘start’ on that blender,
it’s your chance to take a moment to
squeeze in some extra exercise. Hold
on to the kitchen bench and alternate
between 10 push-ups and (then get
straight back up for) 20 heel raises until
your smoothie is ready to go!
Here are four of my favourites.
GREEN MACHINE
Dark, leafy green vegetables contain
folate, and deficiency in folate has
been linked to many issues, including
depressive symptoms. Of all the
dark, leafy greens, spinach contains
the most folate and is also high in
magnesium. Folic acid boosts your
brain’s level of those lovely chemicals
serotonin and dopamine, so it’s often
used to enhance antidepressant
effectiveness. Bananas are full of
vitamins and fibre that have serious
mood-lifting power. They also contain
high levels of iron, which assists in
stabilising your mood. Combined with
the avocado and nut butter, this high-
powered green smoothie is bound to
put a bounce in your step.INGREDIENTS
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1 cup coconut water
1 banana
1 tsp chia seeds
2 tbsp avocado
1 tbsp nut butter
1 medjool date➜ First, blend the spinach with the
water. Then add in the rest of the
ingredients and blend until smooth.JOY OF KALE
There’s a good reason that kale has
become the food of the moment.
In the book Fifty Shades of Kale,
co-author Dr Drew Ramsey lists the
many attributes of kale, including
the fact that it’s packed full of folate,
magnesium, and omega-3 fats, which
might lower the risk of depression. Not
only is kale easy to find at your local
shop, but it’s also easy to grow yourself.
I don’t seem to have a green thumb
on either hand, but kale manages to
survive not only my neglect, but also
the bugs and possums that seem to
devour everything else.INGREDIENTS
2 cups kale
½ cup coconut water
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup pineapple
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves➜Discard the stalks from the kale and
put the leaves and mint in the blender
with the coconut water and lemon
juice. Blend these together until the
leaves are liquified. Add in the rest of
the ingredients and blend until smooth.HAPPY BODY
There are so many green foods that
are gloriously refreshing, making them
the go-to choice for a post-workout
or post-dance-around-the-house
drink. Green fruits and vegetables
offer you a big dose of vitamins and
minerals, such as vitamin K, vitamin
C, potassium, folate, and vitamin B6.
Green apples are a great source of
fibre, which helps your metabolism
and digestive system — an apple a
day keeps the doctor away, right?
What a way to thank your body after a
two-minute move!INGREDIENTS
1 green apple
2 stalks celery
½ cucumber
½ cup green grapes (if in season)
½ cup coconut water➜Coarsely chop the green apple
and cucumber, leaving them
unpeeled. Blend them together
with the remaining ingredients until
smooth. Blend in some ice for extra
refreshment.TROPICAL DREAM
The kiwi fruit is the star ingredient of
this smoothie, as it contain two times
more vitamin C than oranges — if you
fancy making a DIY face mask, you
should definitely include one. Together
with the tropical flavours of mango,
mint, and coconut, you can close your
eyes as you drink and imagine yourself
under a palm tree on a desert island.INGREDIENTS
½ cup mango, fresh or frozen
1 kiwi fruit, peeled
1 tbsp desiccated coconut
6 mint leaves
¼ cup lime juice
½ cup Greek-style yoghurt➜Blend the ingredients together until
smooth. Change the consistency with
more lime juice if required. You can also
substitute with coconut yoghurt for a
yummy dairy-free option.