Summer Smoothies: Cool and Delicious

If the summer’s heat wave has you feeling as parched as the Sahara, you can thankfully enjoy a cooling oasis with some refreshing smoothies! Although water is always a healthy thirst quencher, you can also enjoy the multiple health benefits of delicious smoothies and refreshing juices. These two tasty recipes will help you cool the flame of this season’s sizzle.

Reaching for that cold soda pop or sweetened tea will have your energy fizzled in no time! Instead, why not devote some time to making your own energy-boosting, refreshing drinks that will have you pumped up all day and all summer long! Your taste buds and body will love these nutritious elixirs, and all you need are a few simple ingredients.

Cool as a Cucumber

A member of the melon family, this crunchy green is often seen tossed into salads. Why not expand your taste horizons and opt for some delicious cucumber juice? Rich in manganese, sulfur, silica, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, and chlorophyll, cucumbers have traditionally been used to treat hypertension, eczema, arthritis, and multiple skin conditions. Although you may find quite a few varieties out there, they all share beneficial antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which makes them ideal from cooling you down. Two particular compounds make them free-radical scavengers and cancer-fighting super heroes: lignans and triterpenes. Cucumbers may also help to reduce certain skin conditions that are exacerbated by extreme temperature; for this reason, cucumber extracts show up in many beauty products. To both cool and beautify yourself from the inside out, try the recipe that follows!

Find out more about cucumbers in The Natural Health Dictionary.

Cucumber Concoction

Before juicing the cucumbers, make sure to peel the skin first in order to remove any pesticides or wax. The cucumbers should be firm and free of any dark spots.

Ingredients:

6 cucumbers

1/4 cup water

1/2 fresh lime

1 tbs chopped fresh mint

dash of stevia (optional)

ice (optional)

Juice the cucumbers and add the rest of the ingredients into the glass. Stir to combine. Then sit back, relax, and sip away!

Creamy Avocado Strawberry Smoothie

You may associate avocados with guacamole or sliced onto your favorite sandwich, but avocados are deliciously versatile! With its creamy texture, this green fruit can be mixed into your favorite smoothie. Avocados are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, potassium, folate, and B6. While half an avocado contains 160 calories, a whole avocado contains more than one third of your daily value of vitamin C! Find out more about avocados in The Natural Health Dictionary. Succulent strawberries are also a treasure trove of antioxidants, fiber, and flavor. For a delicious twist on this popular green fruit and berries, try the following thirst quencher.

Ingredients:

1/2 peeled avocado (soft, but free of any dark spots)

1/2 cup hulled strawberries

8 oz unsweetened almond milk

1 tbs vanilla extract

dash of stevia (optional)

ice (optional)

Using a blender whip all ingredients until smooth and sip slowly through a straw.

Bonus Tip:  For a delicious, whole food vitamin that is naturally sweetened with a hint of stevia—and packed full of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables—try Liquid Whole Food Vitamins. Enjoy it in your morning smoothie for a boost of vitamins.

I hope that you will cool down this summer with these delicious and healthy recipes!

Much of the information in this article come from The Natural Health Dictionary, a comprehensive guide that answers all your questions about natural remedies, healing herbs, longevity foods, vitamins, and supplements. Also, you can find more ways to live a long and healthy life in Secrets of Longevity: Hundreds of Ways to Live to Be 100, which is now available on Kindle.

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May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

—Dr. Mao

This blog is meant to educate, but it should not be used as a substitute for personal medical advice. The reader should consult his or her physician or clinician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field is ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

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