Choco Nibs & Strawberry Fruity Shake

 
When buying fresh fruits, select fruits that are fresh, plump, firm without any bruises, pits or black spots.  It is always best to select seasonal fruits like summer fruits in summer months and winter fruits in winter months, as they are rich in nutrients, full of flavor and inexpensive in season.  Store them in the refrigerator until eaten and consume within a week.  Generally, the brighter the color of the fruit, the more nutrients present in them.  So select apples that are well colored, red, pink, golden yellow, or green, grapes that are well colored and firmly attached to green stems, mangoes that are bright yellow or red, bananas that are firm with rich yellow color without any spots or bruises, watermelons that are bright green, cantaloupes or rock melons with yellow or creamy underside, berries that are brightly colored, fresh and firm without any mold or leaking juices, etc.  If they are underripe, place them in a brown paper bag at room temperature until ripened and then place them in the refrigerator.

Exotic Watermelon

 
When you mix different variety of fruits, it adds color, enhances the taste and makes it attractive to serve. Also blending different types of fruits improves the nutritional value by putting together various nutrients that are present in different fruits. Smoothies are so cool, trendy, refreshing and very easy to make. You can make your own smoothie. Start with washing the fruit in plenty of cold water, then peel and core, if necessary, cut them up into smaller pieces and blend in a blender with some ice cubes (optional) and presto, you got  your fresh, cool, refreshing smoothie. Smoothies can be made from a single variety of fruit, like a banana smoothie, or 2 or 3 different fruits like oranges, pineapple and mango, or bananas and strawberries, or peaches and mangoes, apple and pears, etc. Mix fruits that blend well with each other and help enhance the flavor and nutrition value. As fruits are naturally sweet, generally no extra sugar is needed. Fruit juices and smoothies are best consumed fresh, and you get all the nutrients when they are fresh, as some of the nutrients are lost when allowed to stay for longer times. Blending also helps you to absorb the nutrients faster; it gives your digestive system a break from breaking all of that food down. Ready energy to go.  How wonderful!

Our First Date

 
I used to think that juicing was the way to go until I noticed that many people who juice for a long time are not the perfect image of health. Why? Well it is not because they are not getting enough minerals, enzymes, vitamins or nutrients! So let us look at the real reasons behind the problems of juicing and look at the advantages of eating green smoothies or fruity shakes.

• When you juice, you do not get any phytochemicals that protect and prevent disease as well as supply your body with antioxidants and much more.
• Phytochemicals can be found in the fiber of fruits and vegetables and these fibers get wasted when juicing.
• Juicing too many  fruit and root vegetables can put stress on your blood  sugar and insulin level, thus putting you at a higher risk for developing diabetes and other types of disease. By blending, you regulate the pace of natural sugar entering you blood stream.
• Blending green smoothies keeps the natural fiber found in food, soluble fiber that improves bowel movements and insoluble fiber that grabs on to toxins and flushes them out of your body. A detox!
• Ann Wigmore says it herself, “Juices are not as balanced as Nature would have it.” (from Rebuild Your Health, Ann Wigmore Foundation, NM, 1991).
• Another bonus is that blending is much quicker and cheaper than juicing.   

So go ahead, sell your juicer and make yourself a green smoothie or Our First Date and see the results for yourself! You will feel better in no time.