How many times have you woken up feeling heavy and with no energy whatsoever to start your day wishing you could just stay in bed all day?
I have, many times especially during school days when the hustle and bustle is real. Usually coffee is my best friend in the morning is easy to make or easy to buy but when it comes from places such as Starbucks, let's say that it might not be the healthiest choice to start my day with due to high levels of sugar and the tendency that coffee have to yellowed teeth. Although it sure does the work in the morning, taking those yellow stains out before summer is a pain.
Now that I have more free time this summer, I've been trying to go back and straighten my healthy habits starting with my morning routine. Growing up my mom always sent us to school with a juice or smoothie on hand that always filled us in great till lunch time. Carrots, oranges, bananas, beats and even garlic were some of those elements that my body had each morning and helped me maintain a healthy and nutritious diet while growing up. Up to this date, I hardly get sick and I got to say that is due to the balanced diet I carried (thanks mom!) and I keep "trying" to maintain. Now as a young "adult" time is a commodity and sometimes we forget to take care of ourselves and give our body the nutrients it needs. Because who hasn't skipped a meal before due to work? I have! (guilty).
Today I bring you my super four morning greens to detox and energize yourself to have a more enjoyable day and to give your body the nutrients it needs to build defenses for a better you. This smoothie is super accessible, easy to make, and you can even store it to make it and take it anywhere you go.
Grocery List:
"The 4 Super Greens"
Curly Kale Cucumbers Green Apples
Limes
Extras (optional): Coconut water Aloe vera extract
But first, why should YOU mix these four greens together?
Kale is known to be low in calories, high in fiber and has zero fat. Not only that but It also is high in iron, vitamin K, A, C, and calcium. It's powerful in antioxidants such as carotenoids and flavonoids that can help you protect your system against cancers. Kale can also help you decrease cholesterol levels becoming a great cardiovascular support in your diet and it also is a great anti-inflammatory food that can help you fight asthma, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders.
Click here to learn more about Kale and its benefits.
Cucumbers! Summer's all time favorite is a good source for hydration, they help you fight heat inside and out, and flushes all kinds of toxins out of your body. They also lavishes you with vitamins such as A, B, and C (A,C like Kale). Cucumbers are great for skin care, they supply you with minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and silicon that can help you reduce under-eye bags and puffiness (There's a reason why we put them on our face). But not only that, cucumbers aid you with weight loss (digestion), stabilizes blood pressure, smooths hair and nails, keeps your kidneys in shape and just like Kale it can help you reduce cholesterol and avoid diabetes. Click here for more info on cucumbers. Apples not only keep the Doctors away! But they also help you get whiter, healthier teeth. Apples can avoid Alzheimer's, can protect you against Parkinson's disease and can cure all sorts of cancers and decrease your risk of diabetes. Just like our two greens mentioned above they can reduce cholesterol, prevent gallstones, beat diarrhea and constipation, and can detoxify your liver. Apples can boost your immune system, and can help you get a healthier heart. They are definitely my favorites! Here for more about apples!
Limes (Tequila's best friend and my favorite sour flavor) can help you rejuvenate your skin and can become your best friend when it comes to weight loss. Limes are also known as a great reducer of body odor and dandruff, as well as for their powerful healing magic with oral ulcers, congestion and nausea. Limes can also help you out with your digestion and (maybe) constipation after a Taco night and not only that but can regulate sugar absorption in diabetic patients. Here for more about limes.
Like you can see these four super greens help each other prevent and treat similar diseases, which will only strengthen the nutrients that you will be inquiring from this smoothie to maintain a healthy and well balanced diet.
So let's start!
Instructions
Take your blender out or your Magic Bullet (like I did) plus your grocery list (above).
Make sure your greens are well washed before you cut them and put them in your blender, believe me, dirt won't give it extra flavor!
Next Cut:
1 Lime,
1 whole leaf of Kale,
1/2 Apple
2 in or 6 round pieces of cucumber
Put all ingredients in the blender and add 1 cup of water.
Note: If you decide to buy the coconut water or the aloe vera juice, add 1/2 cup to your blender and the other half of water.
And that's it, super simple!
I've seen so many changes in my body already since I started this routine in the morning. My digestive system feels great; my skin is much clearer, and I go all morning without feeling tired or sleepy. This smoothie is something that will be part of my morning routine this upcoming semester for sure. I'm planning on preparing my Magic Bullet a night before so I can just take it out of the fridge, blend and go!
So I hope you enjoyed this quick read and hope you get to try this smoothie at home, give your body a gift and feel great while doing it. If you do try it, share it with me with #the4morninggreens @sashazavala, and The Daily Sash on Facebook, don't be shy get social!
Love,
