Save the Planet…Buy Organic
― Nancy Philips
There are days when sleeping enough is not enough to keep you up most of the day. We experience down-times and the best way to go for us is, “Ta-DA, coffee.” Or sometimes, when the tough needs to get going, we opt to go for energy drinks. But, sorry to disappoint you, there’s just too much cons rather than pros with caffeine and energy drinks. According to CLAY Health Club + Spa nutritionist Shira Lenchewski, RD; “There’s a lot of yucky stuff in them.”
Ditch the artificial, it’s time to go au naturel. To get you convinced, here are the top reason why you need to go for natural energy boosters (and I mean, home-made— not products labeled as natural or organic):
- There are nasty amount of sugar levels with energy drinks and caffeine induced drinks. If you don’t want diabetes, stay away from it.
- Don’t be fooled. The only natural energy boosters you have are the ones made in your kitchen, (or a friend’s). There are lots of untested stimulants found in energy drinks that you may have never heard of.
- Most energy drinks only last for a short time and it will ridiculously cause a downstream to your system, plus the uncomfortable side-effects like palpitations, increased heart rate, and tremor.
- Unlike store bought energy boosters, natural energy boosters have antioxidants, the natural defender of our bodies.
- Lastly, there are incidents of fatality caused by too much drinking of energy drinks. (Need I say more?)
To end our month of vitality let’s go to the kitchen and time to whip up some amazing natural energy boosters that will not only keep you up for the day, but will also keep you stay healthy and refreshed:
4 large sweet and ripe bananas
A bag of mild-tasting salad greens or one head of romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
3 cups of cold water
Pour 2 cups of cold water into the blender. Add 1 cup of ice and salad greens or chopped romaine lettuce and process for 30 seconds to a minute. Put the 4 peeled bananas and blend until smooth.
Bananas are the best source of potassium, an important mineral that beats fatigue and enables the body’s enzymes to control energy production. They are also high in vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6, which all help convert food into energy; phosphorus, which helps reduce tiredness and increase physical endurance, and magnesium, a crucial nutrient for muscles and nerves. Romaine lettuce is high in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and potassium.
filtered water
1 slice lemon
1 pinch cayenne pepper
This drink is just water with a squeezed lemon slice and a pinch of cayenne pepper. The lemon not only tastes good, but is also super alkaline which helps your body maintain a healthy pH level. The cayenne pepper helps raise energy levels naturally and provides protection for your heart by helping to maintain proper cardiovascular movement throughout the body. Combining this with 4-5 glasses of regular water will bring you up to your recommended 8 glasses of water per day!
5 medium carrots
1 red or green apple
1 small bunch of fresh parsley
This is a good natural energy drink for when you just need a little pick me up. It has a very refreshing in taste. Be sure to de-core the apples in these recipes because apple seeds are slightly toxic.
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ to 2 cups fresh water, depending on how strong you want the flavor
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
2 tablespoons natural sugar or honey, to taste
Toss everything into a food blender and blend until the honey is dissolved, or just use some elbow grease and blend it by hand. Pour yourself a tall glass, drop in a few ice cubes, and enjoy.
1 quart of liquid (options: green tea, herbal teas, coconut water, plain water, etc)
⅛-1/4 tsp Himalayan Sea Salt (regular table salt will work, but it doesn’t have all the trace minerals)
¼ to ½ tsp crushed Calcium magnesium tablets or powder (optional)
¼ cup or more of juice (optional. Can use grape, apple, lemon, lime, pineapple, etc)
1-2 TBSP sweetener (optional)- can use honey, stevia, etc. I suggest brewing stevia leaf into the base liquid for the most natural option.
Brew tea if using or slightly warm base liquid. Then, add sea salt and calcium magnesium (if using). After that, add juice and mix or shake well. Cool and store in fridge until ready to use
Notes
[As an example, my normal recipe includes 1 quart of tea (brewed with Red Raspberry Leaf, Alfalfa, Nettle and Stevia), ¼ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp calcium magnesium powder (about 1,000 mg), and ¼ cup grape or apple juice]
Although opting for store bought energy drinks can save you some time, think about the greater health benefits you can get by preparing and drinking these natural energy boosters. Take some time to check your fridge and think about what you can carry along with work to help you on the go. Lastly, if you have some awesome natural energy booster drink recipes, hit comment below and share.
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