While I don’t particularly like the excessive marketing around Valentines Day, it is nice to share the spirit of LOVE, and to get in the mood with a nice red dress or lipstick. Another idea is starting your Valentines Day with a nice healthy red smoothie. I've recently tried adding beets to my smoothies, and it tastes amazing, giving the smoothie a nice added sweetness. And apart from giving off a nice red color and sweet flavor, beets are surprisingly nutritious!
Health benefits of beets include:
- Beets are rich in antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and fight cancer
- Beets help purify the blood and cleanse the liver (so great to have after a boozy night)
- Beets are good for maintaining a healthy blood pressure (they lower it and reduce hypertension)
- Beets are high in folic acid (a B vitamin) which aids in physical healing and is especially good for pregnant women
- Beets are high in fiber, vitamin C, and many essential minerals including magnesium, iron and calcium
- Beets improve blood flow, and help to deliver oxygen to the parts of your body that need it, including the brain
So I want to share this delicious recipe for you to try this V-day (or any day of the year!):
On top of the amazing beets and other veggies/fruits, I like to add a tablespoon of chia seeds for some extra Omega-3's and fiber, superfood greens for a boost of extra antioxidants and liver support, and some easy-to-digest (and yummy tasting) vanilla vegan protein to make it a complete, metabolism-boosting breakfast.
Try it out and let me know what you think!
Happy Valentines Day!
Lots of love from Madrid, Spain where I am just back from the local market, fully stocked with leafy greens, and of course beets and berries to make this smoothie for my special Valentine tomorrow...