Red Raspberry Smoothie

    Smoothies are a great way to enjoy fruit. Blending fruit breaks down the cellular structure so that the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants are more readily available for your body to absorb and digest. Digestion of fruit begins within your small intestine, so it is best to eat fruit on an empty stomach so that it does not ferment when combined improperly with proteins or starches ( Have you read my post on Food Combining yet?)


    That means smoothies truly are the best for you when they are solely fruits or vegetables. Leave out the nuts, dairy, or other additives that combine poorly with fruit. The typical length of time it takes to digest fruit is anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour. So if you are still hungry after consuming a smoothie, go ahead and follow up your breakfast with either more fruit or a properly combined meal such as oatmeal and cinnamon (Not instant oatmeal which is processed and loaded with sugars).

   I find that I feel my best and have the most energy when I stick to solely eating fruit for breakfast. Over time your body will adjust to eating cleaner foods that won't weigh you down or make you feel sluggish in the morning. It may go against the "grain" by saying that breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day, but it should be the cleanest, not the biggest. Breakfast is simply a "break" from the "fast" your body goes through while sleeping. You will find that you may be over taxing your digestive system by filling up with improper food combinations or heavy foods so early in the morning. (I.e. Breakfast sandwiches, waffles, pancakes, home fries...you get my drift...)

    I typically start my day off with a green smoothie, and then follow up with several more pieces of fruit. Depending on what smoothie I make, I try to stick within the same category such as acid fruits, sub-acid fruits, or sweet fruits so that I am not overworking my digestive system. I then allow myself optimal time for digestion between breakfast and lunch by eating about every 3-4 hours. In between breakfast and lunch, preferably 30 minutes before or after eating, is a great time to begin hydrating and cleansing your system with water or herbal tea. I also enjoy drinking french press coffee, which negates a lot of the benefits of hydrating and cleansing your system, but it is my one vice.

Never said I was perfect.....

So while this smoothie pairs sweet fruit (Banana) with sub-acid/acid fruit (Raspberries/Oranges) it is OK to occasionally combine the two so long as it is not a habit everyday. I find red raspberries to be too tart on their own, so the banana provides the sweetness and binding factor to this recipe without having to add additional sweeteners. Since red raspberries are not in season currently, I used frozen organic red raspberries which when making smoothies should be added in last after you have blended the fresh ingredients.

Recipe:

Makes about 4 cups, if necessary cut recipe in half.

2 medium organic bananas
2 organic navel oranges
1 cup frozen organic red raspberries
1 1/2 cups filtered water

Directions:

In a blender, combine fresh fruit first, then frozen, and top with water. Blend on high until smooth. Store remaining smoothie in glass mason jars for up to three days in refrigerator.