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By Annie Lawless

Annie's Anti-inflammatory Smoothie

Tphoto<15>here are some extremely potent anti-inflammatory foods that can be used to help ease pain naturally. Some of my favorite ingredients are combined in this smoothie to kick inflammation to the curb and supercharge your antioxidant intake. Oh, and did I mention it’s delicious? Ingredients:
  • 8oz Suja Organic Fuel
  • 4oz Brewed and cooled unsweetened green tea (You can find this at any health food store or local coffee house. Feel free to experiment with flavored green teas like berry, coconut, or tropical.)
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1 cup frozen berries (I used raspberries and blueberries, but any berries you like will work great!)
  • 1T chia seeds
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 handful of ice (optional if you want more of a thick consistency)
Directions:
  1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until totally smooth
  2. Enjoy!
Ingredient Benefits:
  • Pineapple This golden tropical fruit contains bromelain, an enzyme that has been shown to treat pain and inflammation naturally.
  • Green Tea We all hear about the wonders of green tea, and with good reason. (2) It’s full of catechins, which are antioxidants that help reduce inflammation.
  • Spinach Dark green veggies like spinach contain vitamin E which helps protect the body from pro-inflammatory cytokine molecules.
  • Berries These little bursts of summer sweetness contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that protect against inflammation.
  • Chia Seeds Not only do these little black seeds contain fiber, they are also rich in omega 3’s, which are celebrated anti-inflammatory fatty acids.
  • Turmeric The curcumin in turmeric has been shown in numerous studies to protect against a number of ailments, including arthritis, due to it’s anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Cinnamon This warming, yummy spice also helps reduce cytokine molecule levels. It also helps regulate blood sugar.
Sources:
  1. Fraser, Carly. "6 Of The Most Important Health Benefits of Pineapple | Live Love Fruit." Live Love Fruit. Live Love Fruit Inc., 4 June 2013. Web. http://livelovefruit.com/health-benefits-of-pineapple/.
  2. Green Tea. University of Maryland Medical Center, 23 Feb. 2013. Web. http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/green-tea.
  3. Wien, M., Haddad, E., Oda, K., & Sabaté, J. (2013). A randomized 3x3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults. Nutrition Journal Nutr J, 155-155.
  4. "What's New and Beneficial About Strawberries." The World's Healthiest Foods. The George Mateljan Foundation, 1 May 2015. Web. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=32.
  5. Ware, M. (2015, March 26). What are the health benefits of chia seeds? Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/291334.php
  6. "Tumeric." The World's Healthiest Foods. The George Mateljan Foundation. Web. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78.
  7. Ghan, Rao. "Using Cinnamon and Cinnamon Oil to Cure Disease." Health Impact News. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 8 Oct. 2014. Web. http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/using-cinnamon-and-cinnamon-oil-to-cure-disease/.