Woof. How does that alarm come around so soon? It’s Monday morning. You’ve had a wonderful weekend with friends and family but with the ever-so-subtle pounding in your head reminds you that maybe you had a little too much fun. We’ve all been guilty of it. There are weekends I eat well, exercise, and go to bed at 9pm. And then there are other weekends where family or friends are visiting, weddings are celebrated, and long nights grilling on the back patio transpire. That’s just life. The healthy lifestyle ebbs and flows.
But after those not-so-healthy weekends, I find myself come Monday morning wanting some type of a reset button with my diet. Something to jump start my Monday on a positive note. This detox smoothie is my go-to! Now all my fellow dietitians don’t get your panties in a bundle. This smoothie will not completely erase or “detox” your body of all the harmful things you did to it over the weekend (that’s what your liver is for!), but the smoothie does have some serious antioxidant power that will help start your diet back on the right foot for the week.
Studies suggest that turmeric, in particular the active ingredient curcumin found in turmeric, has many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the absorption of curcumin is not always the best when consumed alone. Research has found that piperine, the active ingredient in black pepper (also found in chili powder and cayenne pepper), can significantly increase the absorption of curcumin in the body when consumed together. As a result, the health benefits of curcumin are enhanced when taken in combination with black pepper.
I know what you’re thinking. Black pepper and turmeric in a smoothie? Does that even taste good? I’m here to tell you it does. The black pepper is nearly untraceable in the flavor of the smoothie. And trust me the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power house that this smoothie packs is well worth trying the recipe.
This smoothie aids in getting my digestive system back on track, helps tame some of the inflammation caused from my weekend activities, and gives me a great boost of energy on a Monday morning, which who are we kidding, we all could use 😉 Enjoy!
-EAB
Monday Morning Detox Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp pickled ginger (fresh works well too)
- 1 handful fresh spinach (frozen can also work)
- ½ frozen banana
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- ¼ avocado
- juice of ½ lemon
- pinch of ground black pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk (or milk of choice)
Instructions
-
Blend all the ingredients until smooth. Add more/less milk to your desired consistency.