Ahh, winter is upon us and three to four months of virtually uninterrupted snow is finally falling outside. Never have our hands been so quick to grab a salted caramel hot chocolate and settle in front of our laptops to finally see what all the hoopla about Westworld is about. Unfortunately, our bubble of comfort won’t remain as such for long: hot chocolate becomes an everyday occurrence, resulting in blemishes. No sun equals drab and dreary skin and no amount of Nailtiques can hide our cracked, tired nails. Winter zaps away our glow and the only way to repair this travesty is by plugging in the blender.
Smoothies, which always have our back after a intense gym session or at the start of a busy work day, can now help us get through the dead of winter. Smoothies made with fruits, veggies and the vitamins inside of them are quick, tasty way to ingest what our bodies will be missing out on this season. Better yet, certain smoothies help reverse the damage that’s being done or will be done thanks to the merciless snowfall. Whether you’re looking to retain your summer body or fight the common cold, below are five smoothies that will solve your nutritional winter woes.
For your immune system, try a: strawberry mango smoothie
One of the first things to go every winter season is the stability of your immune system; no matter many layers you pile on or how tight you tie the scarf around your neck, chilly air still manages to seep into your clothing and – achoo! – you’re sick. With the help of the delicious, life saving mix of bananas, mangos, strawberries, honey and almond milk blended together and poured nicely into a mason jar, the pile of used Kleenex next to your bed will noticeably decrease this year. Strawberries and mangos contain a significant amount of vitamin A and C, and the latter, commonly known as the “king of fruits”, also contains vitamins contributing to bone health. Think about that the next time you ponder the damage done after slipping on ice.
For glowing skin, try a: purple smoothie
Winter’s lack of sun and harsh winter air do not make for luminous skin. In fact, the snow fall seems to suck the vibrancy right out of our faces and replace it with a dull, dead mask starved of hydration and youth. While some foundation and a poppin’ highlight can fix that situation in 1-2-3, it also doesn’t hurt to start from the inside. Sweet as Honey‘s recipe for a purple smoothie will set you on the path to lively skin with a blend of red cabbage, frozen blueberries and coconut/plain water or a nut milk. Red cabbage contains 95% of your required dosage of vitamin C (#glowup) and coconut water by itself is a natural skin brightener and aids in fighting acne.
For healthy hair, try a: sweet potato smoothie
Okay, hear us out on this one. Just as winter sucks the vigor out of your skin, it also sucks the luster out of your hair. The bounce of your curls die down, the shine dims and whatever ideas you had for a cute hairstyle are out the window thanks to an unflattering hat. Your hair is also at risk to become a lot more brittle and weak, but, in addition to some trusty natural hair best practices, a sweet potato smoothies will help to maintain that mane during the snowy months. Sweet potatoes, bananas, majol dates, cinnamon and almond milk does a healthy smoothie make, and once you’ll feel the locks come back to life with the help of the added magnesium and iron, both essential in hair growth and strength.
For keeping belly fat levels down, try a: chocolate fruit smoothie
Once the temperature drops below 40 degrees, you start to wonder if traveling outside for anything is necessary; why hike to Trader Joe’s for water when you can drink from the tap covered in your comforters? That being said, remaining sedentary indoors can lead to hours of absent-minded snacking, either out of boredom or the joy of having free time. Winter is notorious for the being weight gaining season, so why not combat that with a smoothie that’ll satisfy your sweet tooth and stave off added winter weight? Thanks to a satisfying mix of dark chocolate, blueberries, bananas, whey protein, flaxseed and chitosan, maintaining your weight is only a few turns in the blender away. Dark chocolate, whey protein and the supplement chitosan are all beneficial in burning fat. Sip a chocolate fruit smoothie after a few indoor cardio sessions and you
For healthy nails, try a: ginger pear smoothie
With brittle hair comes brittle everything else, including nails. Brought on mainly by a lack of vitamins, that’s not a new occurrence in the winter, when the junk we’re consuming tend to be void of the nutrients our bodies crave. Add this to days we might forget/lose a pair of gloves and our nails are left looking weak and ghastly until springtime. Fruits smoothies come to the rescue once again, this time with a healthy serving of pears and ginger! Paired with cinnamon, ground flax, bananas and almond milk, this smoothie is affective because of the pears, which are rich in silicon; the element aids in the structure of hair, skin and nails.
Comment below!
What are some of your favorite, vitamin packed smoothies?
