Learn a Skill Wednesday: How to Make an Amazing Smoothie

I can’t count how many times my mum drummed into my ears the importance of taking my fruits and veggies while growing up. The importance of fruits and vegetables can never be over emphasized; ranging from their dietary goodies to the utmost supplies of antioxidants. Also, people who eat fruits and vegetables as part of their daily diet have a reduced risk of many chronic diseases. What are antioxidants? Antioxidants are chemicals that interact with and neutralize free radicals, thus preventing them from causing damage. Antioxidants are also known as “free radical scavengers.”  These antioxidants are called endogenous antioxidants. However, the body relies on external (exogenous) sources, primarily diet, to obtain the rest of the antioxidants it needs. These exogenous antioxidants are commonly called dietary antioxidants. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are rich sources of dietary antioxidants. Some dietary antioxidants are also available as dietary supplements. Examples of dietary antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, and vitamins A, C, and E (alpha-tocopherol). The mineral element, selenium is often thought to be a dietary antioxidant, but the antioxidant effects of selenium are most likely due to the antioxidant activity of proteins that have this element as an essential component (i.e., selenium-containing proteins), and not selenium itself. I can bet you are already rolling your eyes wondering what all these medical stories have to do with making a heavenly smoothie. Well, it is important to note that it is not just about making a tasty smoothie but equally about making a smoothie that is beneficial to your health and overall wellbeing. As said earlier about Vitamin C and its abundance in pineapple, adding this to avocado brings with it other specific skin nutrients such as Vitamin E, A and Zinc. Not only can this smoothie be ingested, you can also include it as part of your facial beauty regime.   INGREDIENTS 11/2 cups of fresh spinach 1 cup of coconut water I cup of unsweetened pineapple ¼ frozen avocado   DIRECTIONS 1. Pour the coconut water inside your blender, add the fresh spinach 2. Add the cup of pineapple and the frozen avocado and blend it all together.   Enjoy! I would love to hear from you on other special ways you make your smoothies; share them in the comments section.       Photo Credit: www.glutenfreecat.com