BANANA CINNAMON SMOOTHIE

how?

1 frozen banana

250mL of cold soy milk (of non-dairy milk of choice)

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

extra cinnamon for dusting

combine the frozen banana, soy milk and cinnamon in a blender and blitz until smooth. pour into a large glass and dust with extra cinnamon - enjoy!

why banana and cinnamon? well... bananas are a great source of potassium, vitamin C, manganese and fiber; whilst cinnamon has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol levels (the bad kind), exert a beneficial regulatory effect on blood sugar levels, as well as inhibit the growth of medication-resistant yeast infections!

simple, vegan, super healthy and delicious!

"FANCY A CUPPA?"

tea contains antioxidants (or polyphenols) called flavonoids - as noted in my post on green tea - the most potent being ECGC, which has been shown to protect against free radical damage that can contribute to cancer and heart disease

black tea, having been fermented, has lower concentrations of polyphenols than say green tea; however its antioxidizing power is still significant. studies have shown that black tea may protect lungs from damage caused by exposure to cigarette smoke and may reduce the risk of stroke.

drinking tea has also been found to support healthy bones – with regular tea drinkers displaying the strongest bones (irrespective of other risk factors) than non-tea drinkers.

tea also contains fluoride and tannins that may keep plaque at bay – which means a winning smile! (just go light on the sugar if you can’t live without it)

not only does it help prevent chronic disease, but tea also strengthens your immune system against infection, and since tea is calorie-free (without added sugar or ‘milk’) it’s a winner for the waist line too!

KIWI FRUIT FTW!

what's so good about kiwi fruit? well... for one they contain more vitamin c than oranges, as much potassium as bananas and a good whack of beta-carotene! but also contain a significant amount of vitamins E + A and are a great source of dietary fibre - which can guard against diabetes and some cancers

that's not all! kiwi fruits have also been shown to reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by 36%, protect our DNA from mutation, and help prevent asthma - particularly in children. 

for more information about these little green powerhouses check out kiwi-fruit.info and whfoods.com.

CALCIUM CAN DO!

"you don't drink milk?!... but... but... how do you get your calcium?" - heard this before? well don't fret... milk is not the only (or necessarily the best) source of calcium!