Fruit and vegetables in a drinkable version are increasingly popular: a new book comes out every week highlighting the line and health benefits of smoothies (smoothies), centrifuged and extracts. While a bit 'everywhere there are "juice bars" that offer drinks on a plant basis.
The credit for this success also goes to many celebrities from Hollywood and the surrounding area: from Lea Michele to Miley Cyrus, from Blake Lively to Jennifer Garner, there are in fact many stars who have shared the your favorite liquid recipes, extolling its virtues via social media.
Also loved for their practicality: «They are easy to prepare at home and healthy»Confirms the doctor , specialist in food science in Milan. «With these smoothies, moreover, it is easier to respect the rule of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day recommended by nutritionists, without risking swelling of the belly or irritation of the intestine ».
Protagonists of detox diets
«Fruit and vegetable based drinks they dominate detox menus and super-fast diets. But be careful », comments the doctor Martina , nutritionist biologist and phytotherapy expert in Naples. «The detox effect we appreciate so much depends on the ingredients chosen. The best to cleanse the body are apples, carrots, berries, pineapple, ginger, cucumber, lemon, celery. Some act more on the intestine, others on the kidneys, still others on the liver. Then there are those that accelerate metabolism, burn fat or fight cellulite ».
It is therefore essential know the properties of each and select them based on the objectives to be achieved.
The magnificent three
Ma what is the difference between smoothies, centrifuged and extracts? «The first are obtained blending fruit and / or vegetables sometimes with the addition of liquids (water, lemon juice, milk, yogurt) and honey, aromatic herbs or spices, to sweeten, correct the taste or increase the benefits », explains Dr. .
«The smoothy has a higher nutritional value than other drinks, because the blender does not alter the properties of the vegetables used, while also keeping their precious fibers intact. The centrifuged, prepared with the appropriate household appliance that acts separating the juice from the pulp and peel, it is much more liquid and, as it does not contain fibers, it allows a better absorption of vitamins and minerals, even if it has a disadvantage: heating caused by the centrifugal force of the tool it can in fact favor the dispersion of some thermolabile substances, such as vitamin C. Finally, the extract differs from the centrifuged only for the type of appliance used to obtain it. The extractor, in fact, provides for the slow squeezing of the vegetables by means of an endless screw. The result is a juice that also preserves heat-sensitive nutrients unaltered ».
When to consume them
The ideal is to take smoothies for breakfast or mid-morning. «Being rich in fiber, protein, sugar, minerals and vitamins, smoothies are great for starting the day at the top», Continues Dr. .
If, on the other hand, you want to take them for lunch, you should bet on those prepared with adding a little almond, coconut or soy "milk". «Better not from cow: according to some scientific studies, its proteins they would limit the absorption of antioxidants contained in vegetables », warns Dr. , nutritionist and dietician in Milan.
To drink as soon as they are ready
"Remember that, once shredded, fruits and vegetables oxidize easily: if you can't finish your smoothie right away, put it in the refrigerator, inside a glass container with hermetic cap, and add some freshly squeezed lemon juice, so as to slow down the deterioration of the substances it contains»Advises the nutritionist biologist Martina .
And now, browse the gallery and discover the recipes suggested by Dr. to create purifying and slimming smoothies.
Deflating with cucumbers and apple
Ingredients for 1 person: 1 small cucumber (about 200 g), 1 medium-sized green apple (150-200 g), the juice of 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon, 2 sage leaves.
↘ Wash the cucumber, peel it and cut it into slices. Peel the apple, core and dice it. Pour the ingredients into the blender glass, add the lemon juice and sage, then stir for a couple of minutes.
Because it is good: «The apple stimulates the elimination of liquids, it is refreshing and detoxifying», explains Dr. , specialist in food science in Milan. «Cucumber also has a diuretic action, useful for reducing swelling caused by water retention. In addition, containing azulene, a substance with an anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect, it improves circulation in the capillaries and helps to fight cellulite ».
Slimming with tomato and pepper
Ingredients for 1 person: 200 g of beautiful ripe cherry tomatoes (cherry or Pachino), 1/2 red pepper (about 150 g), 1 couple of centimeters of fresh ginger root.
↘ Wash the tomatoes, cut them into wedges and remove the seeds. Rinse the pepper carefully and cut it into cubes. Peel the ginger root and slice it thinly. Combine the ingredients in the blender glass and blend for 2 minutes.
Because it is good: «The tomato, thanks to the vitamin C of which it is rich, stimulates the work of the liver, favoring the consumption of sugars present in the blood, which in this way are not transformed into fat», explains Dr. . «Even red pepper, providing high amounts of vitamin C, accelerates the functioning of the organs of the digestive system. Finally, ginger speeds up your metabolism (that is, it makes you burn more calories) to the advantage of the figure ».
Fat burner with celery and parsley
Ingredients for 1 person: 150 g of green celery stalk, 150 g of white celery stalk, 1 handful of dandelion leaves, 1 bunch of fresh parsley.
↘ Wash the celery stalks thoroughly and slice them thinly. Rinse the dandelion and parsley leaves several times. Pour all the ingredients into the blender glass and mix for 2 minutes to get a smooth drink.
Because it is good: «Celery contains iodine, which acts on the thyroid by speeding up the metabolism», says . «The same effect is guaranteed, thanks in this case to the high intake of vitamin C, even from parsley. Thanks to the combined action of these two vegetables, the body burns the calories supplied by sugars and fats faster, helping you to lose weight. The dandelion, on the other hand, has cholagogue properties, useful for the digestion of lipids ».
Detox for the intestine with carrot and mango
Ingredients for 1 person: 1 medium carrot (about 150 g), 1 small ripe mango (150 g), 50-100 g of orange wedges, 1 pinch of cinnamon.
↘ Peel the carrot, slice it thinly and chop it. Peel the mango and cut it into cubes. Divide the orange wedges into chunks. Transfer all the ingredients to the blender, combine the cinnamon and whisk for a couple of minutes.
Because it is good: «The raw carrot, containing many fibers, stimulates the lazy intestine», explains Dr. . «Even the mango has a slightly laxative action and in addition it improves digestion; while the orange, very rich in vitamin C, in addition to counteracting constipation, detoxifies the body and promotes the work of the liver and kidneys. Finally, cinnamon is excellent for calming spasms and reducing unwanted intestinal fermentations ».
Anti-cellulite with pineapple and lime
Ingredients for 1 person: 300 g of fresh pineapple (weighed without peel), 2 lime wedges (100-150 g), 1 small piece of fresh chilli.
↘ Cut the pineapple into 1 cm cubes per side. Chop the lime wedges into 3-4 pieces each. Pour everything into the glass of the blender, add the chopped red pepper and stir for about 2 minutes.
Because it is good: «Pineapple is the most suitable fruit to fight cellulite», says our dietician. «The merit is of bromelain, a substance with a notable anti-inflammatory effect that favors the elimination of interstitial fluid trapped between the tissues and stimulates diuresis. Its action is enhanced by that of lime (another anti-inflammatory and diuretic fruit) and that of chilli, which speeds up the passage of water between cell membranes ».
