Refreshing Antioxidant & Electrolyte Balancing Slushy

Serves 1

1 cup coconut water
1 cup frozen pomegranate kernels
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 teaspoon raw agave nectar

Combine above ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This is a simple and refreshing way to rehydrate, cool down, and stave off free radicals all in one fail swoop.

Raspberry-goji smoothie

1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup 100% pure pomegranate juice
1 medium ripe banana
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon flax oil
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup dried goji berries (soaked in 1/3 cup hot water 5 minutes)

Place above ingredients in blender, process until smooth. Enjoy your morning dose of protein, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, beta carotene, and omega fatty acids; just to name a few.

1/3 cup pomegranate juice concentrate
1 cup frozen pomegranate kernels
1 medium ripe banana
1/4 cup pure orange juice
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon agave nectar

In a blender, add pomegranate juice, pomegranate kernels, banana, orange juice, raspberries, and agave nectar, blend until smooth.

Pomegranates

A super-fruit because of it’s impressive nutritional profile. One pomegranate provides 40% of an adults RDA of vitamin C, as well as a good dose of potassium, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin E, and powerful antioxidant compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids. They provide significantly more antioxidant properties than red wine, blueberries, or green tea. Health benefits include reducing heart disease, improving the cardiovascular system, scavenging free radicals which contribute to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, premature aging, and wrinkles. New studies show pomegranates have a significant anti-tumor effect on skin cancer. Anti-inflammatory properties in pomegranates help to prevent inflammatory conditions which are increasingly recognized as the cause of many diseases. There are several excellent ways to consume pomegranates. I love POM Wonderful brand juice, it is sugar free with natural ingredients, I just recently discovered organic frozen pomegranate kernels at the health food store, these are excellent for smoothies, fruit salad, added to yogurt, or cereal. Of course there is the traditional whole pomegranate which is easy to cut open, then submerge the fruit in a large bowl of water, and separate the kernels from the white membrane, the kernels will sink and the membranes will float, making your life much easier. I actually find the frozen kernels to be a good deal, for $6.00 you get 10 ounces, the whole fruit can be $3.00 a piece sometimes. I think it is worth the price for the convenience.