Little Step No. 57
What to do:
Make a hydrating raspberry smoothie!
Why this step works:
After a lovely break (involving gorgeous Greek food, sea and sunshine!) Little Steps is back. And this week I wanted to share a simple, sunshine-inspired smoothie recipe that will help to keep you cool and hydrated as temperatures start to soar here in the UK.
I’m a big fan of smoothies. In part because it’s easy to pack plant food variety into them (which always gets a big tick from me). And there's endless ways to mix and match ingredients to deliver just what your body needs at any given time.
Here's a very simple and very delicious smoothie that's specially designed to support hydration and to help protect you against the damaging effects of the sun.
Hydrating raspberry smoothie
You will need:
300ml coconut water
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup fresh spinach
Method:
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender (Nutribullet or similar), blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
What’s so great about it?
Coconut water hydration – When temperatures really start to soar you need to keep well hydrated. This means replacing fluids regularly and keeping an eye on your intake of electrolytes too. Coconut water supplies both fluid and some electrolytes so it’s a great base for a scorching summer smoothie.
Raspberry antioxidants – Whilst sunny skies present a good opportunity to top up your vitamin D it’s also a time when our skin is more vulnerable to damage. Raspberries not only make your smoothie taste great but they're packed full of powerful antioxidant compounds such as resveratrol which help to protect you from the inside out.
Skin-nourishing chia seeds – Hydration is not just about water and electrolytes; you need essential fats to stay optimally hydrated too. Chia seeds supply omega 3 fats and are a super-nutritious addition to this smoothie.
Super spinach – I’ll usually throw some type of green leaves into a smoothie and I’ve chosen spinach for this one because it’s rich in vitamin C; a key antioxidant nutrient which helps to protect against the damaging effects of the sun. Spinach also helps to replenish magnesium levels - an important mineral which we lose more of when temperatures are high.
Tastes delicious! - And last but not least this smoothie tastes delicious, which makes it the perfect mid-afternoon alternative to a sugary ice lolly or fizzy drink.
Hope you enjoy trying out this super smoothie in the sunshine this weekend x