If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?! But we guarantee you’ve encountered this scenario: you order your favorite, go-to smoothie and while you wait, you see someone else pick up a decadent looking one. You question if you made the right choice but you reaffirm yourself you did because you don’t know much about the ones you haven’t tried. Well good thing you’re reading this post because it’s the first installment in our smoothie spotlight series. Each month, we will dedicate a blog post to one smoothie, discussing each ingredient: where the ingredient comes from, the nutrition and benefits. Our hive is busy day in and day out, so we thought there was no better place to start than with the Queen Bee.
Bananas
If asked about the benefits of bananas, some might say it’s a good source of potassium; good for muscle cramps. And they are absolutely right! In fact, a banana a day would provide you with nearly a quarter of your daily value for potassium. Bananas are also rich sources of vitamin A, B, C and D, aiding in healthy immune function, bone and tissue growth, and the absorption of calcium.
Not only are bananas nutrient dense, they are an excellent support food for digestive health. Banana’s nondigestible fibers help normalize the colon’s function (read: healthy bowel activity). Better yet, bananas contain prebiotics, food for the healthy bacteria in our gut. So aside from making your smoothie creamy and delicious, you are helping your second brain, your gut.
Coconut Butter
Take a spoonful of Artisana’s coconut butter and try to tell us you aren’t temporarily in heaven. So, exactly what is coconut butter? The Kitchn describes it perfectly, “Coconut oil is made from the extracted fat of the coconut meat, whereas this butter includes the fibrous shreds of the coconut meat, albeit in dried form.”
Coconut products contain saturated fat; however, it is believed coconut’s fat is different than other saturated fats. Coconut butter contains lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid. Short and medium chain fatty acids aren’t digested, which means they are quickly used for energy. Gimme me all the coconut! Energy aside, fats are essential for fat soluble vitamins, enhancing the bioavailability of fat soluble nutrients and help the body with many metabolic functions. Laka Living recently posted a tip to partner adaptogens and healthy fats for better absorption.
Lucuma
Typically grown in Peru, Chile and Ecuador, lucuma is the fruit from the Pouteria lucuma tree. The fruit looks similar to an avocado but the flesh resembles the yolk of a hardboiled egg. Beta carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium and protein all make up the luscious lucuma.
Research has shown a relationship between lucuma and cardiovascular health, digestion and skin health. We love adding it to smoothies and other raw treats for its maple-like taste. Low on the glycemic index, lucuma adds a subtle sweetness without the sugar rush.
Bee Pollen
Bee pollen: antifungal, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, liver protective, and local pain reliever. WOAH! Where can we get our hands on this wonder food?! Bees collect pollen from plants, mix it with a small amount of saliva and add it to pollen loads, basically a basket on their hind legs. They transport the pollen to the hive, pack it into honeycombs and cover the pollen with wax and honey. It is from the hive that honey bees can consume this essential food or it can be sustainably harvested for human consumption.
Bee pollen is small but it sure is mighty. Bee pollen is loaded with protein, essential amino acids, and vitamins A, E, D, B and C. Among a long list of benefits, bee pollen has been used for energy, reducing skin irritants, respiratory health, and digestive health. We must give thanks to the bees, as one colony provides anywhere from one to seven kilograms of pollen per year.
Shatavari
Ladies, listen up! Traditionally, shatavari was used as a rejuvenating tonic for women, throughout all phases of their lives: menstruation, PMS, menopause, fertility support. This powerful herb continues to support women's healthy. Shatavari translates to “having one hundred roots”, but has also been referred to as “having one hundred husbands”.
Shatavari comes from the roots and stems of the Asparagus racemosus Willd plant, a relative of asparagus. Shatavari supports a healthy female reproductive system, breast milk production, balanced hormones, digestive healthy, energy and immune function. It is non-discriminatory, as it also supports the male reproductive system.
Lavender
Native to Mediterranean countries, lavender is now cultivated all around the world, including Sebastopol, CA! This hearty herb has long been used for anxiety, restlessness and calming nerves. When used in food, lavender is often added in small amounts for flavor.
Honey
We could write a whole blog post on our love for bees, and that wouldn’t suffice. While honey is used as a sweetener, it brings some powerful benefits to the table. Local honey provides immune stimulating properties, that are helpful for seasonal changes and simply adapting to the environment. Honey can be soothing for a sore throat or calming for morning sickness.
Sole
Step aside Gatorade, hello sole!
Pronounced so-lay, Sole is the product of dissolving Himalayan salt in water. Full salt saturation produces water rich in trace minerals. Sole is hydrating, detoxifying, alkalizing and stabilizing. In fact, Himalayan Crystal Salt’s research showed hydration indicators increased about 10% with the addition of sole to the diet.
Shilajit
Just how do you obtain organic matter and plants for the healing benefits? We proudly serve Lotus Blooming shilajit and here is how they source theirs .. “We personally source our shilajit from a remote Himalayan region of India, with altitudes between 16,000 and 18,000 feet. The environment is pristine and free from pollutants, fertilizers and chemicals. During the summer months, the temperature of the mountains gets warm enough to allow the Himalayan shilajit to become more gooey and viscous. It can then be seen glistening between the cracks in the layers of rock. The local people of the area carefully collect the precious substance by hand.”
The purified resin, Shilajit, contains trace minerals and fulvic acid. It has long been used for metabolism, healthy reproductive function, immune health and energy.
Coconut-Hemp Mylk
Earlier we touted the benefits of coconut, now let’s focus on hemp seeds. In addition to being vitamin rich, hemp seeds contain ample amounts of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, both of which are important for our health. They are rich in protein, and found to be more digestible than animal based protein sources. Benefits aside, all our nut mylks are made fresh, daily and of course, with our love and attention.
Stay tuned for next month's installment of Smoothie Spotlight!
Interested in learning about a particular smoothie or topic? Send us an email at thehive@thenectary.net
In Good Health,
The Nectary
Disclaimer: The information presented in this blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. The Nectary does not provide medical advice or treatment, nor it is a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your healthcare provider before consuming anything mentioned within these posts.
We get by with a little help from our friends:
http://www.phytojournal.com/vol1Issue3/Issue_sept_2012/9.1.pdf
https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-coconut-butter-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-166405
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/what-is-lucuma/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4377380/
https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements.aspx?letter=S
https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/products/shatavari-root/profile
https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/ayurvedic-living/living-ayurveda/herbs/shatavari/
https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/databases/food,-herbs-supplements/professional.aspx?productid=838
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-organic-locally-grown-raw-honey/
https://www.himalayancrystalsalt.com/sole.html
https://empoweredsustenance.com/himalayan-salt-benefits/
https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/food-safety/how-healthy-is-hemp/