Āyurvedic Wellness Spotlight - April 202

It's getting warmer and you might be thinking about that quick and easy smoothie for breakfast (or afternoon snack). But āyurveda says to think twice about those smoothies. While they might taste great, they can be a digestive nightmare.

Smoothies usually combine fruits with other ingredients, like vegetables and dairy products. The acids required to break down fruits are strong, and other foods combined with fruit will be overwhelmed by these acids. Fruit also digests more quickly than other foods, and can hang around in your gut and ferment while the other ingredients in your smoothie digest. This can lead to gas, bloating, and even indigestion.

Smoothies are also kapha provoking. Just think about the qualities of a smoothie (cool, heavy, thick, sticky). Best to avoid accumulation of kaphic qualities while we are still in kapha season.

Smoothies dampen the digestive fire. Think about your digestive fire (called agni) as a campfire. What would happen if you pour a thick, cold, wet blob (i.e. a smoothie) onto that fire? That's right, it would smother the fire and put it out. When our digestive fire is weak, we accumulate toxins called āma that further weaken the digestion, making it slow, sluggish, and dull. This often leads to production of mucous which means, congestion, colds, and even exacerbated allergy symptoms.

So, what can you do if you just have to have your smoothie fix? Follow the tips below for an āyurvedically sound smoothie:

  • Be mindful of your food combining. Do not combine fruits and vegetables together in your smoothie, and do not use dairy based milk, use coconut milk instead, since coconut is a fruit itself.

  • Do not drink your smoothie while it is ice cold. Make the smoothie and let it sit until it's room temperature before imbibing. Cold foods and beverages weaken the digestive fire.

  • Use fresh fruits or veggies instead of frozen. In āyurveda fresh foods are considered to carry more prana. Using fresh fruits or veggies will help keep your smoothie are room temperature too!

  • Keep it simple. Use as few combinations as possible. Skip the protein powders, nut butters, and other add ins. Get your protein from REAL food, not powder, and don't overtax your digestion with too many ingredients at once.

  • Add cinnamon or ginger to your smoothie to aid in digesting your smoothie.

Carrie Klaus