This weekend is typically the kick-off for Summer and warm weather- yay!
On this Memorial Day weekend, let's first remember the men and women who served our country and whose lives were taken as they fought for our freedom and rights. Thank you to all those who Bourne the battle- thank you for your service.
With celebrations occuring all weekend long, the warmer weathering soaking in, and a time for enjoyment, not to focus on the types of foods we eat, but to enjoy the company we are surrounded with and the memories being made. For athletes, hydration and fueling can be liberal, yet, requires some focus to ensure the following week they are fueled for their performance.
Whether you're an athlete or not, the recipe below to enjoy this weekend is simple and fun so next week you can still be on your game! It's also very hydrating and provides a great way to add variety to the simple old, popsicle. Yes, I said popsicle!
So what is this popsicle?! Well, I put some of my favorite foods together and added some water and voila, a delicious, refreshing popsicle! This recipe is super simple, it took me FIVE minutes to whip up (minus the freezing), and so many varieties can be done to this that will still hydrate and give your body ample nutrition.
The ingredients are simple; a fruit, some juice from a vegetable that has some great fueling properties that I'll get to, a little citrus zing, and water. Add them all to a blender until desired consistency and place in either popsicle molds or ice cube trays to freeze! If enjoyed as ice cubes, just add water, or you can make mini-popsicles, waiting about 30-minutes to place popsicle sticks in the middle of each ice cube.
The reason I didn't mention the specific ingredients yet, is so you can see the basic ingredients you need (from your refrigerator, freezer, cans, or even fresh!) and realize that any recipe can be altered to your preference. This is one reason why I LOVE cooking and educating my clients- because we work together to determine YOUR preferences, YOUR needs, and what works for YOU, not what works for someone else! We are all individuals and athletes are not going to accept the same things.
Alright, let's get to the actual ingredients to review their benefits on sports performance AND WELLNESS!! Let's start with the fruit- blueberries (or ANY berry). Berries are very high in antioxidants and provide anti-inflammatory properties, which for athletes, can aid in recovery and soreness.
Ingredient two, the vegetable juice is.....BEET juice! These are one of my favorite vegetables because I love the color and that color is exactly why they are so good for you. The red/blue/purple color provides specific properties called phytochemicals, that work on protecting- what I like to say as- bad things from happening to our cells. They dive even deeper biochemically than antioxidants do in our bodies to protect against cancer cell growth, other damage to cells as we age, and also have anti-inflammatory properties (same reason the berries do- same colors!). However, Beets/Beet juice also provide another benefit to many. Nitric oxide is provided through them, which acts as a vasodilator- meaning, our blood vessels become relaxed and widen. This in turn allows more red blood cells to flow through our bodies and thus, more oxygen. So as an athlete, having more oxygen flow through your body is great during performance so your muscles stay energized and performing well.
Ingredient three, lemon juice, which adds a little zing to your popsicle and a nice flavor enhancer of the blueberries and beets. And finally ingredient four is your water for more fluid and a thinner popsicle consistency.
Now that you know the performance benefits of these popsicles, how about we make them!
As previously mentioned, all ingredients can be added to the blender, pureed, and then poured into your desired popsicle molds or ice cube trays, and can be ready in as little as 2 hours!
Enjoy this super-easy recipe and comment below if you use a different variation and how you enjoyed it!
Information provided on this website does not constitute medical advice and is not intended to assist in the diagnosis, treatment or alleviation of any medical condition. Persons seeking to address a medical condition should consult with a qualified medical professional. Emily Richters Fasciana LLC will not be liable for any damages, losses, injury or liability suffered as a result of reliance on the information provided on this website.
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