Anti Inflammatory Smoothie

The Best Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

While this drink could be called a smoothie, I consider it to be more of an anti-inflammatory juice since it is missing 20g worth of protein to be considered a meal or a post-workout drink. If you are using this anti-inflammatory drink as a meal or post-workout, be sure to pair it with foods high in protein for a well-balanced meal such as Greek yogurt or an egg dish. I like this juice in the morning because it has a kick to it, and it helps to start the day hydrated with anti-inflammatory ingredients.

This best anti-inflammatory drink contains omega-3 fatty acids, turmeric, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to keep the body’s natural and induced inflammation down.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup water (you can also use any milk or non-dairy milk of choice)

• 1 tbs ground flaxseed (make sure it is ground! Found in the baking isle of most grocery stores)

• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice (you can add a tsp of lemon zest in there too)

• 1 tbs raw apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s or a similar brand with “the Mother” in it)

• 1 tbs ginger root

• 1 tbs turmeric root

• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper (helps to absorb the benefits of turmeric)

• Dash of salt (optional)

• 1 large carrot (my favorite are purple carrots!)

• 1 small apple (I like granny smith ((the green sour ones))

• ½ tbs raw honey (make it local if you can)

Recipe adapted from “The Healing Roots” E-cookbook by ELENI OTTALAGANA, RDN, LD

Chronic and Acute Inflammation

Inflammation is normal, some inflammation we can see and others we cannot. There are two types of inflammation; chronic or acute inflammation. For example, if you sprain your ankle it will typically be red, bruised, warm and puffy. This we can see. Ideally, with rest, a good immune system, proper nutrients and calories, your body will heal within a few days. This could be seen as acute inflammation. If you constantly have inflammation of the gut, such as irritable bowel syndrome, irregular bowels and upset stomach, this is seen as chronic inflammation. If the ankle never heals, it could be seen as chronic inflammation as well. 

In sports and exercise, it is natural for our body to be inflamed after a run or a lift. Our muscles were being broken down, and now they need to be re-built back up to get stronger. When we exercise, we form reactive oxygen species (ROS). This is a form of inflammation. To bring ROS down, we need to consume antioxidants which are found in things like fruits, vegetables, herbs and teas.

What is the best smoothie for inflammation?

The best smoothie for inflammation is a smoothie that is low in saturated fat, high in omega-3 fatty acids and is antioxidant rich, packed with vitamins and minerals from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds or herbs. The anti inflammatory drink needs to also be low in added sugar and artificial sugars such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, sucralose. Low in sugar alcohols such as words that end in -ol like sorbitol and erythritol. If you are making your own smoothie with whole ingredients it is easier to know exactly what you are putting into your body. For the busy athlete, this is not always possible, so reading the nutrition facts label and ingredients and knowing what to look for is important.

What should I look for in a pre-made smoothie?

If you have food sensitivities, you are looking to avoid these on the ingredients list such as those who are intolerant to dairy should watch out for milk products: whey, casein and lactose. If you have high blood pressure you want to watch sodium intake. If you have a sensitive stomach and are often bloated and gassy, I’d recommend avoiding artificial sugars and keeping sugar alcohols low. It is not easy to pick out a pre-made smoothie that is anti-inflammatory as it can be overwhelming when the supplement aisle is full of 100+ products.

Tips to look for on the outside label include: A. look for a chocolate/vanilla/strawberry or other simple flavors. If it says oreo cookie or cake frosting with less than 4 grams added sugar, it likely has some kind of artificial sugar in it. Stevia and Monk fruit extract are a couple of natural sources of sweeteners that do not provide calories. These in my eyes are better alternatives than some of the ones I wrote about above.

What can I drink to reduce inflammation?

Staying hydrated with fluids that are low in added sugars is helpful to keep your body working smoothly. When you are properly hydrated your body can detoxify, provide better stools, regulate your body’s temperature and heart rate. When you are dehydrated, your body has to work harder to do all the same functions. Fluids that contain fruit or vegetables such as water with lemon or fruit smoothies are a great option. Beverages such as tea, carbonated flavored water are better alternatives to soda and things like red bull. Some people like to drink “fire cider” or apple cider vinegar ACV. The smoothie in this article contains ACV, which has anti-inflammatory properties.

Again, avoid artificial sugars and sugar alcohols if you have a sensitive stomach. These can cause gastrointestinal distress, gas and bloating.

Other Anti-Inflammatory Related Questions

How to reduce inflammation in the body? 

• Balance exercise, rest and recovery (including sleep)

• Take care of injuries and illnesses (rest and physical therapy)

• Manage stress (mental and physical)

• Average adequate sleep 8+ hours for athletes (if you are getting less than this, slowly improve by a half hour more each week, you can also bank sleep on days you can sleep in or get a nap in the day)

• Work with an RDN on your gut issues around exercise

• Regular bowel movements daily to properly detoxify your body and keep inflammation down

• Work with healthcare providers to manage medical complications

What causes inflammation? 

• Natural occurrences of inflammation for athletes include:

  • Over exercising/ overreaching/ overtraining

  • Frequent illnesses like common cold / sinus infections

  • Injuries

  • Overuse injuries like tendonitis and plantar fasciitis

  • Stress (mental and physical)

  • Lack of adequate sleep

  • GI issues

  • Medical complications like autoimmune diseases

How to reduce inflammation in the gut?

• Eat enough to support your level of activity so you have fuel for all your bodily systems. The body prioritizes your brain and heart, so if there is no calories/fuel left over then the gut takes the hit.

What vitamins help with inflammation? 

• Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble vitamins, while water soluble include vitamin B and C. All these vitamins are necessary for our body to function properly.

  • Vitamin C is well known for reducing the length of colds.

  • Vitamin D helps with your immune system.

  • Vitamin A and E are antioxidants which protect your cells from free radical damage (aka, inflammation).

Other nutrients that help fight inflammation:

• Omega-3 fatty acids

• Turmeric (curcumin)

• Leucine (rebuild muscle tissue)

• L-theanine (for stress)

• Glutamine (powerful antioxidant) 

What teas are good for inflammation?

• Many teas are good to drink to reduce inflammation because they contain phytochemicals that can prevent oxidative damage to your cells. Green tea contains plant compounds called polyphenols which are seen to help with irritable bowel disease (IBD). Turmeric tea contains the active ingredient curcumin which helps with chronic inflammatory illnesses such as IBD. Ginger tea can help reduce the number of inflammatory cytokines in the body.