Excerpt:
It’s a refreshing and rejuvenating drink for a hot summer day or a perfect breakfast when you’ve overeaten or eaten heavy or unhealthy foods the day prior. One note: this smoothie is not for you if you don’t care for radishes as they are the predominant flavor in this recipe. You can always reduce the amount of them for a fruitier taste if you prefer. I happen to love the crisp, peppery flavor of radishes!
All of the ingredients in this smoothie have some kind of detoxification properties…
Strawberries contain a chemical compound known as phenols. A certain phenol found in strawberries is anthocyanin. This compound is what gives the fruit is rich red color. Anthocyanin is known to have antioxidant properties which when consumed increases the body’s uric acid levels serving as an antioxidant agent. In addition, a recent study found that extracts from strawberries activate a protein in our bodies called Nrf2. Once activated, Nrf2 boosts your body’s internal production of antioxidants. It increases certain enzymes which remove toxins from cells. And it has also been shown to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
Watermelon helps the body flush out toxins because it contains the organic compound citrulline, which is an amino acid that has been shown to help the liver and kidneys filter and get rid of ammonia. Ammonia comes in external forms, but is also a by-product of the proteins our bodies are burning up constantly for energy, and it’s quite damaging to our cells.
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