Pineapple Cherry Ginger Lifter {gf/df/ve}

Give yourself a good kick with this vibrant, refreshing and fruity ‘Pineapple Cherry Ginger Lifter’! Besides providing you with a real vitamin C boost, it has supremely beneficial properties for your digestion and your gut in general, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and will help your flexibility  – a real smooth operator! 😉 (more of its health benefits later) 

My birthday gift this year was a trip to the Maldives – I always thought of this as a bit of honeymooner’s cliché but oh was I wrong! It’s heaven! I’m already praying for my hubby to be really unimaginative and give me the same present next year! 😉 Anyway, I am telling you this because they had the most incredible juice/smoothie menu I’ve ever encountered in a hotel. Every morning we had a buffet of juices at our breakfast table – pure bliss! The ‘Pineapple Ginger Lifter’ was a clear favourite! I obviously had to copy this smoothie, however, couldn’t resist the urge to add some of the wonderful cherries that are in season right now – jackpot!

Health Benefits
This smoothie is packed with both vitamin C and manganese, it is also a good source of dietary fibre, along with other vitamins (thiamin, B6, A, K), minerals (copper, potassium) and antioxidants.

• Improved Digestion: your digestion can be improved with bromelain, a proteolytic enzyme found in pineapples, which renders proteins more easily digestible; while the ginger opens up your taste buds, gets your digestive juices flowing and will accelerate the movement of food through your gut.
• Soothes stomach upsets: Ginger protects the gut, reducing gas, bloating and cramping. Bromelain soothes an inflamed bowel by relieving symptoms such as: abdominal pain, bloating, gas and diarrhoea. The active oil in mint (menthol) also calms an upset stomach with its antibacterial and antiseptic properties by either being invigorating or mildly sedating.
• Promotes flexibility: vitamin C is a key ingredient in the body’s production and maintenance of bones, blood vessels, joints and skin – a lack of vitamin C can lead to weak connective tissue and a lack of elasticity. Manganese supports the build up of collagen. Bromelain is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent that can protect you from conditions such as arthritis.
• Men’s fertility: the high amount of manganese in this smoothie can boost fertility by encouraging sperm motility and promote vitality. Manganese is known to be important in the production of sex hormones.
• Detox Boost: vitamin C stimulates the liver’s enzymatic system which cleanses our blood and eliminates environmental toxins.

Keep in mind that most calories in this smoothie come from sugars, so you might not want to have it every day.

Get the most from your nutrients!

• Use fresh and ripe pineapple! The pineapple’s antioxidant levels are at their highest at the point of spoilage. Try to use your pineapple soon after you’ve cut it as its nutrients and enzymes are highly perishable.
• Eat the pineapple’s core as it’s where bromelain is concentrated.
• Get organic cherries in season! The more local the better.
• Carefully peel the skin of the ginger as the concentration of its active compounds are highest near the skin. Use a spoon for peeling!

Recipe
serves 2-3 people (750ml/3cups)

1 medium pineapple app. 750g / 26.5oz
150g / 1 cup / 12 cherries
2tsp finely grated ginger
6 mint sprigs – leaves only

optional:
honey – if your pineapple is not sweet enough
coconut water – to make it more liquid
ice cubes – to make it more refreshing

Method

1. Peel the pineapple and cut into chunks (use the core!). Pit the cherries.
2. Add the pineapple chunks, the pitted cherries, ginger and mint to your blender and blend until smooth.
3. Taste and adjust with honey, coconut water and ice cubes if needed.
4. Enjoy!

 Tips / Variations:

• Skip the cherries if you don’t find any in season.

Print recipe here: Pineapple Cherry Ginger Lifter – Recipe

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Sources
Burgerstein Handbuch Nährstoffe; Healing Foods; SELFNutritionData: pineapple, cherry, ginger.