by Claire Addison on July 3, 2010
There are many reasons why you would choose to use a non-dairy alternative to cows’ milk in a smoothie or milkshake. It may be as simple as that you prefer not to include too much dairy in your diet. It may be for a medical reason, for example that you are lactose intolerant and that drinking cow’s milk gives you severe digestive symptoms. This problem is becoming more common in 21st century living. However, there are several excellent alternatives to cows’ milk that will make a delicious addition to any smoothie recipe and many can also be used as a replacement in cooking too.
Almond Milk
Making your own almond milk is very easy to do. All you need is Almonds and Water in the ratio one part Almonds to four parts water. Grind the Almonds and then add these to your smoothie maker or blender and whizz until smooth. The health benefits of Almonds are many and they are reputed to be the most healthy nut you can eat. They contain calcium, magnesium, postassium, manganese and copper as well as being an excellent source of Vitamin E.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk should be treated as cows’ milk once opened and kept in a refrigerator. It has many health benefits, including being antibacterial and antiviral but the most interesting thing is that it contains Lauric Acid which is also a component of human breast milk and which promotes bone growth. Coconut milk has a layer of cream on the top and you can either shake the container to mix the milk and the cream or separate the two, use the milk in your smoothie and use the cream for another recipe..
Hemp Milk
The benefits of drinking organic hemp milk are many including improved immune system, strong nails and hair and clear complexion. It is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. It makes a great addition to any smoothie and is easily digested..
Rice Milk
Rice Milk is probably the least nutritious on the non dairy alternatives available because it is mainly carbohydrates, without the protein found in cows’ milk. However, that being said, it does taste good in a smoothie and from this point of view it is a useful alternative to milk..
Soy Milk
There has been much in the news recently about whether soy products really do have the health benefits that have been claimed for them. However, it is accepted that soy products (as opposed to soy supplements) are perfectly safe to consume and soy milk does have benefits for our bones because of the isoflavones, calcium and magnesium it contains. Soy products can also be helpful to menopausal women because they do alleviate hot flashes..
I hope you will enjoy trying out these milks in your dairy alternative smoothies and maybe even develop new recipes of your own.
Popularity: 7% [?]
by Claire Addison on June 16, 2010
When good weather arrives, it is natural to migrate outside. Outdoor activities are not limited to sports.
Gardening is an outdoor hobby that has a lot of health and other benefits. Doing gardening on a regular basis is relaxing and effective in reducing stress, which can help cut down your risk of developing conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
Gardening is one of many great ways to get some daily exercise and improve fitness, as it involves a lot of physical activity such as digging, hoeing and harvesting. And, of course, you can get a regular supply of healthy organic food from your garden. If you want to start gardening, here are some of the essential tools you need to have:
- A spade for digging in loamy or sandy soil.
- A garden fork for digging in stony and stodgy soil, as it is effective in breaking up clotted soil and spreading compost.
- A long-handled shovel for heavier tasks such as shoveling gravel, soil and compost, as well as transplanting shrubs and small trees.
- A long-handled hoe for weeding and cultivating soil.
- A hand trowel for planting small plants and light weeding.
- A rake for leveling the soil in preparation for sowing and planting.
- A hand pruner for pruning shrubs and trimming stems.
- A hand scoop for removing compost and potting soil from sacks.
- A hand weeder which allows you to reach into hard-to-reach spaces to remove dirt.
You might also want to consider a sturdy pair of gardening gloves to protect your hands from calluses and blisters, as well as keeping them dry when you’re gardening in wet weather. Portable folding chairs come in handy, since they can move with you throughout the garden.
If you don’t have room for an outdoor garden, or you just want to bring a touch of green into your home, planters will allow you to indulge in your green thumb. Planters come in a wide variety of materials, ranging from wood to terracotta and even metal and stone, styles and types (window planters, hanging planters and urns). There are even self-watering planters that have their own water supply that you only need to replenish from time to time.
Besides relaxation and exercise, gardening produces just the best organic food you could ask for in the form of homegrown vegetables.
Popularity: 13% [?]
by Claire Addison on May 5, 2010
Fresh juice has become the new fashion drink, with cafes and juice bars selling it by the cup for premium prices. Fresh juice is great for you, as you might already know – it fills the hole left in our diets when we eat too much processed food, and don’t get enough fresh raw fiber. Many people swear that juice fasts and juice diets have not only improved, but actually cured diseases that had been diagnosed as degenerative and basically incurable.
Making juice at home is also a popular way to naturally supplement ones diet, and there are many great home juicer machines out there to choose from. While any machine that makes juice is better than none, there are some important differences between machines that you should take into account if you are interested in buying one.
Basically there are two types of juicer – centrifugal, and masticating. Centrifugal juicers are the more common design, they are the ones you are likely to see for about $50-$100 in department stores. They are quite fast, and work by shredding up all the ingredients so the juice drains out. The disadvantage they have is that the high speed incorporates air bubbles, causing the juice to oxidize – or react with oxygen in the air. This makes it go off faster, and lowers the vitamin and nutrient content.
Masticating juicers (masticating is the scientific term for chewing by the way) use a different principle to extract juice, they instead rely on a slowly turning auger or screw to crush juice out of fruits or vegetables. These machines a bigger, and more solidly built and will cost more to buy, but the advantages are many – they make better juice, are more versatile, and are built to last much longer. One really popular, though fairly expensive masticating juicer is the Angel Juicer (built by the company Angel) which actually uses a twin gear design – this just means it uses not one but two slowly turning augers, or gears as they may be referred to, to grind up everything you put through it. This juicer has the versatility to be able to also make nut butters, and even crush seeds to allow you to make cold pressed linseed and flax seed oils at home!
While any juice is better than no juice, the benefits of a masticating juicer are great, and if you can afford it, this type of machine is the best choice for the truly heath conscious.
Popularity: 10% [?]
