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1/04/2012

Spicy Ginger Lemonade Elixir

Spicy Ginger Lemonade Elixir
INGREDIENTS
  • 3 organic lemons (peeled)
  • 1 pc of ginger (skin removed/about 3 inches around)
  • 2-3 tbsp raw organic honey
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • 3 cups of water
Makes (about) 40 ozs


With the exception of the honey, put all of the ingredients into your Vitamix Blender and blend! Then strain in a nut milk bag or paint strainer bag. (For detailed information on how to do this click HERE.) After your elixir base is strained, pour it back into the vitamix and add the honey. Blend and drink.


This is a great elixir to help ease those strange hunger cravings, help accelerate and burn excess fat and to help alleviate a migraine headache. Many who have used stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine, might want to try sipping on a little of this throughout the day to help those cravings and ease the side effects of withdrawal symptoms. Not to mention, the cayenne warms you up from the inside out!


Now the big question...*drum roll please* How does it taste? It tastes like lemonade with a kick! It goes down smooth it's lemony with a hint of ginger and sweetness from the honey...the combination of ginger, lemon and honey always works well together...then about a second after you swallow it, the cayenne is dancing in your mouth, throat, chest cavity and tummy (yes you might feel it going down, especially if you have mucus build up) and you're like wow! (It has cayenne in it...so its spicy! this is not your average lemonade) It might take some getting accustomed to for some, for others, it might be just right. I'd love to know how this tasted to you and more importantly did you feel the benefits?


TIP:
(1) If you have a juice and want to juice this, that's fine, just be sure to add the water after you juice the lemon and ginger...and depending on the type of juicer you have and the quality of juice it provides, water amounts may vary...so add "to taste".
(2) If at first you try this and its too strong for you, its ok to add more water to your liking. However, as time goes on...don't dilute it so much...eventually work your way into drinking this following the exact recipe...then try it without honey! *wink*
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Some Health Benefits

Lemons: The lemon is one powerful little fruit! Aside from the fact that its a great tool for fat burning and weight loss, It contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is rich in dietary fiber (7.36% of RDA). Its acidic taste is due to citric acid. Citric acid is present in up to 8% of its juice. Citric acid is a natural preservative, aids digestion. Studies found that citric acid help dissolve kidney stones. Lemons, like other citrus fruits, are excellent source of ascorbic acid (provides about 88% of DRI). Ascorbic acid or vitamin-C is a powerful water soluble natural anti-oxidant. This vitamin is helpful in preventing scurvy. Besides, consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the blood. Lemons like oranges contain a variety of phytochemicals. Hesperetin and naringenin are flavonoid glycosides commonly found in citrus fruits. Naringenin is found to have a bio-active effect on human health as antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. This substance has also been shown to reduce oxidant injury to DNA in the cells in-vitro studies. They also contain small level of vitamin A, and other flavonoid anti-oxidants such as α and B-carotenes, beta-cryptoxanthin, zea-xanthin and lutein. These compounds are known to have antioxidant properties. Vitamin A also required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is also essential for vision. Consumption of natural fruits rich in flavonoids helps body to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers. They also a good source of B-complex vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, and folates. These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. They contain healthy amount of minerals like iron, copper, potassium, and calcium. Potassium in an important component of cell and body fluids helps control heart rate and blood pressure. 

Ginger: Ginger has been in use since ancient times for its anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-flatulent, and anti-microbial properties. The root contains many health benefiting essential oils such as gingerol, zingerone, shogaol, farnesene and small amounts of phelladrene, cineol, and citral. Gingerols help improve the intestinal motility and has anti-inflammatory, painkiller (analgesic), nerve soothing, anti-pyretic as well as anti-bacterial properties. Studies have shown that it may reduce nausea induced by motion sickness or pregnancy and may help relieve migraine headaches. Zingerone, which gives pungent character to the ginger root, has been found to be effective against E.coli induced diarrhea, especially in children. This herb root is low in calories and contains no cholesterol, but is very rich source of many essential nutrients and vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), pantothenic acid (vit.B-5) that are essential for optimum health. It also contains good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure. 

Raw Organic Honey: While honey is sweet, the vitamins present in honey are B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. The minerals found in honey include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. On top of all of this “raw organic” honey is an alkaline-forming food, this type of honey contains ingredients similar to those found in fruits, which become alkaline in the digestive system.  Because it contains antioxidants, enzymes and amino acids, it doesn't ferment in the stomach and it can be used to counteract acid indigestion. Raw honey is also anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. Last but not least, it contains a mineral called selenium, which is necessary for the proper support of immune system health.  It is a vital mineral antioxidant found in the tissues of your body and assists in supporting an optimal balance of cardio-protective benefits as well. 

Cayenne: Cayenne contains health a benefiting alkaloid compound called: capsaicin, which is a strong spicy pungent character. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. When used judiciously it is also found to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels in obese individuals. Fresh cayenne peppers, red or green, are rich source of vitamin-C. Vitamin-C is a potent water soluble antioxidant. It is required for the collagen synthesis in the body. Collagen is the main structural protein in the body required for maintaining the integrity of blood vessels, skin, organs, and bones. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body protect from scurvy; develop resistance against infectious agents (boosts immunity) and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals from the body. Cayenne chili peppers are probably the richest spicy source of vitamin A. In addition this prized spice is also home for anti-oxidant flavonoids such as carotenes, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin.  Together, these antioxidant substances in capsicum helps to protect body from injurious effects of free radicals generated during stress, diseases conditions. The spice contains very high levels of essential minerals. The spice if even consumed in small quantities regularly would provide sufficient levels of iron, copper, zinc, potassium, manganese, magnesium and selenium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase. Selenium is anti-oxidant mineral. 100 g of cayenne peppers provides 2014 mg or 47% of daily required amount of potassium. Potassium is an important electrolyte inside the cells and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure and counter the effects of sodium. Cayenne is also good in B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that body requires them from external sources to replenish. B-complex vitamins facilitate cellular metabolism through various enzymatic functions.

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