I love a good smoothie - if my belly isn’t quite ready for food first thing in the morning but I gotta get up n attem, pre-workout, post-workout.
The vibrant pink colour of this smoothie comes from beetroot.Â
In the menstrual phase, beetroot is a great ingredient to use liberally, for its antioxidants and beta-carotene which can reduce inflammation and relieve cramps by increasing the flow of oxygenated blood to the uterus.Â
Nitrates (in beetroot) are converted to nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide increases vasodilation - more dilation / enlarges the capacity of the blood vessels, which increases blood flow around the body - flow of nutrients and oxygen = increased energy. Many use beet juice for energy for training, improved performance, and improved cognition.
Although cooking (steaming, blanching, boiling, roasting etc.) does decrease the amount of dietary nitrates in the beets, the bioavailability is still 100%.
For this reason, there are 2x versions of this recipe.
and
2. Using beetroot powder and banana. (Banana also being a great ingredient in this phase to alleviate cramps.)
Beetroot is also a great source of iron, which rapidly depletes in the body during menstruation, thus restoring it can improve energy levels and reduce fatigue.
Other perfect ingredients to have during your period that I’ve added to this smoothie recipe, are flax and pumpkin seeds (seed cycling seeds - for hormonal balance), hemp seeds, cacao nibs (also add a nice crunch) and dates.
GET MORE OUT OF THIS RECIPE:Â
Call me weird, but, because in this phase body temperature drops (with the drop in hormones that initiates the start of the bleed), AND we want to keep the body as warm as possible in this phase to support the ease of flow and help cramps etc etc,, (this is tried and tested by the way) gently warm the smoothie in a small pan, adding a little more almond milk and stirring whist it warms to begin steaming. I am aware this is now basically a soup-smoothie, but, give it a try and let me know what you think!
To further improve digestibility and phytonutrient content, you can soak the seeds before adding them to blend into your smoothie. Combine the flax seeds with 2-3 tbsp filtered water overnight or up to 30 min before (enough time so they thicken and gel), and/or cover the pumpkin seeds with filtered water overnight and drain in the morning to add to the blender as per recipe.
If you're not a fan of using store-bought almond milk, use 1 cup of water and add 1 1/2 tbsp of flaked almonds, or about ~7 whole almonds (raw, roasted, or soaked/sprouted).
MENSTRUAL PHASE -SPECIFIC:
MACROS:
Low GI carbohydrates: beets are a high-fibre starchy root veg, dates (also a form of carb) also contain a great amount of fibre which whist, yes, being a glucose/carb, ensures balanced blood sugar, energy, mood, bowl movements, you name it.
Fats: added in to the high-fibre carbs makes this energy (and subsequent stable mood) go even LONGER.
Protein: in small amounts in the nuts and seeds in the mylk. Feel free to add some protein powder.
COOKING STYLE:
Blended = easy to digest & get the nutrients to the body faster. The body is doing a fair amount of BTS work, so that needs fuelling, with nutrients (macros and micros) that are body temperature / do not require extra work by the body to warm.Â
INGREDIENTS / NUTRITIONAL PROFILE:
Beetroot = is, as I mentioned earlier in this post, a phenomenal food for this phase. Antioxidants and beta-carotene - can help with cramps and inflammation, iron - replenish depleted stores (from menstrual loss), and reduce fatigue, nitrates - for vasodilation and energy, folate - important for reproductive health and supports healthy cycles. Raw is better than cooked, to retain the nutrients ie nitrates, though in the menstrual phase, cooked and warm is better than raw, super fibrous and cold. Beetroot powder is therefore a great option here.
Hemp seeds = are little omega powerhouses. Omegas can help reduce inflammation (thus reducing menstrual cramps). They also contain a great amount of magnesium (also helpful to reduce cramps / aches / inflammation etc.), as well as protein, fiber, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium (as mentioned), sulfur, calcium, iron, and zinc.
Pumpkin seeds = contain high amounts of zinc, which is thought to decrease the metabolism of prostaglandins, which are believed to cause menstrual cramps.Â
Flax seeds (+ pumpkin seeds = seed cycling duo) = the combo of these 2 seeds in the first half (14 days) of your cycle, is well documented to help stimulate oestrogen production (whilst keeping it slow, regulated and steady - preventing excess oestrogen production - since flax seeds contain lignins that bind to excess oestrogen), and decrease the metabolism of prostaglandins, which are believed to cause menstrual cramps.
Dates = are rich in many phytonutrients (magnesium, manganese, copper, calcium) and fiber, which, as well as lowering the GI also aids digestion (sometimes things get a little stuck in this phase). Dates are also known hormone regulators - Manganese; an often overlooked essential mineral, key for the production of sex hormones, is abundant in dates. Phenolic acid (a polyphenol antioxidant) is anti-inflammatory, and when combined with nuts, later in the day can help produce melatonin for better sleep.
Cacao nibs = are the bitter, un-ground, unrefined, unprocessed component of chocolate (in its purest rawest form). Packed with antioxidants, fiber, healthy fats, they support hormone balance, blood sugar regulation (& mood, energy etc.), are anti-inflammatory (can help with cramps), the list goes on. Not to mention they are a good source of essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, and manganese. Add these liberally in this phase.
Almonds =Â Â contain a small amount of protein, along with vitamin E, magnesium, vitamin B6 and riboflavin. Calcium, can also reduce cramps, bloating and water retention (as will magnesium). A great cycle syncing ingredient all cycle round.
Pink Drink:
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients
1 cup almond milk
1 med cooked beetroot (store-bought, vac-packed (steamed))
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 tbsp flax seeds
1-2 dates
1 tbsp cacao nibs
Tiny pinch of Himalayan pink salt
OR
1 cup almond milk
1 small banana (or 2/3 large)
1 tbsp beetroot powder
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 tbsp flax seeds
1-2 dates
1 tbsp cacao nibs
Tiny pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Method
Add everything into your blender or bullet blender (I chop the beetroot into 1/4 to help the blender, or roughly break the banana up a bit), and blend until smooth.
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