The Raven Smoothie

The New Antioxidant Smoothie



























Açai (Euterpe oleracea)The South American palmberry likely new to most North Americans, açai (“ah-sigh-ee”) is a nutrient-rich berry best known for its dark blue color, intense fruity flavor and rich antioxidant content from phytochemicals called phenolic anthocyanins. Delicious and exotic, we use acai for taste and antioxidant strength.














Preliminary evidence suggests that drinking concentrated pomegranate juice may reduce cholesterol. Israeli researchers, published a small clinical study in June 2004 in Clinical Nutrition, suggested that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice a day for one year reduced blood pressure (particularly systolic pressure) and slowed down LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) oxidation.

Pomegranate fruits contain polyphenols, tannins and anthocyanins - all are beneficial antioxidants. Interestingly, pomegranate juice contains high levels of antioxidants - higher than most other fruit juices, red wine or green tea.











Much of Blueberries health benefits comes from antioxidants called anthocyanidins, which can neutralize free radical cell damage and help ward off age-related memory problems, cataracts, glaucoma, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, peptic ulcers, dementia, heart disease and cancer.
Rutgers University researchers have also found that epicatechin, another highly active antioxidant phytonutrient found in blueberries, can help to prevent urinary-tract infections.
Plus several studies show that blueberries may even be able to improve your eyesight.
But Blueberry benefits don't end with antioxidants. They're low calorie, (a measly 81calories per cup), high fiber food that has been proven to help boost your immunity and detoxify your body.