Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Do you feel like you need a bit of an internal spring cleaning? With the change of season, now is a good time to make some positive changes to your diet too! If you like the taste of strawberries and pineapple, then you will love the taste of guanabana or soursop as these are the flavor combinations of this tropical fruit, which has body cleansing benefits!
Before I tell you how guanabana can cleanse your body, let me first tell you why it is an important component to healthy living. Everyday our bodies are exposed to toxins. These toxins come in many forms; not only from the food we eat and drink such as processed foods and drinks, refined or artificial sugars, additives, preservatives, colors, pesticides, and damaged fats, etc., but also from what we breathe such as cigarettes, and air pollution; and also, from what we put onto our body that gets absorbed like chemicals in lotions, makeup, shampoo, perfume.
Add to this the toxins your body creates from too much stress. If left unchecked, these toxins that enter your body can create physical and mental health issues such as inflammation, lowered immune function, accelerated aging, fatigue, headaches, insomnia & weight gain to name a few!
But, don’t let this stress you out! Even though we are exposed to toxins every day, our bodies have the ability to release these toxins via the liver, kidneys, colon, lungs, skin and lymphatic system. However, when our organs are overloaded with too many toxins, we may need to help our bodies out a bit. We can start by reducing known toxins in our lives and eating cleaner, as well as adding foods that will assist in the cleaning and detox process.
Guanabana to the rescue! This fruit has the ability to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, colon), because firstly, the juice found in guanabana is a very effective diuretic and is able to remove excess toxins and salts from the body.
Secondly, this fruit is very high in fiber and can meet 83 percent of the recommended daily requirement for fiber just by consuming one fruit! This fiber is fantastic for assisting in clearing up built-up toxins in the colon.
And thirdly, this amazing fruit contains anti-inflammatory components reducing the damage that the toxins have done to our body, as well as reducing parasites in the colon.
On top of all the above, this superfruit contains very high levels of Vitamin C. Just one fruit can provide our body with 215% of our daily recommended requirements of Vitamin C, meaning it can increase our white blood cell count to improve our ability to defend and fight off pathogens, strengthening our immune system.
With all these benefits, don’t walk, run (to help remove more toxins) to get your guanabana to receive these body enhancing benefits!
When choosing the perfect guanabana, it is important to understand that most are picked green before they are fully ripened. You will know it is ripe when it turns a yellow-green color and that will indicate that it is ready to eat! Ensure the fruit has a little give when you press on it, and consume within a few days of it becoming ripe, for maximum benefits!
Give this cooling smoothie a try as a great way to start the day and get the body releasing toxins.
Guanabana Cool Cleansing Smoothie Recipe
Serves 2 large glasses
Ingredients:
1 Large Fresh Guanabana (about 500gs)
1 Cup Pineapple
1 Cup Fresh Coconut Pulp
2 Cups of Kale or Baby Spinach
1 Inch Piece of Fresh Ginger
1 Cup of Coconut water or milk
1 Tablespoon Wheatgrass powder (optional)
Directions:
Start by peeling the Guanabana, and cut in half to remove the seeds and stem. Separate the pulp and place into the blender, along with the pineapple, leafy green of your choice, peeled ginger, coconut pulp, coconut water or milk and lastly add in the Wheatgrass powder as an extra cleansing boost for the body.
Blend on high, until combined, and all the mixture is well blended, to leave a thick consistency. If you prefer a thinner consistency add more coconut water/milk. Enjoy the detoxing boost!
Lonneke Botello Hernandez is a Clinical Nutritionist, Personal Trainer and Health Journalist. With over eleven years of clinical experience, she has helped countless people to enhance and improve their long-term health and wellbeing, from weight loss to reducing disease and illness. If you would like to receive a personalized 1:1 program to reach your health goals sooner, contact her via the Aslon Antiaging Clinic Facebook page or website. “When you improve your health, you improve your life.”
