When people think about how much food they eat, they often don't count the beverages they consume. Well, it's high time to start thinking more about what you're sipping, because juices and other drinks can really help boost your mood or provide other health benefits. And let's face it, good health is a cornerstone to true beauty.Here are few beverages to try:
If you need an energy boost don't go for a Red Bull or Rock Star--all that caffeine and sugar only gives you a temporary rush and will set you up for a crash a few hours later. Instead, sip a cold, refreshing glass of lemonade. The zing of the lemon stimulates your nose and taste buds and turns on the "wakeup" sensors in your brain.
If you're PMS-ing skip your normal cravings for sugar, salt and chocolate. Instead, blend up a cup of frozen strawberries with a cup of skim milk. This naturally sweet dairy treat can actually help ease cramps and other oh-so fun PMS symptoms. Plus you'll be getting some much need calcium, so you really can't go wrong here!
If you want to lose a couple of pounds forget all those diet supplements and instead have a glass of grapefruit juice. Researchers have found that people who drank 8 ounces of grapefruit juice before each meal lost an average of 3.3 pounds. This may not sound like a huge amount, but every little bit helps. And the effect only comes from grapefruit juice--when researches swapped out the grapefruit with apple juice, participants did not see the same results.
If you want to bring "sexy back" mix up a banana smoothie. Just take a frozen banana, plop in in the blends and add 1 cup of skim milk and 1 cup of yogurt. The scent of banana is a natural aphrodisiac for women, and even increases blood flow to the genitals, making nerves more sensitive to the touch. Is this what Gwen Stefani meant when she said "this shit is bananas"?
Give one of these drinks a try. The strawberry anti-PMS smoothie sounds really yummy, though I don't know if it could really substitute a rich, dark chunk of chocolate.
Tomorrow, I'll share some more beverages that provide an added bonus. Salut!
