PINEAPPLE TURMERIC DETOX SMOOTHIE

This is the colour of happy! How can it not be?! It's bright, it's yellow, it's cheery, it's summery, it's healthy, it's... happy! And insanely delicious!

I talked a bit about the nutritive qualities of turmeric in one of my previous smoothie posts. As I said before, one of the things about turmeric is that it's constituents are fat soluble and therefore not very bioavailable when turmeric is consumed on its own. For this reason, when cooking Indian food, powdered turmeric is added to hot ghee or oil, never eaten raw. In fact, after adding turmeric to the hot ghee (or oil), all the remaining spices to be used are also added to the hot ghee. This is because all spices have a fat soluble component and ghee, considered to be a noble fat and a rasayana in Ayurveda, is the preferred carrier for the spices and their fat soluble compounds to the body through our liquid tissue: the blood (hematic) and lymphatic systems. In my turmeric smoothies, I usually add up to a tbsp. of hemp hearts, flax seeds, flax oil, coconut oil, or ghee (I add ghee to savoury smoothies, not fruit-based ones).

If you don't want to add any fat to your turmeric smoothie, it's quite ok. Fresh turmeric root (not dried and powdered) is very high in Vitamin C, a water-soluble compound, so you will still get plenty of benefit from fresh turmeric root. In fact in India, when fresh turmeric is in season, we make a relish of sliced fresh turmeric root seasoned with salt and lemon... it's so delicious and pretty!

Ok so turmeric is definitely a nutritional heavy-hitter... but pineapple's no shrinking violet when it comes to being virtuous! It's one of the most detoxifying fruits, full of digestive enzymes including the lung-cleansing bromelain, antioxidants, Vitamins C and B Complex, manganese, fibre, among other things. In fact even the core of the pineapple has a lot of bromelain so don't throw it away!

Pineapple can interfere with certain medicines though, so if you're taking any medication, especially blood thinners, check with your doctor before having pineapple.

Despite all the great qualities, pineapple can be a bit like a woman at times: gorgeous but a handful to deal with. However, I'd still recommend a fresh pineapple over precut pineapple that's been exposed to light all day long in the store (or even a few days). To easily cut a fresh pineapple: cut it into 1 in. or 1-1/2 in. slices. With a paring knife or other small knife, use a vertical sawing motion to cut out the flesh from the middle, cutting close to the skin (photo above). For the end pieces: cut them into half and carefully cut out the flesh from the skin.

Don't discard the core - it's chock-full of bromelain and other healthy things!!

Pineapple Turmeric Detox Smoothie

makes: 16 oz.

- 2 cups ripe pineapple chunks

- 1 in. piece of raw turmeric (peeled if not organic)
- 1/2 in. piece of ginger

- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 tbsp. hemp hearts, flax seeds, or coconut oil

1. Blend well into a smoothie.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 8 hours.