The Sunday Slurp

 Thank you all for your well wishes with my bars in the recipe contest!

  Today I am taking a break from food and recipes (I know unbelievable right?) and heading to the liquid stuff. Beverages. No beverage recipes though—more so what your beverage can do for you in terms of for your health. Some you may know, others you may not. Whatever the case ask not what you can do for your beverage, but what your beverage can do for you. Cheers!

Lemonade

Grab a glass of this tart treat if you need to increase your energy—research done at the Chicago Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation found that lemons fight fatigue by stimulating a nerve in the nose to set off “wake up” sensors in the brain.

 

Coffee

Reach for the java if you need some help to wake up in a.m. I know a lot of blogger’s already have their standard cup o’ joe in the morning—the caffeine will energize your nervous system so you’ll feel more clear-headed and alert. Beware of sugar and heavy creams as this can harm your waistline. Light milk is a better choice because it provides needed protein and a steady dose of carbs to regulate blood sugar!

 Milkshake
Yes, permission to drink a milkshake! Ladies, this may be your lucky day—milkshakes are proven to prevent and ease cramps and other symptoms of PMS. Research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that a diet rich in Calcium and Vitamin D helps reduce the risk of PMS by 40% by possibly altering estrogen levels. For a 160 calorie milkshake, blend up 1 C skim milk and 1 C frozen strawberries. Slurp!

Apple Juice

An apple a day supposedly keeps the doctor away and now research shows apple juice or cider can be just as effective as reducing the severity and duration of a headache as popping an aspirin. If you’re fond of the scent of apples, it can have a therapeutic effect on your body too!

 

 Ginger Tea

Ginger ale is known to help a tummy ache and now adding a dash of ground ginger to regular tea is a alternative to people who have acid reflux or just trouble handing the carbonation of sodas.

Low-Fat Chocolate Milk

Yes, the Nesquik bunny can be your friend and help you to recover from exercise too! Flavored milk contains the optimal ratio of carbs and protein unlike most “recovery drinks” which only supply carbs and replenish electrolytes, but no protein. So switch it up and see if chocolate milk will help you mooooove a little easier.

 Green Tea

As if this miracle beverage doesn’t do enough, now it is proven that it can help you think straighter. Its’ brain-boosting properties may help keep your mind razor sharp. Research revealed that seniors who drank 2 cups of the brew daily were half as likely to show signs of cognitive impairment compared with those who drank the tea only three times a week. So I am thinking as long as I keep up with the word puzzles and get my green tea, my noodle should be good for a long time coming.

BTW, I need some help if you’d be willing!

Does anyone have some amazing recipes

suited for potluck style? I am looking for some grad

party recipes, and who better to ask then the blog buds!