Craft Smoothie have launched a range of premade plant-based smoothie blends. Image supplied.
Local brand Craft Smoothie recently launched a delicious range of premade plant-based smoothie blends called Express Smoothies that are convenient while boosting your nutrition. They’re designed to help balance busy lifestyles with healthy habits offering wholefood smoothies that are an easy way to help your immunity.
Each smoothie package is a pre-portioned, single-serve pouch that eliminates surplus waste and is ready to consume in seconds. All you need to do is add your preferred liquid, ice and blend, then drink the goodness. Craft Smoothies are packed with nutrient-dense superfoods and are created with wholefood ingredients – nuts, seeds and premium freeze-dried produce. There are no added sugars or artificial ingredients, flavours, preservatives or fillers. Each smoothie is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, soy free and GMO free.
“Craft Smoothie Express has been nutritionally designed to simplify your daily routine. The all-in-one superfood smoothie pouches boost your intake of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, along with quality protein and healthy fats from wholefood sources. This means you can enjoy a zero-prep meal that’s packed with nutrients to support optimal immune function,” says Craft Smoothie Founder, Riki Hoeata.
“Nutrients help the immune system in several ways: working as antioxidants to protect healthy cells, supporting growth and activity of immune cells, and producing antibodies. Once blended together, the smoothie provides everything you need – quality protein, healthy fats, greens and fruits. The convenience and time saving factor is great for those busy days,” says Laura Warren, Registered Clinical Nutritionist.
There’s five flavours of Express Smoothies to choose from with Strawberry Raspberry, Blueberry Blackcurrant, Cacao Raspberry, Pineapple Green and Tropical Mango offering delicious options. The smoothies are crafted with premium freeze-dried fruit, which retains almost all of its nutritional value according to a joint study with Newcastle University’s School of Agriculture, Food & Rural Development with the global ingredient supplier, Chaucer. This method also reduces waste, the need for preservatives, additives or sugar.
In the midst of this pandemic we’re also thinking more about our immunity and we asked Laura Warren, Registered Clinical Nutritionist about her advice for helping our immunity through the nutrients we consume.
“Epidemiological studies find that those who are poorly nourished are at greater risk of bacterial, viral, and other infections. Think of food as the fuel to make our body work. If the fuel quality isn’t nutrient dense our bodies don’t operate at optimum,” says Laura Warren. “Nutrients help the immune system in several ways: working as antioxidants to protect healthy cells, supporting growth and activity of immune cells, and producing antibodies.”
Here are Laura’s top immunity boosters:
Vitamin C is responsible for immune activation following exposure to toxins. Acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin C has long been used to decrease viral load in respiratory infections and speed up recovery time.
Zinc supports the activity of many cells of the immune system, helps to control oxidative stress and inflammation and has specific anti-viral actions including inhibiting the replication of CV. Multiple studies report an association between low zinc status and increased susceptibility to and severity of CV. Required for over 200 enzyme pathways in the body to work, crucial for gut health, digestion, mood, hormone production and energy.
Quercetin is a flavonoid found in many fruits and vegetables. It has unique biological properties including antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that contribute to reducing infection risk as well as supporting the cardiovascular system.
Prebiotics – include lots of prebiotic foods so the probiotics populations can eat! Probiotics are “nonpathogenic living microorganisms providing various health benefits to the human host.” Over the last 2 decades, many studies and clinical trials have shown that probiotics may help modulate the immune response and treat various diseases, especially viral infections. The immune system is interconnected with gut bacteria. Most of the human microbiota resides in the gut, and as it turns out, so does roughly 75% of the body’s immune system. The relationship between the two is symbiotic so it makes complete sense to ensure your gut health is in good order so the immune system can do its job.
New Craft Smoothie Express provides an easy and efficient way to boost your intake of nutrients from wholefoods that support the immune system, including vitamin C, zinc, quercetin and prebiotics.
The Craft Smoothie Express range is available online as a one-off or set up a subscription and you can build your own Smoothie Box with the choice of five different Craft Smoothie Express Blends or purchase a Variety Box to sample the full range. Pricing is $7.99 per pouch and $39.95 for a five pouch Variety Box.
Images supplied.