Beat the Cravings: Amaranth Blender Juice

Amaranth Microgreens, Grapes, Cucumber, Lime Blender Juice

Do you crave healthy foods after a few days of junky eating or returning from a trip? I do, all I want are salads, soups, and veggies. It got me thinking about food cravings, because I also crave pizza and ice cream— not so wholesome.

I heard that cravings were secret messages from our subconscious brains alerting us to our nutritional deficiencies.  It goes like this: our bodies need some nutrient and is giving us cravings to get what it needs. It seems to make some sense... maybe?

I haven't been able to find solid studies linking a craving for chocolate to a magnesium deficiency, or a craving for pizza to a calcium deficiency. The secret brain-signaling-nutrient-deficiency theory is probably not totally bogus, but it really isn’t straightforward.  Cravings can also be hormonal or psychological, or remnants from our hunter-gatherer past telling us to fatten up before winter comes.

I don’t think my food cravings are always benevolent.  Afterall, that strong desire for comfort foods like greasy pizza, cornbread, and chocolate chip cookies is not good. Maybe the moral of this story is that we can’t always trust our own bodies to inherently “know” what it needs to thrive. It’s complicated.

Our conscious brains need to evaluate our cravings and decipher whether they serve the body, the emotions, or maybe the ancient hunter-gatherer drive. I’m all about helping the brain out with little shortcuts, little pre-made decisions. Like having a go-to breakfast blender drink recipe when I crave raw foods. A blender juice isn’t as thick as smoothie and doesn’t require any frozen fruit/veg, only a few ice cubes.  This is the combo I’ve been drinking lately:

Grape, Cucumber & Amaranth Blender Juice

1/2 cup grapes (can be frozen grapes)

1 small cucumber (about 3/4 cup roughly chopped)

1/3 tray red amaranth microgreens

Juice from one lime or 1/2 lemon

8oz water (add more or less to taste)

Ice, about a handful

Blend until really smooth. Tip: This drink will separate, so either drink quickly or be ready to stir.