Showing posts with label Drink. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drink. Show all posts

5 Post-Workout Muscle Recovery Smoothies

healthy muscle recovery smoothies post-workout

Proper nutrition and exercises are part and parcel of each other. What you eat after workouts determines how fast your muscle recovery will be afterward. Therefore, if you are planning to bump up your workout intensity, then it is essential that you brace yourself with an excellent post-workout meal to speed up your body's recovery. A smoothie, especially one made explicitly for post-workout recovery is the best thing to consume after an intense hour of lifting weights and hitting the treadmill. It is in respect to that that we created below a list of five muscle recovery smoothies perfect for post workout to ensure that you have something healthy and delicious to help you bounce back to your normal routine below. You will be back to work in no time without the muscle soreness or stiffness. 

What To Look For In Muscle Recovery Smoothie Ingredients 

The truth is you can blend almost any fruit or anything else that comes your way to make a smoothie, but there are specific ingredients that speed up muscle recovery. Based on our list of smoothies you need to look for ingredients rich in Vitamins A, D, E and K as these are rich in antioxidants effective in preventing oxidation such as dark green leafy veggies and berries. You also need to look for ingredients rich in potassium such as bananas and coconut water as it prevents muscle cramps as well as rehydrating you. 

Furthermore, consider protein and carb-rich ingredients. And to prepare these healthy drinks, you will need to use a blender machine for super smooth final product, hence you should check out reviews before you purchase a blender for smoothies. 

1. Green Kale And Kiwi Smoothie 

- 2 cups or a handful of kale leaves 
- One kiwi peeled 
- 1 ½ cups of skimmed milk 
- 1 tbsp peanut butter 
- 1 tsp of honey (you can also use maple syrup) 

The skimmed milk contains proteins which are of the essence in muscle tear repair and building, while the kales in the smoothie are rich in Vitamins A, C, and K, and are also rich in calcium and iron which speed up recovery as well. The kiwi, peanut butter, and honey sweeten the smoothie naturally as well as replenishing your energy reserves when consumed. This smoothie is ideal for post-workout recovery due to the high protein content. 

2. Chocolatey Mocha Smoothie 

- A handful of baby spinach 
- 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk 
- ½ ripe avocado 
- Three pitted Medjool dates 
- 1 tbsp organic cocoa powder 
- 1 tsp coffee grinds
- 1 tsp chia seeds 

For the chocolate lovers out there, this cream chocolate smoothie is a perfect fit for muscle recovery post workout. The chocolate bit in it will boost your energy as well as satisfy your cravings for chocolate. The leafy green spinach packs a lot of Vitamin A which helps neutralize the end products which cause muscle soreness after a workout, hence speeding up their repair and recovery. The mono-unsaturated fats from the avocado make it even creamier, tastier and on top of it, it creates a better digestion environment for the absorption of spinach nutrients. In addition to this, the dates boost energy and at the same time fight inflammation due to their high flavonoid content. And the coffee grinds will boost metabolism and energy! Make sure to use great custom coffee cup sleeves on your cup or shaker to keep your hands from getting cold. 

3. Super Pink Berry Smoothie 

- One small frozen banana 
- 1/3 cup frozen strawberries 
- ¼ cup of blackberries 
- Two prunes 
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
- One scoop of pea protein 

If you love seeing something colorful in your smoothie bottle after an intense workout, then this smoothie is a perfect fit for you. It looks not only good but also tastes good and speeds up muscle recovery a big time because the strawberries, prunes, and blackberries are rich in antioxidants that help neutralize toxins efficiently. The prunes boast of unique polyphenol antioxidants which further make your recovery even better as they fight muscle inflammation while the banana is rich in potassium thus prevents muscle cramps and rehydrates. 

4. Green Banana And Chia Seeds Smoothie 

- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 
- ½ ripe frozen banana 
- 2 cups baby spinach 
- One tablespoon chia seeds 
- One scoop vanilla protein powder 
- 8-10 cup ice cubes 

If you want to stay away from food for a couple of hours after a workout but want a speedy muscle recovery, then this smoothie suits you well. The spinach and banana are rich in phytonutrients which neutralize toxins by preventing oxidative damage hence speeding up recovery while the Chia seeds contain a high amount of fiber and proteins to keep you feeling full for hours. Bananas contain potassium, a mineral best known for easing muscle cramps. 

These healthy and delicious ingredients will even boost brainpower for you and your children. Your kids might become so smart that they are able to attend top homeschooling programs.
5. Purple Blueberry Smoothie 

- A cup of frozen wild blueberries 
- ½ banana 16-oz Greek Yogurt (plain) 
- 1 tbsp chia seeds 
- 1 tbsp walnuts 
- 2/3 coconut water 

This smoothie will help ease your screaming muscles a few minutes after drinking it down. First, the bananas and the coconut water contain potassium in high amounts hence alleviate muscle cramps and at the same time help you rehydrate. The blackberries are rich in antioxidants which prevent muscle oxidation post-workout thus preventing pain while the Greek yogurt is rich in proteins which are vital for the repair of muscle tears. The chia seeds, on the other hand, promote fullness and also boast anti-inflammatory properties which prevent muscle soreness. 

Just make sure that when you are cutting and blending your ingredients together at work or home that you are using high-quality ingredients and kitchen tools. Using low-quality ingredients or instruments could lead to sickness or injury. 

It's Smoothie Time!

The right muscle recovery smoothies can make a big difference when it comes to achieving your fitness goals. Choose the right ones for your tastes and specific fit level and enjoy the big boost!


I hope you enjoyed this blog post about five muscle recovery smoothies that are perfect for your post-workout shake.

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Nutrition Facts And Benefits Of Green Tea To Know

nutrition facts green tea health benefits teas ecgc

People usually use tea due to a number of reasons. Some drink it as a refreshment beverage and others use it as it is some kind of routine in their lives. In both cases, though, the majority of people usually prefer black tea to green tea. 

The green tea, nonetheless, has stunning nutrition facts and numerous health benefits than its counterpart. Hence, our reason for having it as our main point of discussion today. 

Green Tea Nutrition Facts 

A significant portion of Asia, particularly China, India and Japan, have it as a common beverage in their everyday lives. The Chinese, nonetheless, were the earliest users before spreading it to the rest of the world. 

While not a lot of people realize it, both black and green coffee comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis. The difference between them comes during the preparation process, in which the leaves are steamed to prevent fermentation. 

Following are some of the key nutrition facts of green tea that you should know: 

1. How Many Calories Are In Green Tea 

Well, when we speak of the calories in green tea, there’s no fixed content level. The beverage is either low-calorie or calorie-free as it depends with the other ingredients added to improve the essence and taste. 

With the usual “bagged Green tea” that has a net weight of around 2 g, for instance, there are 0 calories since it contains only the tea leaves. Nonetheless, a bottled Snapple Green Tea (let’s say 17.5-0z) can have up to 130.75 calories due to the contained sweeteners. 

2. Is Green Tea Acidic? 

The acidic nature of green tea usually depends on the kind you are using and how you are using it. For a freshly brewed green tea that has no additional ingredients, for example, the PH value is 7 (neutral). Hence, very useful when you are in an alkaline diet as it will help in neutralizing the acidic levels in your body. 

Also, the alkalinity of green tea can help improve your digestion by making it smoother and healthier. Thus, very helpful after meals. 

3. Is Green Tea Caffeinated? 

Well, in most cases people consider green tea as naturally caffeine-free. In the real sense, though, the tea does have caffeine but in a relatively low amount (25-50 milligrams per 8-ounce cup). It’s hard to state the exact amount contained as it predominantly depends on factors, including the variety of tree plants and the growing condition. The caffeine in the best green tea is about ¼ the amount contained in coffee and ½ the amount in black tea. On top of the low caffeine levels, green tea has amino acid L-theanine that assist in counteracting the side effects of caffeine. 

4. Should I Have Green Tea Before Bed? 

This fact is a bit complicated to say yes or no due to the presence of caffeine and amino acid theanine. With the latter, the compound helps boost relaxation and restful sleep. The caffeine, on the other hand, is great in increasing alertness and keeping someone awake. 

To minimize the contradiction and ensure an optimal balance of the two, it is great you use your green tea about 2 hours before bed. After all, at this time your metabolism is at the lowest.

Prevent Green Algae Bacteria In Brita Filter Water Pitchers

brita filter green pitcher algae growth contamination black particles


brita filter green algae slime sediment PUR filtered water pitchers contaminated

Purchasing a Brita or PUR filtered pitcher, if bought on sale or filters in bulk, can be a frugal way to improve your health and save money on bottled water. Bottled water can be quite expensive, leads to major pollution if not recycled, and most can become contaminated with BPA. That is as long as the Brita green pitchers and filters stay clean as well and avoid bacterial buildup at home or in the workplace for 2024 and 2025! 

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Dirty Water Needs Filtration

As we learned from Flint Michigan, you can't always trust your town, city, state, or country to provide you with clean water. All public water has some amount of dissolved solids, impurities, and chemicals added and some tap water tastes or smells like chlorine. It could be contaminated with bacteria or viruses and even tainted by antibiotics. 

The quality of our public tap water also seems to have worsened while everyone is distracted and allocating resources to the Covid-19 pandemic. Throughout Coronavirus, your local tap water seems more chlorinated and metallic than ever before. A lot of town and city water suppliers haven't changed their chemical treatments since this health crisis occurred, even in 2025. 


The future of our public water supply will end up being recycled waste water (sewage) and obviously no amount of industrial filtration will clean it 100% before it goes from faucet to mouth, especially with limited budgets. Over the years there has become an increased contamination of water with prescription medications, nano-plastics, fertilizers, heavy metals, and a number of other unpleasant things. If that isn't grim enough, our drinking water situation is even more dire with public water supplies able to be hacked or contaminated by various nefarious groups. 

When it comes down to it, you never really know what someone has done or hasn't done to your water before you drink it. 

Not All Water Filters Work Well, Or At All 

Lately there have been more studies coming out about water filters not purifying water, or misleading customers to believe it is more effective than not. There are even class action law suits against Brita for not removing enough toxins and chemicals in our drinking agua. Insanely expensive premium water filters have no popped up such as AkuaPure, Enagic Kangen, Klir, or MSE that are thousands of dollars or more in cost!

So with all that being said, a couple of years ago I decided to start using a Brita filtered pitcher again after reading countless reports on contaminated town water nationwide or worldwide. I had previously used Brita or PUR filtered pitchers or faucet filters for a few months at a time before giving up on them. 

I know Brita and PUR water filters don't solve all the issues with drinking water, but I figured it would be better than nothing and worth the minimal investment. Especially after reading about all of the contaminated public water in this country and worldwide (it is not just Flint Michigan dealing with this!).

Why Is My Brita Pitcher Green And Gross?

But one day I woke up and saw a greenish yellow tint on the bottom of the Brita water pitcher. At first I thought it was just a green reflection of the dirty bottom of the Brita pitcher from being on our counter or fridge countless times. 

But unfortunately that green slime was bacteria, green algae, and sediment buildup. Needless to say I was a little disturbed and shocked at the green slime and overall contamination. I did a little research and it turns out that this green algae buildup has been a common occurrence for many people over the last decade or more. So to help you avoid this strange and unhealthy situation, I have compiled a simple yet comprehensive list to help keep you healthy prevent this from happening to you and your Brita water filters:

Get rid of the green slime and stuff floating around! Here are my 10 top suggestions to keep your Brita or PUR pitchers clean (instead of green) and healthy without algae or bacteria buildup:

10 Steps To Avoid Green Algae And Bacteria Contamination In Brita Filter Pitcher or PUR Pitchers


1) Wash Your Hands And The Brita Water Filter Before Use

Wash each Brita filter under cold water for 1 minute after opening and before adding it to the pitcher. The instructions say 15 seconds but I would recommend going a little longer just to be on the safe side. And wash your hands prior to washing the filter so you don't get bacteria all over it prior to placing it in your pitcher! 

2) Keep A Tight Seal On Top Of Brita Pitcher 

Make sure the top of the Brita water pitcher, including the cover of the spout, is closed and forms a tight seal with the rest of the pitcher. You don't want dust, food particles, or worse to get into your water because of a loose top. This happens a lot more often than you expect, especially if you have kids and pets!

3) Wash Out Brita Pitcher Often And Rinse Well

Wash Brita or PUR pitcher out at least every 30 days. You can use some dish soap or just throw it in the dishwasher for even better results. Try to use organic, natural, or additive free soaps to help minimize contamination with chemicals. Rinse out thoroughly to avoid residue or any other contaminants. Sometimes it takes weeks or months for any bacteria to accumulate to significant levels so washing it out consistently will keep it under control. If you have well water instead of town water then you should probably wash it out even more often. 

4) Keep The Brita Pitcher Refrigerated

Keep the Brita or PUR filtered water pitcher in the refrigerator when you're not using it. I have gotten lazy many times and kept the pitcher next to our sink instead of putting it back in the fridge, but keeping it cool helps to reduce or prevent bacterial or algae buildup in the water.  

5) Don't Drink Directly From The Brita Pitcher! 

Don't drink directly from the Brita or PUR pitcher! This seems like common sense, and difficult to do with most of the pitchers, but there are still plenty of people that drink from the milk carton or reuse plastic water bottles for weeks on end. This is never a good idea.

6) Change Your Brita Water Filter Often

Change your Brita or PUR filter as often or more often than the recommended amount. When filters get clogged with sediment and other particles then they can become breeding grounds for bacteria and algae, which will reduce the filtering abilities even further. When your filter sensor light gets to yellow it is time to swap in a new one. This will unfortunately end up costing you a few extra dollars but it is worth it and if you buy the filters in bulk you will be fine. 

7) Dump The First 1-2 Fillups For Each Brita Filter Used

This one is important and not always followed. In addition to watching out for green algae and bacteria in your Brita filtered water after a lot of filter use, be on the lookout for black charcoal particles in the first couple of pitcher fill-ups. While Brita claims these black charcoal particles are harmless, it is obviously unhealthy to drink black charcoal. You would have to be an idiot to believe that drinking any amount of charcoal is fine, even though charcoal itself isn't a toxin. Apparently they want you to pour out the first two fill-ups that your Brita filter creates to avoid this charcoal dust contamination. That is all well and good, but it uses up part of the filter and wastes some water right off the bat if you follow these instructions.

8) Consider Switching To Zero Water Filters And Pitchers 

Consider switching to a Zero Water filtered pitcher instead of a Brita Filter. While it might be a little more expensive than a Brita or PUR pitcher, with its 5-step filter it does a better job of filtering out dissolved solids and there is a lower chance of green algae, mold, black charcoal particles, sediment, stains, or other bacterial buildup in your pitcher or the filters themselves. 

After months of using Zero Water over Brita filtered pitchers, I haven't noticed any green slime, bacteria buildup, or other stuff floating around in my water (even when I haven't been religious about cleaning it or keeping it in the refrigerator). But any water filter or filtered pitcher can produce bacteria growth or have charcoal floating around, so buyer beware! 

9) Buy A New Filtered Water Pitcher 

Sometimes a plastic container is just too far gone to resuscitate, whether it is a Brita water filter pitcher or another brand. Over time plastic starts to corrode or chemicals get embedded into the plastic and you just can't clean it 100%. To avoid green algae, charcoal dots, bacteria, viruses, and nano chemical contamination sometimes it is best to just buy a new one and start over again. It is a little wasteful but they are very cheap, $10-20 per pitcher, so it is a viable option after many months or years of use. 

10) Purchase A New Kitchen Faucet 

When it comes to drinking cleaner water, sometimes it starts at the source. It is only logical that purchasing a new faucet will give you cleaner and healthier water. Over time your old faucet will accumulate minerals, rust, bacteria, heavy metals, and other chemicals that will contaminate your drinking water before you poor it into your filtered pitcher. Just make sure to run water through your new water faucet for a few minutes to clear out any chemicals or residue from the manufacturing or packaging process.

By this logic you would also ideally want to replace your old pipes and plumbing in general, but that is a lot less feasible. It is more realistic to spend $100-200 on a new kitchen faucet than thousands of dollars on pipes throughout your home, and some pipes that you can't even replace that attach to your town or city water supply. If your home has very old and decrepit pipes, you may want to consider replacements eventually though. 

This is probably the most extreme option to improve the quality of your drinking water with or without a water filter containing a pitcher, but it can certainly help reduce bacteria and sediment buildup overall in 2024-2025.

Bacteria Growth In Water Filters vs Tap Water Impurities: The Choice Is Yours

Choosing between tap impurities and filter bacterial growth is not a great choice to make for your water consumption. But you have to decide on potential bacteria growth in your water filters or pitchers (even if you follow all of these tips) along with the cost of filters versus the toxins that could be contained in your tap water and pipes. It depends on your budget, quality of local tap or well water, how old your pipes are, how often you can change your filters, and how diligent the users will be with the filtered pitchers. 

Keep It Clean And Avoid Filtered Water Contamination

Follow these simple instructions and it will keep your Brita and PUR pitchers clean and enhancing your health instead of becoming detrimental to it! Stay green with your recycling and waste reduction practices but don't drink the green. You must boost your water's wellness and family's wellbeing. Keep that contamination out of your drinking water and avoid the green algae slime during your daily hydration.


I hope you enjoyed this article about how to keep your water filtering pitchers safe, clean and effective on a budget. 

Interested in more articles about healthier water and hydration? 

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- How To Stay Hydrated On A Budget

- Tips To Stay Hydrated & Fueled For Workout Performance

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Discover Which Fizzy Drinks Are Actually Healthy

healthy fizzy drinks seltzer vs sparkling water versus prebiotic sodas

Sometimes you get the craving for a tasty, fizzy drink and you just need to scratch that itch. So you head to the store to grab something, but you’ve been trying to make healthier choices lately and the number of options marketed as healthy is staggering. There’s plain water or fruit juice, but those don’t help when you want carbonation, and getting regular soda is just asking for digestive and health issues. 

Two big categories of healthy fizzy drinks are sparkling water, which has been around for some time in well-known brands like Perrier & La Croix, and a new health drink phenomenon called “prebiotic soda” which is represented by popular brands like vina, Poppi, and Lollipop. We’re going to take a look at both of these options, as well as what makes them so healthy compared to traditional soda. 

What Makes Most Fizzy Drinks Unhealthy? 

There has been a lot of debate over the years as to what the most problematic aspects of soft drinks are, but most of the research seems to point to the amount of sugar that is in them. The average soda, even non-caffeinated, has close to 40 grams of added sugar per serving, which might not seem like much to most people. However, to put it in context, the recommended daily allowance of sugar for an average adult male is just 36 grams and only 24 grams for most women. 

This means that even if you only have a single serving of soda, and no other sugar the entire day, you’re still overshooting the daily sugar consumption guidelines established by dietary and medical professionals. And if we are being really honest here, who sticks to a single serving of soda when they have some? This can make the amount of dietary sugar incredibly high, and even dangerous. 

Why Is Sugar So Bad? 

Sugar might not seem too problematic to some, but when taken in excess, it can cause some relatively significant changes in your health. It is also responsible for directly reducing or adversely affecting some key systems and organs in your body. Below are some ways the impacts of excess sugar can be seen. 

Not only can large amounts of sugar throw off your digestion and blood sugar, but they can even contribute to diminished mental health via depression. It can cause destructive bacteria to build up on the teeth, damage the liver which has to metabolize all that sweetness and contribute to premature aging of the skin as a whole. 

Which Fizzy Drinks Are Actually Healthy? 

There are two primary contenders for satisfying, healthy fizzy drinks, sparkling water, and prebiotic soda. Both have a great carbonated feeling and a wide variety of flavors, but there are some notable differences as well as a leader in the “which is healthiest” race. 

Sparkling Water 

You have probably seen sparkling water before, Perrier has been a well-known brand for several decades, and brands like Polar or La Croix seltzer are also enjoying a resurgence in popularity since being seen as a far healthier choice than traditional soda. These seltzers are usually relatively low in sugar and calories, making them an ideal replacement for a soda-lover. 

The downside to sparkling water is that many people find the taste a bit flat, underwhelming, or just not good. There are tweets and memes galore about La Croix, for example, poking fun at how the flavor is so vastly disappointing. Some brands are certainly better than others so your mileage may vary, but sparkling water will always just be carbonated, flavored, water. 

Prebiotic Soda 

Prebiotic soda is quite new to the health drink game, with the major brands only popping up within the last five years or so. They consist of not only carbonated water but added prebiotic fibers from apple cider vinegar, real fruit juice and flavors, and minimal added sugars. Most brands can keep the sugar content at 5 grams or less per serving, and that’s a soda you can have more than once per day. 

The prebiotic aspect makes the soda far healthier overall, not only by cutting back on the amount of sugar but by boosting gut health. The microbiome in your gut, all the bacteria that digest your food, need to be fueled by healthy fiber or they begin to affect your health in big ways. An unhappy gut due to deficient probiotics can even begin to significantly disrupt the nervous system communication between your brain and your digestive tract, even throwing off neurotransmitter and hormone levels. 

If You Are Craving A Fizzy Drink 

The next time you are craving something fizzy, sweet, and flavorful, skip the soda and the resulting negative effects of massive doses of sugar. Instead, cruise down the aisle a bit and grab some prebiotic soda. If you need a milder-tasting and less sweet option, sparkling water is where it is at.

9 Reasons To Love Tea Drinks

reasons to love tea drinks

In so many of the world's top cities, drinking tea is a very common way of maintaining the body's hydration level. Tea is a generally accepted liquid that is consumed all over the world albeit its origin can be traced to East Asia. This universal beverage is prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured leaves. Tea is the second most popular liquid in the world. Water holds down the number one spot as it is a universal solvent. 

There are different flavors, types, and brands of tea and each brand has its peculiar properties. Several billions of teacups are consumed annually in so many countries of the world, and this goes to show that there are so many medical and health benefits that can be derived from this liquid. In fact, tea can liberate you from any critical illness. 

9 Top Reasons To Love Tea 

1. Steam Facial 

Everybody wants a good skin, isn't it? Steaming of the face is an age long practice that is aimed at removing blackheads and dirt. Steaming your face with tea (mainly green tea) is a right way of keeping your face hydrated and detoxifying your pores. Black tea also does an excellent job of minimizing puffiness and clearing acne. 

2. Eye Soak 

Conjunctivitis and other eye problems are very uncomfortable and contagious. They have this watery, swollen and scratchy feeling. Black tea is a handy way of combating this problem. It contains caffeine for tackling undereye circles and the earlier the treatment begins, the better for the victim. Black tea bags help to reduce inflammation and soothe irritation. 

3. Hair Health

Internal and external use of tea can help improve your hair health. Green tea, white tea, black tea has all been tried and tested to produce excellent results on the human hair. Green tea helps to prevent the thinning of hair as well as encouraging hair growth. By massaging your scalp with freshly brewed tea, you are increasing your chances of hair growth because more blood will circulate to the scalp. Tea can also prevent the irritation and inflammation of the scalp as well as preventing hair follicles from clogging. Tea also contains polyphenols that help to keep the hair shiny. Sage tea works against the growth of grey hair. 

4. Freshens Breath

Green tea has antioxidizing properties that makes it useful for eliminating bad breath. It works by cleaning the mouth of every form of bacteria. Green tea completely inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay and strep throat. Black tea also contains polyphenols that reduces the odor produced by mouth bacteria. 

5. Aids Digestion 

Some type of tea acts as mild laxatives and for correction of digestive problems. For instance, dandelion tea can cure stomach upset and indigestion. Also chamomile tea is a proven solution for constipation, intestinal gas problems and other digestive problems. Peppermint tea is also good for bloating and nausea. However, before you include any type of green or herbal tea in your diet, you must talk to your doctor about it. 

6. Reduces Stress 

Certain types of tea are good for stress, insomnia and anxiety. Drinking tea is a potent ritual for relaxation because it contains an amino acid that reduces stress. The aroma and scent of tea is also a potent mood booster. Peppermint tea is also known to provide an overall calming effect. 

7. Calorie Free 

So many individuals are looking for ways to shed weight and burn fat. Due to this, they avoid certain type of food and drinks. Tea does not contain extra calories. In fact, some kind of tea such as kratom tea is good for weight loss. 

8. Hydrates Your Body

Just like water, tea can solve dehydration problems. There is a school of thought that drinking two to three cups of tea daily is as effective as drinking an equal volume of water. Apart from keeping the body hydrated, tea contains antioxidants which are useful for the body. However, this is not enough reason for you to replace tea with water, they can actually complement each other's effort. 

9. Reduces Appetite

Tea can help to reduce appetite. For instance, green tea is a potent appetite suppressant as it contains catechins which impedes the growth of fat cells and minimize how fat is stored. It can also control the level of sugar in the blood and this invariably leads to reduced hunger or food cravings. Caffeine also reduces appetite naturally while increasing your metabolism.

Regular tea consumption, especially green tea, can also work wonders for your immune system and recovery by eliminating free radicals. The health benefits of tea just keep coming and coming!


I hope you enjoyed this article about reasons why tea can make you healthier on a tight budget.

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9 Beverages To Keep You Healthy This Winter Season

nutritious beverages keep you healthy winter season

For most people, the onset of the winter season signifies the beginning of a period characterized by regular consumption of hot healthy beverages. The season is dedicated to mugs of hot chocolate, eggnog, mules, cocktails, and many more. While some of these beverages are classified as healthy drinks, others aren’t too healthy! Remember that cold temperatures can impact your health in different ways. Rather than consume processed drinks, consider the following drinks during the looming season. 

The Best Winter Drinks 

1. Hot Water, Lemon, And Ginger 

This list wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t start by mentioning the most iconic winter beverage of all time. As you already know, hot lemon water is something you should consider taking each morning, regardless of whether it’s cold or warm outside. 

Lemon water contains essential immune-boosting qualities that help to enhance your well-being. Adding ginger to the water makes the water taste better while also making it healthier. Add a few drops of honey if you are suffering from a sore throat. 

2. Buttered Coffee 

Coffee doesn’t have to be a boring winter drink. Why not spice up your morning cup by adding a healthy twist to it? When buttered, the beverage helps you eliminate the caffeine jitters while providing you with an energy boost to last you the whole day. Furthermore, a single cup of this brew will also boost your daily intake of beneficial fats. Your blender will emulsify the coconut oil or MCT oil and the butter to provide the brew with an exciting creamy latte effect. 

3. Herbal Tea 

Winter is the perfect time to switch out your everyday tea and replace it with loose leaf tea. As is the case with any other teas, you can easily prepare it at home and continue to keep warm for the rest of the winter season. 

The best thing about herbal teas is that they don’t lead to an increase in caffeine intake. Additionally, you have many options to consider, with some of the most common in the online tea and coffee shop being tulsi tea, green tea, and blue tea. 

4. Hot Almond Milk 

Drinking a cup of hot almond milk is another excellent way to keep the body warm during the cold season. Regularly sipping your almond milk will ensure you don’t freeze as you go about your daily activities. 

Almond milk is rich in essential nutrients such as essential fatty acids, calcium, and protein, all of which are needed by the body to remain healthy. The beverage will boost your strength during winter and improve your heart health and bone health. 

5. Chai Tea 

Although the variety of chai tea available in most shops isn’t healthy, this recipe, using chai tea bags is good for you. Many chai varieties tend to have loads of full- fat milk and way too much sugar in them. 

The ideal chai recipe has eight servings. This means that each cup will only have a single teaspoon of sugar. Moreover, it’s beneficial for your health as it’s brewed using a wide array of nutrient-packed spices and herbs. 

6. Fresh Mint Tea 

Fresh mint tea is considered a wonderful digestive that can do wonders when you are suffering from nausea or an upset stomach. Its health benefits aside, the tea has a delicious taste that will make you want to take more sips as the day progresses. 

It doesn’t take much for you to make a cup of your own. All you need is a few fresh mint leaves, a teapot, and a metal tea ball. Add freshly boiled water to the leaves and leave them to steep for a few minutes for them to taste. 

7. Golden Milk 

The golden-colored milk is both creamy and soothing to the body. Turmeric offers various health benefits such as liver detoxification, antimicrobial, potent anti- cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Apart from keeping you healthy and warm during the winter season, the golden milk is also great for promoting digestive health and boosting your brain function. It has also been seen to assist in strengthening the immune system and regulating your body’s metabolism. 

Ginger, which is contained in the milk, contains anti-inflammatory properties and also enhances the assimilation and absorption of essential nutrients in your body. It also plays a big role in fighting the growth of cancer cells. It’s what makes it the ideal winter drink. 

8. Hot Vegetable Broth 

When faced with unending cold weather, nothing is more comforting than indulging in a bowl of hot vegetable broth. Ensure the broth is prepared using nourishing vegetables to assist in boosting your health. 

Consuming a freshly prepared bowl of vegetable broth will give you the warmth you need to stay sane and provide the body with crucial dietary fibers. 

9. Cinnamon Drink 

Cinnamon is a popular spice mainly used to spice up different drinks and foods. The spice comes loaded with potent medicinal properties required to keep the body healthy. It also has important anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. A cinnamon drink will also be good for your body as it will lower your blood sugar levels and boost your heart health. You can use it during the winter season to prepare a broad range of beverages. 

You can choose to use milk with cinnamon or to prepare the drinks with the spice alone. Either way, you should end up with an outstanding drink for the winter season.

5 Reasons Why You Need a Beer Line Cleaner

reasons bars need beer line cleaner fresh beers

Have you fantasied about that cold, crisp beer at the end of the day or a hard week? You get to the bar, put your order in, hold it to your lips and suddenly it smells bad and tastes of chemicals? That is the result of poor beer line hygiene. As someone who sells beer or even serves it in a home bar, you need to keep your pumps clean and bacteria-free. Below, we go through the reasons why you need a beer line cleaner. 

1. Beer Line Cleaner Reduces Bacteria 

Beer is made from a delicate balance of yeasts and bacteria. If you fail to clean your lines, elements can breed on the side of the lines. This can come off into other beers pushed through the pipe, infecting the brew. 

This yeast can also cause carbon dioxide production that is not needed in the line. Having excess carbon dioxide will cause the beer to froth and bubble when pulled, increasing loss of product and essentially, profit. 

2. Improves Taste 

In old beer, its yeast and components can upset the balance and taste if it is left in the lines. They can also adversely impact temperature control, which is vital if you are a craft beer establishment that needs to serve beer at specific temperatures. 

It is also important that you get the correct dose and brand of beer line cleaner. If this is wrong, you can get a metallic or chemical taste in your beer. This will be almost impossible to remove without a whole line replacement. 

3. Increases Customer Satisfaction 

It is very rare that a customer would tell you if a beer does not taste correct. They will often simply not buy another and go to a different bar. This will cost you customers and money. 

Beer from uncleaned lines can also put people off buying certain brands, and suppliers and large companies would be unwilling to do business if they knew their product was being sold as a substandard product. It will impact their brand awareness and they may take business elsewhere. 

4. Aids in Food Tasting 

Just like wine compliments a meal, so can beer. If you are an establishment that also makes money from dining, a beer from an unclean beer line can ruin a meal for a patron. Just as you would not serve out of date meat or withered vegetables, you must also ensure the freshness in your beer. 

5. Keeps the Coloration of the Beer 

Just as foreign bodies in beer can impact the taste, they can also impact on the coloration. This is important as the color of a beer should also give some indication of its flavor. A discolored or cloudy beer will be noticed by customers. 

Better Beer And Bars 

Now you can see why you need a good, regular beer line cleaner, you need to build a schedule so that it is done regularly and on a cycle. If you are looking for other ways to save money in your beer bar, pub, winery, or restaurant business, then check out the blog on Frugal Fitness. We have lots of money-saving ideas for lifestyle and business purposes, so let us help you get frugal today!

Alternative Drinks For A Healthy Life

alternative drinks healthy life fruit seltzer dry january no alcohol beverages

It may come as a surprise but according to research, Britons are drinking less alcohol than thirty years ago, declining on average around 10 per cent. The population is getting more health conscious, we’re becoming more aware of what we’re putting into our bodies as well as the effects of eating and drinking things that are bad for us. 

With more people turning away from alcohol, alternative drinks are enjoying a lift in popularity. The market value of soft drinks is forecasted to be over £15 billion in the UK in 2022. But for those who are going tee-total, cola and fizzy orange can soon become boring options. A survey by Dalston’s showed that 80 per cent wanted better non-alcohol beverages. This article will explore alternative soft drinks that are exciting for menus and customers alike. 

Healthy Slushes 

Slushes have been subject to innovation, so they’re not just iced drinks for children anymore. If you have a slushy machine or are thinking of buying one to appeal to those who have ditched the booze for a healthier lifestyle, you could be in for a treat. 

Instead of syrup, slushes can be made with iced fruit, which count towards one of your five a day. Appealing to the health-conscious consumers, these healthy slushes are essentially like a tasty frozen smoothie, having nutrition whilst having a fun, nostalgic element. 

Incorporating fun mocktails into your summer menu can be a good idea — with slush machines you can jazz up your slushies by creating alcohol-free frozen cocktails — strawberry daiquiris, mojitos, margaritas. If they’re not drinking alcohol, at least let them pretend! 

Craft-Style Sodas 

Following a heavy month of indulging in, well, everything, seasonal events such as Dry January are picking up in popularity. Teetotalism at this time is often driven by health and generally detoxing your body from all the sins of the festive period. With awareness of the high sugar content and questionable ingredient lists that traditional fizzy drinks have (the scary sounding and elusive Bisphenol A), here is potential to jump onto the craft-style soda trend. 

People that usually take part in Dry January often miss the taste of alcohol. So, make it easier to go booze-free and offer something different with a wide range of choice and flavours to choose from. If the only alcohol-free offering you have is cola from the gun, you’re doing it wrong. 

A huge selling point in craft beers and IPAs is the creative designs on the cans — label design has become more of an art-form, with the aluminium can being a conceptual piece of artwork. Artisan soft drinks that mimic this are likely to appeal to customers with positive associations with these small-batch production craft beers, using natural ingredients and unique flavours. 

Tonic Water 

Gin’s bitter partner has shot forward to being one of Britain’s fastest growing soft drinks. With the gin market facing a huge makeover over the past few years, tonic water has had to keep up pace to complement the everchanging botanic tastes, coming in a variety of flavours like lemongrass, elderflower, and grapefruit. 

Due to the fame of gin and tonic, consumers are recognising tonic for the tasty drink that it can be when sipped on its own. Although this may not be the healthiest alternative to traditional soft drinks, it’s certainly a fizzy alternative that people want. 

Alcohol Free Drinks For A Healthier Life

With alcohol-free consumers on the rise, offering a selection of unique adult soft drinks is becoming more of a requirement to appeal to the masses. It’s important not to alienate your customers by offering them fizzy drinks from the gun. Make their alcohol-free journey as easy and interesting as possible, and you’re likely to have people coming back for more!

RO Water Purifiers – In And Outs Maintenance Plans And The Associated Charges

ro water purifier maintenance costs filtered h2o

Introduction

The Annual Maintenance Contract (or AMC for short) is a yearly maintenance contract for RO purifiers. It is an agreement between the manufacturer and the owner of the purifier where all the terms and conditions for the regular service and maintenance of filtration been discussed in details and exchanged in a written format. 

Need For AMC 

Today, water pollution has been increasing quite rapidly, so it is not possible to drink pure water directly from the sources without further treatment like purification or RO purifier. Accordingly, as a consumer, you will need some specialized RO AMC plan to help you and your family gets the safe and hygienic drinking water continuously. 

Throughout the life cycle of any purification system, you need to take its services from a trusted source so to drink clean, hygienic, and drinkable water and avoid waterborne diseases caused by bacteria, virus, and other germs. To stay healthy and stay fit, it is essential to get a continuous supply of 100 % pure and hygienic water. 

Along with the manufacture of your RO purifier, there are plenty of other third-party vendors who welcome and offer the purification services at a reasonable service pricing. The root cause of the waterborne disease is not drinking the germs-free water, so even though when you have RO purifier installed at your premise but it not been maintained and serviced regularly it will not be able to filter the germs from the tap water and make it 100% pure. 

Structure Of AMC 

In general for a purification system the basic of AMC starts with around thousand bucks, plus spares cost is additional. The standard Annual maintenance contract which includes spares as well have the price range about a couple of thousands depending upon the type of purifier. 

One of the vital thing in maintenance plans is the number of visits per year by a technician for regular checkups and a few emergency visits in case of any breakdown. In country like India where the market of water purifier has already been established with the exponential rate which means there are ample amount of consumer using the product and many are buying every single day, so it is essential consideration when purchasing reverse osmosis purifiers to ask for a proper reverse osmosis Annual contract plan that fits you as a consumer best. 

How To Pick AMC 

Plan Being a consumer of such product you should always keep few points in mind like purifiers need maintenance after a regular interval otherwise it will affect your health, so when you buy a new reverse osmosis purifier always avoid such fishing words like maintenance-free purification system. Some manufacture offers first RO AMC in the product price itself, so for the first year you will not have to spend anything on reverse osmosis annual maintenance contract plan but that will not going to the case always, keep in mind. 

The Online reverse osmosis service provider has expert repair services based on many years of experience and vast technical knowledge in dealing with a wide variety of equipment’s and water purifier system services. So when a consumer asks for the Annual Maintenance Contract, they will get full assistance in annual maintenance services for all types of water filters of ro purifier. A qualified RO maintenance service technician is sent to the customer place regardless of the nature of RO that is commercial, domestic, or industrial applications. 

If You Are a DIY Fan

However if you are a frugal geeky person who know how to do things on own like a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) kind of person, then of course it will help in saving money, but try your hand only when you exactly know what you do otherwise you may end up messing things up. There are some parts in RO water purifier which may need to be replaced once in every four-to-six months. When you have a subscription to some plan cost of spares are included in the RO AMC charges depending on the type of AMC. But when you do this on yourself, you can either find the required parts like cartridges and other either online or from any different local market. 

The other popular type of reverse osmosis Purifier maintenance & repair service, which is called third-party AMC offers a complete solution for any brand any water purifier. These providers generally offer their services in different categories just like manufacture, but the parameters and terms and conditions change providers to providers. 

The reverse osmosis AMC plan is widely appreciated by customers of different backgrounds acknowledging the need and importance of this service. Whether the consumer chooses the RO plan of the third party service providers or the manufacture, it must be carried out by a trained and highly experienced professionals using the best grade tools and advanced technology. So the provided service is carried out excellently. Moreover, the service can be availed to customers at the most reasonable price. 

Conclusion 

According to the RO Care India, Annual Maintenance Contract plan is essential for all kinds of purification system because of periodic maintenance of filter system you can maintain the optimum efficiency of your purifier. Regular AMC plan is also beneficial for the life of the filtration system. Thus purchasing it can be the best idea for water purifier.

Virgin Bloody Mary Drink Vegan Gluten-Free Recipe


The Bloody Mary is one of the healthiest alcoholic drinks out there, so it's even healthier when it is alcohol free. And this recipe below is gluten-free thanks to the right hot sauce + Worcestershire sauce brands, and vegan with the removal of beef stock. Enjoy this healthy drink my frugal friends, cheers!

Ingredients

- 8 oz V8 tomato juice
- 3 drops fresh lemon juice
- 3 drops Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1/3 teaspoon The Wizard's Sauces Worcestershire Sauce
- pinch teaspoon celery salt
- pinch fresh ground black pepper
- 1 celery stick to stir
- 1 Swiss Chard leaf to garnish
- 1 Purple Sage leaf to garnish

Instructions:

Shake with ice and strain into glass filled with ice cubes. Stir thoroughly with celery stick. Enjoy this tasty and healthy drink!

Enjoy some tasty nutrition that will improve performance instead of getting you drunk and adding to your waistline!


I hope you enjoyed this free healthy vegan gluten-free recipe for a virgin bloody Mary drink on a frugal budget.

Interested in more free healthy frugal gluten-free vegan recipes? 

Read My Posts:

- Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Squares

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Frugal Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Latte

Contributed By Marissa Bognanno, Professional Chef & Zumba Instructor, and Author of The Boot Blog


Trying to explain what a pumpkin spice latte is to an Italian goes pretty much how you'd expect it to.

me: You know, in America we have flavored coffee.
Italian person: Flavored? Coffee?
me: Yes, like hazelnut, French vanilla...and around this time of year there's a spicy, cinnamon-y pumpkin flavor.
Italian person: *head explodes*

It's very hard for them to grasp why and how we would "ruin" such an aged tradition as coffee. I try to tell them that it'sAmerica, we like options, we like sweet things, we like choices! But their lives are just too simple for that sort of thing, I guess. Five cereals in the cereal aisle, one type of coffee and that's that. What's good is good and there's no adding pumpkin to a perfectly decent espresso.
Which I agree with wholeheartedly.
Well.
Agreed with.
Until I made my own pumpkin spice latte.
Pumpkin Spice Latte
1 espresso shot
1 cup milk, warmed
1 tbs pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 pinch cinnamon, 1 pinch nutmeg (or 1 big pinch pumpkin pie spices)
Whisk the pumpkin with the warm milk well. Add the sugar and spices and whisk until super frothy. (Here I strained the milk and pumpkin mixture into a very fine mesh sieve because my puree was a bit on the chunky side. Consider this optional!) Pour into your cup with the espresso in it. Top with another sprinkle of the spices and maybe some whipped cream if you’re feeling adventurous. (You may need more sugar to taste, depending on how sweet you like your coffee.) 
And let me just say, I love you Italy, but pair your perfectly decent espresso with nothing but all-American ingenuity and you’ve got a little cup of autumn paradise. But I might just have to wait until hell freezes over to convince them. 

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