Sugar Foods
In this seemingly ceaseless phase of quarantine, invariably everyone is experiencing issues of weight gain. We find solace in mood-lifting sugar-laden foods despite the knowledge that they are highly dangerous. Due to endless period of lock downs our energies are pent up, our happy hormones are languishing and we are almost volatile volcanoes who just can’t afford to burst. In such distressful situations, Sugars come across as the agony aunts. Off late even die-hard sugar haters are badly craving for that sweet substance. Behind closed doors and stretched out lone times our bodies do need an additional ounce of sugar to enjoy a pseudo-sweet atmosphere, albeit vicariously. This need for Sugar gradually turns into an uncontrollable, non-negotiable demand. Further this demand of our bodies for ‘food-created-happiness’ becomes a compulsive habit. During trying times, it is easy to fall into this honey-trap which is actually a vicious quicksand in disguise. No matter how hard we try to cheat our minds with distractions, we somehow turn up being confused, sad and derailed.
At the throes of such a worrisome and helpless state, it’s important to take a peek into the redemptive world of nature. Nature has an array of healthful sweet resources that can be customized to calm our hyper-sensitive hormones. Here are the recipes of two naturally sweet detoxifying drinks that make immensely fulfilling foods. These drinks are not only sweet and satiating, but most importantly mood-lifting. They have some vegetables, some fruits, some carbohydrates and a pack of health in them.
Photo Credit – Silpi Patnaik
Spinach Banana Detox Drink
This vegetable cum fruit drink is the one stop destination for everyone who is a foodie, yet a weight-watcher. It provides the appropriate amount of sweetness one needs to ward of negativity during sedentary times.
Ingredients
- 1 cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 overripe banana
- ¼ cup oats (soaked in some water for 15 mins)
- ½ cup Greek yogurt/ milk of choice (yogurt lends the drink a thicker consistency)
- ½ tsp Vanilla essence
Blend all the aforesaid ingredients in a regular blender/mixer till silky smooth. Pour into a tall tumbler and have a green burst of healthy sweetness for breakfast. Spinach is negligible in calories and is a storehouse of vitamins. It is one of the healthiest leafy vegetables available. Banana is naturally sweet and is high in iron and folate. It is a perfect substitute for added sugars that are known to create imbalances in our blood sugar level. They keep us full for longer duration and inject a bout of energy in our bodies. Oats are complex carbohydrates and add to the satiety index of the recipe. This drink is wholesome in all respects. It is easy to prepare and is very friendly, both with body and mind.
Spiced Carrot- Oats Drink
Photo Credit – Silpi Patnaik
Ingredients
- 2 organic carrots (diced and steamed)
- ½ apple (diced)
- ½ cup milk of choice
- 1 tsp all spice mix (a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, mace, cloves, black peppers)
- ½ inch ginger (grated)
- ½ cup oats (soaked in water for 15 mins)
Throw in all the ingredients into blender jar and mix evenly till nice and plain. Pour the thick smoothie-like drink into a wide-mouthed microwavable mug and warm it up for a minute in the oven. A rich, creamy, cardinal-coloured, sweet-laden drink is ready to shove all the sadness aside.
Photo Credit – Silpi Patnaik
Carrots and apples, apart from being powerhouse of vitamins, are naturally sweet. Moreover steamed carrots release their inherent sweetness and become extra satisfying in the process. The fragrance of all spice along with the edgy taste of ginger refreshes your body and mind. Needless to say, Oats makes the drink even more filling. Warming up the drink makes the concoction soothing and stress-relieving. However, it can be enjoyed cold too by crushing a few cubes of ice to give it a frothy frappe-like texture. Topped with some fresh berries, nuts and granola, this drink can make you feel like having some sinful dessert for breakfast.
Herman Hesse has put it right, “The only way to go beyond it is to go through it”. When you desire sweet, go ahead, eat it and don’t deny your body the extra dose of sweetness that it craves for during lonely times. It is foolish to curb that want for food which is generated from a need for happiness. The aforementioned recipes will become your best buddies during difficult phases in life. They will detoxify your bodies, boost your immunity and keep your minds poised.
Caress the sweet tooth!
