5 Morning Drinks to Get You Going…

Have you seen that commercial that compares two women, one that has a doughnut for breakfast, and the other has whatever the commercial is touting? (I think it was Special K bars, but I’m not certain). The one who has the bar goes on to have a nice salad for lunch, and some veggies and other whole foods for dinner.

And of course, the one who starts with the doughnut has pizza for lunch and take-out for dinner, or something considered to be equally unhealthy. We’ve all been there, right? “Oh, I’ve already blown it for the day, I might as well have that extra piece of cake/more Coconut Delicious ice-cream/6 more cookies”.

And while I don’t think it’s the end of the world to have an apple fritter every so often, there is something to starting your day with actual nutrition rather than dessert. Here are 5 drinks that you can incorporate into your routine to get you going in the morning. (Please note ~ I’m not advocating that you skip breakfast and just have these, but it is important to get some fluids into your body in the morning, even if they do contain caffeine).

1. Pure Vitality Shots

These are definitely a jumpstart for your day. They have lots of concentrated nutrition that gets right into the body, and the taste…  well, let’s say that it really makes you jump :).

Juice together 2 kale leaves, 1 lemon (including the peel), 1″ fresh ginger, 1 cucumber.

The kale has tons of nutrition, the lemon is great for cleaning out the body, the ginger is amazing for the digestive system, and the cucumber hydrates the body. Incredible!

2. Sunrise Smoothie

Blend together 1 banana, 1 orange (including peel), 1 carrot, 1 cup non-dairy milk, 1 cup water, 1 slice lemon, 1 nub of ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric.

This is a wonderfully bright, sweet-tart smoothie. The natural sugars in the fruits & veggies are offset by all the fiber, the orange pigments provide lots of beta-carotene (which the body converts into the essential vitamin A), and the turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory agent for the body.

3. Lemon Water

Lemon water is one of the best things you can drink in the morning. Lemon water flushes out toxins from the body, helps the digestive system, and helps balance so many of the organs and systems in the body. You can drink it plain, add a little kick with a dash of cayenne, or some sweetness with a drizzle of grade B maple syrup.

4. Ye Olde Coffee

Yep, I’m a morning coffee drinker. There’s just something about the smell of fresh coffee, and that first sip, while it’s still perfectly hot. Add a little soy or coconut creamer and it’s perfection. But remember that coffee is a diuretic, so make sure you also drink lots of water, and don’t rely on the caffeine to keep going.

5. Perfectly Brewed Tea

Black tea, green tea, red or white or herbal teas… all great ways to start your day. If you normally drink tea with lemon and a little sweetener, try a slice of orange instead. The natural sweetness is released into the tea and helps reduce the amount of added sugars that you use.

I did skip over the ever-popular green smoothie breakfast, but there are some great recipes here, here, and here.

How do you like to start your day?