Bad News for Smoothies
Smoothies in the news
A few years ago there were different versions of a popular post going around called Why Your Smoothie is Making You Fat.
The articles all talked about how smoothies are generally larger than we plan, more calories than we know, full of sugar, and digest quickly, leaving us hungry.
Those are all good considerations about your smoothie. But I'm talking about ditching the smoothie for another reason.
Put down that smoothie
At least for now.
Wintertime in Ayurveda is known as Kapha season. There are three doshas, or functional energies in nature, each a combination of the elements. Kapha is predominated by the earth and water elements.
As such, characteristics of Kapha season are cold, increased moisture (rain for us here in California), cloud-covered days, and a slow, heavy feeling.
The guiding principle in Ayurveda is Like Increases Like and Opposites Balance.
So just like in the heat of summer it wouldn't make sense to eat a spicy meal and take a run at 3 pm, we want to balance the qualities of winter rather than exacerbate them.
If the qualities of Kapha are heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense, soft, stable and cloudy (think of the qualities or characteristics of wet earth or soft mud), in general, we don't need to add more of those things with our food.
This is why your smoothie is not the best choice in winter: it is cold, heavy, dense and wet. While it may contain great nutrients, the body has a harder time digesting all those kaphaqualities in kapha season.
Frustratingly, you can end up bloated, feeling heavy and lethargic or even experience weight gain from smoothies in winter.
kapha conditions + kapha food = kapha symptoms + creates more kapha
It's not that kapha is bad -- in Ayurveda, it embodies the energies of love and compassion. Kapha foods can be grounding and nourishing. This is a season that supports beautiful quiet and reflection. It's all about balance.
Seasonal Care
I find Ayurveda practical and helpful, which is why I love sharing it with others.
If you are interested in:
learning more about Ayurveda
managing the symptoms of winter (like colds and congestion, mucus, lethargy, weight gain, depression or mental heaviness)
having a mini spa day
...join me this Sunday for Seasonal Care :: Winter to Spring.
In the meantime, skip the smoothie and have some hot tea... or make some soup spiced with black pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or cumin. Everything warm for winter!
Michelle Marlahan
Where Self Care becomes Soul Care
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