Sunday, July 3, 2011

Magnesium-Rich Balanced Breakfast Shake with Fresh-Pressed Juices (GAPS-legal)

Fresh-pressed juice is wonderfully healthy because it contains all of the minerals and nutrients found in raw fruits and vegetables. Consuming fresh-pressed juice is part of the GAPS diet protocol, as fresh-pressed juice has a detoxifying effect on the body. For GAPS people, it is also beneficial that the fiber is not consumed as fiber can be especially irritating to the digestive system.

This recipe is our favorite morning breakfast shake.  It is not very sweet, and the beets give the shake a beautiful color.  The addition of sour cream and raw eggs give this shake plenty of fat and protein, so that it is a balanced way to start your day.

This shake is rich in magnesium and potassium, so this shake is a great remedy for constipation, especially when consumed on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. According to Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride, constipation is "due to a lack of beneficial microbes in the gut and an imbalance of the intestinal nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system is too active, while parasympathetic is suppressed." The magnesium and potassium in this shake stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the sympathetic nervous system, which helps to relieve constipation.
 
Beet, Carrot, and Citrus Balanced Breakfast Shake
Serves 1-2
1 medium beet (you can include the greens too)
3 carrots
1/2 of an orange or grapefruit, peeled
pinch celtic sea salt
2 Tb sour cream
2 raw eggs*
Equipment needed: juice extractor and optional immersion blender
  1. Break two raw eggs into a large glass.  Top with a large scoop of sour cream (about 2 tablespoons) and a pinch of celtic sea salt.
  2. Use a juice extractor to juice the orange, beet, and carrots into the glass.  
  3. Use an immersion blender to combine all of the ingredients in the glass.  (You could use a whisk instead, but I like that the immersion blender makes the egg white completely blend into the liquid of the shake.)
  4. Either skim the foam from the top of the shake, or just drink with a straw (this will allow you to drink from the bottom of the glass and just stop when you get to the foam).
  5. Serve immediately and enjoy!
*When consuming raw eggs, be especially careful that you trust the source of your eggs.  Healthy chickens produce healthy eggs (which reduces the risk of salmonella).  You can omit the egg whites if your tummy is sensitive to them.  We have no problem digesting the raw egg whites, and they provide a great source of protein in the shake.

This post is part of Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet, Fight Back Friday at Food Renegade, Real Food Wednesday with Kelly the Kitchen Kop and Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds terrific. How many does this serve?
Thanks!!

Sarah Smith said...

This makes a rather large shake. So it could serve as a complete breakfast for one, or a partial breakfast for two.

Kathryn M said...

I make a very similar combo with my juicer, I love it.I haven't done a raw egg yet so I will have to try that next. Do you always remove the foam when you juice? I've noticed that sometimes my stomach hurts after drinking fresh juice, maybe it's because I drink the foam?

Sarah Smith said...

Hi Tyler and Kathryn - I never drink the foam (although I don't skim it off, rather I drink with a straw and stop when the foam gets to the bottom of the glass). Juice never gives me any stomach problems, but I have a friend that does get a belly ache from it. One tip she saw was to try drinking it slowly over several hours. I never drink it plain, though, as I always add sour cream and usually the egg too. So maybe that makes a difference as well.

Anonymous said...

This looks great!! I so want a juicer. Maybe some day :P

Not sure why but I can't seem to leave a comment with my google log in. So I'll be "anonymous."

Mary @ Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Kathryn M said...

@ Anonymous, I got my juicer during one of those crazy Christmas specials where you have to be at the store during a certain time. The Juicer I got was originally $200 and I got it for $80. It's not one of the fancy ones that makes peanut butter and such but it does the job and is easy to clean. Keep your eyes out for a good deal! Now if I could just find a way to get a blendtec for cheaper than $400...

Dainard said...

Hi,

The great thing about magnesium is that it can be found in many delicious foods which you can enjoy throughout the day. Some fresh juices are also rich in magnesium and should be added to your regular diet. Thanks a lot...

Magnesium Oxide

Nicole said...

Raw beets are very high in oxalic acid. Did you know this/Have you come to conclusions about the impact that is has on your liver? I have been told to avoid it, although I believe that it can be used during detoxification, but I avoid consuming it on a regular basis.

Sarah Smith said...

Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride's stance is that, yes there are antinutrients in almost every food, but that doesn't mean we have to avoid them all. I personally found this breakfast shake to be great during the first year of GAPS when we trying to do lots of detoxing. I craved these shakes every morning and felt great eating them. Over time, I lost the craving for them and moved on.

I think what is most important is to listen to your body and eat what your body wants. I think I needed something from the shakes initially, but then my body was ready for something else. Just like, for a long while, I couldn't get enough of eating scrambled eggs and veggies for breakfast every day. Now I only want that about once a week, and am feeling more like eating something with more crabs like muffins or cinnamon raisin toast. I try to just go with the flow.

Anonymous said...

Is the sour cream just for fat or does it also contain potassium/magnesium? I'm severely allergic to dairy. What if I subbed coconut oil? I can actually handle ghee pretty well now, but I bet it would have a strong flavor. Thoughts?

Sarah Smith said...

The sour cream is for the fat, and the creaminess which helps balance the overall flavor. I woulld try full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.

Anonymous said...

The sour cream would also give you the probiotic boost your gut needs, you could add a capsule of probiotics with coconut cream, or even make a fermented coconut cream using the probiotics...