If your skin is feeling a little dry and dull this time of year, no worries! This is actually the perfect time to load up on brightening and immunity-boosting antioxidants. My new Skin-Glowing Antioxidant Smoothie Recipe is here to save the day, your skin and your immune system!

With a sweet-tart infusion from the cranberries, mixed with the sweetness from the fig and banana, this is sure to become one of your favorite smoothies.

What Are Antioxidants?

Basically, antioxidants help stop or prevent cell damage that is caused by oxidants—hence, anti–oxidants. And oxidants are free radicals that you find in the environment, and but are also produced naturally in our body.

Although our body creates oxidants to help fend off those icky viruses and microbes, there is a down side. If we have too many, they can cause serious damage, inflammation, aging and even contribute to certain cancers and heart disease.

This may be hard to counteract, since we’re hit with oxidants everyday from air pollution, alcohol and cigarette smoke (hopefully second-hand smoke is being kept to a bare minimum from your space, with the restrictions for the front of restaurants and buildings, etc.! Although in cities you can’t help but get some wafts here and there, unfortunately).

Why did I choose to call this smoothie the Skin-Glowing Antioxidant Smoothie? Because of the…

Cranberries

Cranberries are an amazing, and in my opinion, often overlooked beauty food. Antioxidants found in cranberries are especially important contributors to its potential for health support.

If we look at research, there are two important points to consider when thinking about the antioxidant benefits of cranberries.

First, the amazing collection of antioxidants that are found exclusively in whole cranberries, such as—phenolic, proanthocyanidin, anthocyanin, flavonoid, and triterpenoid antioxidants. Also included in this unique combination of antioxidant nutrients are—resveratrol, piceatannol, and pterostilbene.

The second point is the research found regarding the synergy between these nutrients—that phytonutrients in cranberry provide maximal antioxidant benefits only when consumed in combination with each other. This is also true only when consumed alongside of conventional antioxidant nutrients present in cranberry, like in manganese and vitamin C. This is a potent skin glowing combination!

Overall, cranberries supply us with tremendous amounts of fighting action against all the toxins inside and outside of our bodies.

If you want to help assist your body in rebalancing your levels of friendly bacteria, you’ll want to click here!

Bonus: Cranberry acts as a natural diuretic by flushing excessive fluids out of your body.

So what are you waiting for…let’s get our boost on! ;)

Besides the amazing cranberry, don’t forget to eat a wide variety of colors in all the beauty fruits and veggies listed in my books. You will boost your beauty and your immune system, from the inside out…how great is that?! ;)

Ready to start blending….

Happy blending and don’t forget to add this to your Pinterest Smoothie board!

All my love,
Kimberly

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