Beetroot latte for PMS cravings

Hello my lovelies!

I’m on the cusp of my Inner Winter and just about to get my period.

I’m in that volatile state where cravings are high and I could eat a horse!!

This always happens to me at this crossover time in my cycle so this afternoon I made my delicious cravings-busting beetroot latte.

It always amazes my how well this recipe works - the sweetness from the beetroot immediately calms down my cravings and the velvety texture really helps that need I have for something comforting and nourishing.

So excited to share this recipe with you….can’t wait to hear what you think!

The transition between Inner Autumn and Inner Winter can be a tricky one.

Our hormones are reaching their lowest levels which can make us feel exhausted and totally lacking in motivation.

Low oestrogen means low serotonin (our feel-good neurotransmitter) which usually explains why we feel down…AND why we might be craving sweet things…sweet things will definitely make us feel temporarily happier that’s why our brain seeks them out (clever brain!)

We’re also about to start shedding our womb lining which in itself is exhausting.

Our blood sugar levels are also wonkier at this time…yet ANOTHER reason why cravings can get so intense!

The trick with this time is to feed those cravings with the right foods - ones that have natural sweetness BUT that won’t spike our blood sugar and make our cravings even worse!!

This is why I LOVE this delicious latte recipe so much….the beetroot has a lovely sweetnesst but because we put it in whole we also get the benefits of its fibre, which will slow down the release of sugar into our bodies. The cinnamon also helps to keep our blood sugar super stable and the ginger is both warming AND anti-inflammatory (super helpful if you suffer from period pain!)

Writing all this is getting me really excited!

Let’s have a look at what’s actually in the recipe now:

Obviously the star ingredient here is beetroot.

You can buy a pack of ready boiled beetroot (make sure it’s not pickled in vinegar or your latte will taste VERY odd!! lol). Or you can use raw beetroot and boil it up yourself. I quite often use the ready boiled one because I really can’t be arsed with much food prep around this time and I need to be able to make this QUICKLY when those cravings hit!!

Lots of beetroot latte recipes use beetroot powder but I like using real beetroot because: a) that way we get an added fibre boost, and b) you get really delicious velvety texture that powders just can’t deliver.

Beetroot is a powerhouse of nutritional amazingness:

It’s high in both iron and Vitamin C (which obviously we’re going to need tonnes of when we start bleeding).

It’s also high in folic acid, a B vitamin that is REALLY important for women’s health (it’s not just pregnant women that need folic acid you know!)

AND it also contains high levels of nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps to dilate our blood vessels which means more nutrients and oxygen can travel around the body faster which means a boost in energy (perfect for those sluggish Inner Autumn/Winter afternoons!)

It’s also anti-inflammatory and an amazing liver-lover.

Impressed??

Next we have cinnamon.

Cinnamon is one of the BEST spices for balancing blood sugar - it’s REALLY good at crushing cravings.

It also hits the spot taste-wise.

My cinnamon is from a souq in Morocco, they do the best cinnamon there. I guard it fiercely so never ask to borrow my cinnamon!

It’s ginger next.

Ginger is super anti-inflammatory which obviously is very useful at this time of our cycle when our poor wombs can get a bit swollen and inflamed. (Really good if you suffer from period pain too!)

It’s also very warming which is great for this time as our Inner Autumn and Winter are all about warming foods and spices.

Next up: 2-3 crushed cardamons,

I take them out of their pods and sprinkle them in with the rest of the ingredients.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE cardamons so much!! Like ginger, they super warming which makes them perfect for this time!!

Then we have a plant milk of your choice - today I had oat milk in the fridge so that’s whatI used.

Try and use unsweetened milk as you’ll be surprised at how much sugar sneaks into the sweetened varieties!

Oat milk is already quite sweet anyway so it definitely doesn’t need any extra sweetening.

I know, I’ve just been going on about avoiding sweetened plant milks and now the next ingredient I’m showing you is maple syrup!!

This is an OPTIONAL ingredient, only use it if you’re really craving extra sweetness.

Just remember, once you heat the beetroot through its natural sugars will start to get released and it will taste sweeter.

So, don’t make the mistake I did the first time I made this - I tasted the latte BEFORE heating it through, decided it wasn’t sweet enough and added waaaayyyy too much maple syrup and actually couldn’t drink it once it was heated through!

Maybe hold off until your drink is ready to add this…and definitely no more than one small teaspoon.

The other thing I love about this recipe is it’s soooo easy to prepare, just whizz everything up together and heat it through and you’re done!!

Obviously you’ll want to know amounts so here’s the ACTUAL RECIPE:

“Beetroot Latte for PMS Cravings”

INGREDIENTS:

1 small beetroot, boiled

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2-3 crushed cardamons

200ml plant milk (unsweetened)

1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional, I recommend you wait until the latte is heated through before you add this)

METHOD:

Combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend.

Add to a pan and heat gently over a low heat.

Pour into a pretty cup and sip slowly. Feel those cravings melt away!

I really was having a moment when that photo was taken…that first sip was soooo good!

I’ve been turning to this recipe for quite a few years during my Inner Autumn and Inner Winter and I can hand on heart say it’s never let me down when it comes to beating my cravings.

I’m so excited for you to try it!

Don’t forget to let me know how you get on and make sure you tag me @hormones_in_harmony in any photos you post so I can high five you!

Sending you so much love,

Giulietta x