Sonja Y. Larsen, Author of Super Drinks for Superhumans

Today we are interviewing Sonja Y. Larsen, author of "Superdrinks for Superhumans: 50 Healthy Recipes that Fuel Productivity and Workouts."

Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hey everyone, my name is Sonja. I write books about all things whole and healthy.

Describe the purpose of your book in a few sentences.
This is a recipe book that will help you have more energy to get stuff done. We have so many things to do these days. We work, take the kids to soccer, catch up with friends, workout, get dinner on the table, and the list goes on and on. We squeeze so much into our schedules. Are we even enjoying any of it? This book is going to help you have the energy to get going, and the focus to follow through and complete everything. When you are able to get everything done efficiently, you are able to have more “you” time to do things you actually enjoy.

Who do you think would most appreciate this book?
Those who are looking to increase productivity and results. It could be someone who works all day and needs to get in the gym in the evening. It could be for the student who needs to pull an all-nighter to study for exams. It could even be for someone who is having trouble just making it out of bed every morning. These drinks are not only going to fuel your superpowers; they are going to protect you from crashing. We all know what coffee does. It gets you going immediately, right? But as the hours continue, you find it hard to concentrate and you might feel lethargic or dehydrated. You might even go to bed anxious, which means you won’t get the sleep you need. It is a vicious circle.

What inspired you to write a book about powerful drinks that improve human performance?
Great question. Well, I myself needed the drinks. I found myself exhausted every morning. I hadn’t even made it out of the door yet, and I was already tired. I drank the scary store-bought energy drinks for several years. Then I heard about how bad they were for you, so I opted instead for the “healthy” energy drinks. Well, the “healthy” energy drinks cost me a small fortune every month. And who knows if they were even healthy. I decided to research some ingredients that I could use in my own concoctions. I added and changed the recipes to suit my body’s needs. I used natural sweeteners, and I customized the amount of special ingredients that my body required for fuel. These recipes changed my life. I seriously thought that if I had this problem of being too exhausted to get things done, maybe others had this problem too. And lo and behold, the book was born.

A lot of the drink recipes include matcha, maca, kombucha, chia, or guarana. What’s so special about these ingredients?
These are superfoods that are instrumental in supplying your body with power, while boosting its ability to repair itself at the same time. All of these ingredients are healing, so they are going to give you power, and they are going to help your body adapt to stress. They are what’s known as “adaptogenic” foods.

Are the required ingredients in your recipes hard to find?
They can be hard to find locally. You’ll probably want to order most of the ingredients online, because that’s going to give you the best price anyway. But I have a special section in the beginning of the book dedicated to explaining what the ingredients actually are, and how to find them online.

How long does the typical recipe in this book take to make?
Most drinks in the book take under 10 minutes to make. There are also 5-6 “Slow-Craft” recipes which will take much longer, so you’ll want to make those one day when you’re feeling adventurous.

Do you have a favorite drink? What’s it taste like?
My hubby and I both have our favorites. His is the Chocolate Maca Goddess. It is a blend of almond, coconut cream, maca powder, cacao powder, maple syrup, and bananas. It tastes divine. I require a little more citrus power. My favorite is the Superhuman Drink. It is a blend of guarana, crushed B vitamins, stevia, and orange juice. It gets my butt into the gym every time.

How long does it take for someone to start experiencing the benefits of drinking these drinks?
These drinks are absolutely amazing. Make a drink, then take it to the sofa, or wherever it is that you procrastinate. I work from home, so when I get tired, I tend to sit on the sofa and just stare at my laptop, which is always sitting over on the table. You will literally be sitting there on the sofa, complaining about having to go to the gym, or pick the kids up, and you will start to perk up and feel more alive as you sip on one of these drinks. Many of us are high-achievers these days. We tend to pack our schedules so tight that we can barely complete the whole list. These drinks will help you focus and perform each activity, so that at the end of the day you can sleep at night, knowing you did the best you could. That is what is going to help you feel successful at the end of the day.

More Information
Get "Super Drinks for Superhumans" on Amazon