I thought this would be a great time for this post as we are trying to eat healthier in the new year. You will have try it for yourself and stick with it for a while to reap its awesome benefits.
Now I know a lot of people make their own version of it and that's completely fine, but whats not fine is just blending a bunch of fruit in milk. That barely gives you any nutritional value. So to make the perfect nutritionally complete drink, you will need to have the four basics:
1. Greens
Recommendations: Kale, spinach, celery, cucumber or any other greens of your choice.Make sure you add at least 1/2 to 1 cup of one or more of these. If you are starting out, I would highly recommend Baby Spinach. It is so mild that you will never taste it in your drink.
2. Fiber
Recommendations: Flax seeds, chia seeds, psyllium huskPick you fiber, add one not all. Serving size is about 1-2 tsp per serving.
3. Protein
Recommendations: Hemp seeds, nuts, plant based protein powderHemp seeds are a great nutty flavored protein additive. They can also be sprinkled on toast, pasta, salads etc. On the days that I exercise , I also had a tablespoon of good quality plant based protein powder. The one I am currently using is listed below:
https://au.iherb.com/pr/Garden-of-Life-Raw-Protein-Greens-Lightly-Sweet-23-0-oz-651-g/72517
4. Fat
Recommendations: Coconut oil, nut butters, avocado, nut butters, Hemp seedsMy personal favorite is a tablespoon of almond butter. It has an amazing flavor that blends really well the other ingredients. It has protein plus fat which makes it a great additive.
Once you have got your four basics in there, flavor it however you like. I usually add a good mix of fruit that will naturally sweeten the smoothie and also add in the extra fiber. It keeps me full and maintains my blood sugar levels
Recommendations : Apples, mango, banana, berries
Lastly, there is your liquid to blend it all up.
Recommendations: Coconut water, coconut milk, water, almond milk
If you ensure you have added ingredients from all of the above, it would cover all the different food groups, will keep your blood sugar in check, will jump start your metabolism and control your hunger hormones. It will also help with digestion, boost your immune system, help you achieve clear skin and bring you closer to eating healthy and doing right by your body.
Lastly, for all those wondering, my personal smoothie recipe that I have perfected based on my taste is below. If my picky husband can drink it, it surely must taste good.
Disclaimer: The grass like colour is no way indication of its taste.
1/2 apple
1/4 cup diced frozen mango
1/2 stalk of celery or 1/2 cup kale
1 cup spinach
1 and 1/2 cup coconut water
handful of frozen mixed berries
2 tsp maca powder
2 tsp chia seeds
2 tsp hemp seep
1 tsp almond butter
Optional: 1 Tbsp Protein powder on workout days
Optional : Ginger, Mint
Trust me, once you are hooked to these, you will never look back and wonder why you didn't start your day with such a kick-ass combination all these years.
If you do end up getting into a routine, start meal prepping these. They are a huge time saver! Get your ingredients out on a Sunday afternoon and make up freezer smoothie bags. I usually make 10-12 bags every two weeks which last me the entire fortnight. The morning smoothie making process is barely 60 seconds after that.
Hope this post offered some valuable tips and advice!
Luck and Love!
Niki
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