Blending Up the Best Smoothie
When you’re trying to make healthier choices and fill your body with beneficial nutrients, eating vegetables for breakfast makes a lot of sense. A way to make it happen without much fuss is by blending up a breakfast smoothie.
Smoothies are a great way to get an abundance of healthy vegetables and fruits into your body every day. Making one at home is relatively easy with the help of a blender, but there are lots of places these days where you can easily order a smoothie too. Yet, it’s good to know what’s going in it. Just like planning a meal, you should plan your smoothie with the necessary macronutrients to achieve balance. Including protein and fat with fruits and vegetables gives you a balanced meal that won’t spike your blood sugar. A quick rise in blood sugar can result from consuming purely fruit smoothies or when you start your day off with just a bowl of fruit. This is especially important to know if you’re trying to balance blood sugar levels. If you’re insulin resistant or have diabetes, your body is already challenged. Give it the chance it needs to recover.
Eat your smoothie. I really mean take your time to savor every mouthful and practically chew your smoothie so that the saliva in your mouth starts to mix with the ingredients in your drink. This is a necessary step for everyone, but especially for those with digestive problems. This slow processing allows your digestive system to wake up and start doing its job, allowing your body to benefit from all the good nutrients you’ve put in it.
Use the guide above to find the right balance for you. The key to success is experimenting. The amounts are a general guide. Have some fun and vary up the ingredients, there are endless possibilities. Go with seasonal fruit and vegetables first.
Follow the 6 tips below to help create a nourishing balanced meal in a glass. Refer to the chart to figure out how much of each ingredient to use. Amounts will vary slightly depending upon your individual macronutrient needs. Trust your gut here. Notice how you feel afterwards and go from there. Keeping a log of what you try and how you feel helps you find the best ingredients for you.
Smoothie Basics:
Start with vegetables. Find what’s in season. Pick your favorites and try some new ones.
Mix in some fruit. Berries, banana, apple or other favorite seasonal fruit. Fresh or frozen works.
Add a good fat. Nuts, seeds, avocado or coconut meat.
Spoon in some dried or fresh herbs/spices to benefit from their many antioxidants.
Add a dash of sea salt to bring out flavor and give you a mineral boost.
Pack in the protein with a favorite protein powder, bone broth or collagen powder.
Blend it all up with some filtered water and enjoy!
