Smoothies are a great vehicle for super food experimentation! You can add pretty much anything you like to a smoothie, to try out how it feels in your body.
Hemp/chia seeds – These go awesome in smoothies. Start with 1 tbsp and work your way up to more if you wish! You don’t have to grind them like you would with flax seeds before you add them to your smoothies, they can go in whole. Both hemp and chia seeds are complete proteins and are packed with essential fatty acids which aid in brain function, are anti-inflammatory and help to nourish the skin.
Protein powder – You can add your favourite protein powder to most any smoothie. Decide for yourself how much you want to add based on your specific nutritional needs. Protein powders can be an awesome way to get a boost of easy to digest protein especially after a workout or when your protein needs are higher like during pregnancy and while nursing. Protein powders added to smoothies can also help to slow the release of sugars from any fruit you may have added into your smoothie helping your smoothie to keep you feeling satiated longer. I don’t recommend using whey or dairy based protein, opt for a plant-based protein powder like hemp protein or brown rice protein instead.
Super powders – Chlorella, spirulina, E3Live, powdered greens, maca, mushroom powders, and other dried powdered herbs and superfoods can all be added to smoothies for immune boosting, inflammation reducing, libido enhancing properties. Start slow, with ½ a teaspoon or so, and increase the amount overtime, or as advised by a healthcare practitioner. Some of these super powders are amazing for you, but don’t taste so amazing. This is why adding them to your smoothie is such a great tool. You can get all the health benefits with none of the unpleasant taste.
Super fruits/whole foods – Goji berries, cacao, inca berries and others can all be added whole to smoothies. Start with 1 tbsp and add more if you wish. Blending your super fruits and whole foods into a smoothie is an awesome way to make sure you get the most nutritional bang for your buck. By blending these foods you are pre-digesting them, which means your body does not have to do as much work to get all the nutritional goodness out of these foods.
What are your favorite superfoods to use in smoothies?
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