Making a smoothie seems so intuitive, doesn’t it? I can’t tell you how many time this conversation comes up with clients and/or friends. Yes, technically, you can throw anything into a blender, blend it up, and call it a smoothie, but too many times that “anything” consists of only two or three servings of fruit and a liquid. Without any added protein or fat, the carbohydrates from the fruit alone can cause blood sugar to rise fairly quickly, leading to a crash and unsustained satiation–the opposite of what a “health drink” should do.
The way I like to build my smoothies balances the carbohydrates from fruit with fat and protein. A more balanced approach will slow down the rise in blood sugar, leave you feeling satisfied (fat stimulates hormones in the body to tell your brain that it’s full), and sustain you for longer periods of time (thanks to the protein).
Here is the combination I like to use:
Protein Source (Choose one or more): Protein Powder (Tera’s Whey Vanilla Bourbon is what I have in my pantry right now), plain Greek yogurt, plain goat milk yogurt, collagen powder (Vital Proteins Collagen Powder is what I have in my pantry right now)
Fat Source (Choose one): 1/2 avocado, 1-2 tablespoons nut butter, 1-2 tablespoon coconut oil, 1-2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
Green Vegetables (Add as many as you would like): spinach, kale, cucumber, celery
Fruit (Choose one): 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries (I like berries because they are high in antioxidants), 1 small green apple, 1 small green pear
Liquid (Choose one and use 1/2-1 cup depending on how you like consistency): coconut water, unsweetened almond milk (homemade if possible), water
Optional (Add as many as you would like): juice from 1/2 lemon, freshly minced ginger, chia seeds, hemp seeds, ground flaxseeds
Everyone has different tastes so you will have to play around with which combinations you like.
Here is one I do almost daily:
Tera’s Whey Protein Powder
Vital Proteins Collagen
1/2 avocado
1/2 cucumber
1-2 stalks celery
2-3 cups spinach or kale
1 small green apple
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup coconut water
Another little tidbit of advice is to use only 1/2 serving of your protein powder or collagen powder at a time to make it last longer. I tend to like to buy higher quality items and unfortunately they cost more. Using 1/2 the amount recommended will help to stretch your dollar.
Once you find your favorite combination, share your smoothie picture to social media and tag me! Can’t wait to see what you create.
