There are many posts out there about healthy smoothie recipes but not all of them explain why the ingredients are healthy and what they can do for your health. In this blog post, I provide 3 Smoothie recipes that are not only delicious, but are very healthy for you and can aid in both your weight loss and/or body composition goals. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Many of you might be wondering how we can make a Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Smoothie healthy. This smoothie sounds like something you would be buying at a restaurant that is over 1,000 calories.
The truth is, with the right ingredients, you can make a great tasting smoothie that is good for you and can be a supplement to your weight loss regimen.
This smoothie is packed with nutrients that will fill you up fast.
The first ingredient that I know you may be questioning is the “chocolate”. Well I have a few healthy solutions for you. The first option is cacao nibs or powder. In it’s natural form (and without all of the extra sugar and chemicals added) chocolate is actually very healthy for you. It is nutrient dense, and is full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. The second option is using a chocolate protein powder alone or along with the cacao to give you the “chocolate taste” as well as a protein boost. You want to be careful which protein powder you choose, though, because many are filled with sugar and chemicals that you do not want to be putting in your body. Some people also have issues digesting whey protein, so I suggest a nice Vegan Protein Powder. The protein powder I currently use is Sun Warrior Warrior Blend – Plant Based Organic Protein – Chocolate flavored. A scoop or so of this powder along with the cacao will give you the perfect chocolate taste you are looking for.
Bananas are starting to get a bad reputation nowadays. A lot of people are starting to shy away from bananas because they are high in carbs and fructose. However, they are very high in micro-nutrients such as potassium. They also are very high in fiber and are easily digested by most people. Bananas are a great post workout fuel due to the carbohydrate and sugar content.
The last main ingredient we need to talk about is, of course, peanut butter. Everyone loves peanut butter! But most people also know that peanut butter is high in sugar and high in calories. I know I am not the only person who sat down with a tub of peanut butter and the next thing I know its half way gone! But for this smoothie, I have the perfect answer to many of our issues. Natural unsweetened peanut butter has a lot of monounsaturated fats and does not have all of the extra sugar added to the name-brand products. Adding this healthy version of the peanut butter will still give you that “peanut buttery” taste in your smoothie!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of water (if lactose intolerant), almond milk, or milk of your choice.
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cacao nibs or cacao powder.
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (almond butter is also a good replacement)
- ½ frozen banana (Chop up bananas and freeze in advance, it adds substance to your smoothie!
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of organic pure honey (watch out for syrup!)
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon (for taste if you’d like! – There are many health benefits of cinnamon as well!)
- Ice
Pina-Colada Smoothie
Most people think of the alcoholic drink (and rightfully so) when they think of Pina-Coladas. There's a reason people love to order them while on vacation... they're delicious! Well I have a Pina-Colada recipe that is delicious, alcohol free, and does not contain all of the sugar and additives of the drinks you would get on vacation!
Pineapple is loaded with Vitamin C. Vitamin C plays a major role in your immunity, decreases inflammation, and has a positive effect on your stress hormones. Pineapple also contains enzymes that help with your digestion!
Coconut has too many health benefits to name. Coconut is great for your immune system because it has anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. It also has more Vitamin C than oranges and more Potassium than bananas!
We will be using Greek Yogurt and Coconut Milk as a base. Along with it being a great base and source of protein, Greek Yogurt provides you with important nutrients and minerals, such as calcium, potassium, and B-12. Greek Yogurt may also be easier to digest for people with lactose intolerance due to the milk sugar breakdown that occurs.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of frozen or fresh pineapple
- ½ cup of coconut milk
- ½ frozen banana
- 1 cup of plain Greek Yogurt (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoon of coconut flakes
- ½ -1 tablespoon of organic pure honey for taste (optional)
- Dash of cinnamon (optional)
- Ice for more substance if needed.
Berry Blast Smoothie
This Berry Blast Smoothie is a nice refreshing smoothie (especially if you add ice!) that is packed with health benefits!
Berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.) are full of antioxidants that are amazing for your health. They are also packed with fiber that will help with your digestion and metabolism.
Chia seeds have been considered a “super food” for a long time now. They are also bursting with antioxidants that are phenomenal for your health and weight loss. Chia seeds also tend to suck up the liquid from whatever they are combined with and will give your smoothie a more “thick” base.
Greek Yogurt (unsweetened) is a great base for this smoothie because it has plenty of substance. It has almost double the protein as regular yogurt, as well as the added benefit of probiotics.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of frozen berries (any combination of the berries listed above!)
- 1 cup of plain Greek Yogurt (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoon of Chia Seeds
- ½ -1 tablespoon of organic pure honey for taste.
- Dash of cinnamon (optional)
- Ice for more substance if needed.
Throw it all in a blender and enjoy! You can always add extra ingredients to this smoothie if you are looking for optimization. (Examples- hemp seeds or chia seeds.)
**Most people utilize protein powders in their smoothies to add some extra protein and to make them taste better.
I have received a lot of questions about my current protein powder so I figured I would give some information in this post!
I have been using Sun Warrior's Warrior Protein Blend as my protein powder for the past few years. I found that Whey protein bothers my stomach and makes me feel crappy (if you feel you may be having some issues with your Whey protein click here for my blog post on the subject to learn more), so I began using a Vegan protein source.
I have been so happy with Sun Warrior’s products that I have partnered with them in order to provide my loyal readers with a 15% discount on all of their products! You can use the link below or use the coupon code – UNLEASH. I am sure you will be happy with all of their products!
Click Here For Your Discount!
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