I hope you all enjoyed the summer salad ideas and recipes in my last newsletter. Since August is another scorcher, I thought I would dedicate this month to Summer Smoothies. There are many misconceptions about fruit smoothies and shakes. Most people think they are healthy because they contain fruit and fruit juices. Well the truth is that most commercial smoothies contain tons of sugar. I looked up the nutrition facts for the Jamba Juice Banana Berry Smoothie and it contains 121 grams of carbohydrates and 107 grams of sugar! If you are not aware, this is a lot of sugar, approximately 27 sugar packets! Another thing that I do not like about commercial smoothies is that they contain so many carbohydrates and minimal protein. This kind of imbalance will spike your blood sugar, which might make you feel good at first, but it will drag you down in an hour or two.
I developed two smoothie recipes that conquer the problems related to commercial shakes, which are extremely high sugar content and low protein. These simple recipes are low in sugar and are balanced with good protein, so they should nourish you while helping stabilize your metabolism. I provided substitutions for regular yogurt and whey protein because many people are intolerant to dairy. A serving size for a small meal or a snack is approximately 1/4 of the blended amount. To kill two birds with one stone, some people like to add powdered supplements to their smoothie, such as a powdered multi-vitamin/mineral supplement (Ultra Preventive III), MSM powder, Probiotic powder, etc.
Peanut Butter & Banana Protein Shake
4 bananas
4 Tablespoons real peanut butter (no sugar added)
1 cup plain yogurt (cow, goat or buffalo)
2 scoops Whey Protein Powder or Rice Protein or Hemp Protein or May Favorite Protein Mix
3 squirts of Stevia (or as needed for sweetness)
Fill the blender ¾ full with ice
Add water as needed for blending
1 serving = approximately 1/4 the blended amount
Coconut & Berry Protein Shake
3 cups berries (your choice)
½ cup plain yogurt (cow, goat or buffalo)
1 cup coconut milk (FYI – coconut milk actually speeds up your metabolism)
2 scoops Whey Protein Powder or Rice Protein or Hemp Protein or May Favorite Protein Mix
½ teaspoon cinnamon
3 squirts of Stevia (or as needed for sweetness)
Fill the blender ¾ full with ice
Add water as needed for blending
1 serving = approximately 1/4 the blended amount
For more wonderful smoothie recipes, click here.
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