At Healthy Holistic Living we search the web for great health content and healthy recipes to share with you. This article is shared with permission from our friends at LiveLoveFruit.com.
If you’ve been making the same smoothies for breakfast every morning, it’s time to start anew. These 15 smoothie ingredients not only taste great, but they’re good for you too! They’ll give you more energy, vitality, more vitamins and minerals and crucial phytonutrients. Not to mention better brain power and beautiful looking skin.
Healthy Smoothie Ingredients
I love making smoothies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They’re a perfect compliment to a busy schedule, and you can pack so many amazing ingredients in them. Plus, they’re a sneaky way to get in a variety of fruits and veggies into a single meal. Happy drinking!
Flax Seed
Suggested Use: 1 tbsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
This powerful little seed helps prevent menopausal symptoms and counters the effects of type 2 diabetes. It is also great for the colon.
Chia Seed
Suggested Use: 1 tbsp. soaked chia per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Chia seeds are a miracle seed (for real!). The health benefits of chia range from bone protection to immune system strengthening effects (contain 7 time more vitamin C than oranges!). They are also loaded with antioxidant s, and help fight belly fat. Chia seeds really like to gel, so if you are going to add them to your smoothie, make sure you soak them in a little bit of water beforehand so they don’t turn your smoothie into a thick pudding.
Hemp Seed
Suggested Use: 1 tbsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
This raw superfood is silently sweeping the nation. Hemp seeds are a complete source of protein (contain all 8 essential amino acids), and contain a large percentage of magnesium, which is crucial in helping fight depression and anxiety. They’re also a wonderful source of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Moringa Powder
Suggested Use: 1-2 tsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Moringa is one plant food you should definitely be consuming. It contains a diverse array of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and protein. It helps improve digestion, nourishes and heals the skin and nervous system, acts as a great anti-inflammatory and reduces cancer risk.
Spirulina Powder
Suggested Use: 1-2 tsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Spirulina is 65% protein and amino acids, including the essential fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is touted as an incredible anti-inflammatory. It contains 10 times more beta-carotene than carrots, and is one of the greatest natural B-12 sources.
Suggested Use: 1 tbsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie (consume only 1-2 times per week)
Aloe is highly alkaline, and so it is a wonderful food for warding off disease and illness. It contains enzymes like lipase and amylase, which help aid digestion and break down starches, sugars and fats! It is also an adaptogen, which means it helps improve the health of your adrenal system.
Acai Berry Powder
Suggested Use: 2 tsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Acai berries are incredibly high in antioxidant rank, containing over 10 times more antioxidants than 100 grams of fresh blueberries! Because of this, they help prevent diseases associated with oxidative damage (cancer, skin issues, effects of aging, etc.), and aid in weight loss and help with digestive upset.
Maca Powder
Suggested Use: 1 tsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Maca root is also considered “Peruvian ginseng” – it is used for helping treat anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome and enhancing energy, stamina, athletic performance, memory and fertility. It also helps balance hormones.
Pomegranate Juice
Suggested Use: 1/2 cup per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Pomegranate juice is incredibly nutrient and antioxidant-rich. It contains high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols, potent antioxidants that protect against heart disease and cancer. It contains a compound called punicalagin, which lowers cholesterol, and blood pressure!
Water Kefir and Kombucha
Suggested Use: 1/4 cup per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Water Kefir and kombucha are both great for helping nourish healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. They also cut your desire to consume a lot of sugar, and help detox the body, improve endocrine function and reinforce the immune system.
Lucuma Powder
Suggested Use: depending on how sweet you like your smoothie 1-2 tbsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
One of my favourite sugar substitutes, lucuma powder, tastes like maple and contains low sugar content. It is a great alternative to agave nectar and acts as an anti-ager, anti-inflammatory, improves hair and skin appearance and increases energy and alertness.
Bee Pollen
Suggested Use: 1-2 tsp. per 3-4 cups of smoothie
Bee pollen is one of the richest sources of vitamins found in nature in a single food. It contains a high amino acid content and increases energy levels, helps build muscle, increases libido, enhances athletic performance and even cures allergies!
Ginger and Turmeric
Suggested Use: 1-2 tsp. powdered or 1-2 inches fresh root per 3-4 cups of smoothie
If you haven’t been adding ginger or turmeric to your smoothies, then you might want to start. The health benefits of turmeric are endless – it helps with things like inflammation, speeds up wound healing, prevents the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and so much more. Similarly, ginger is also another powerful anti-inflammatory, helps aid digestion, and has even been shown to help combat cancer.
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