Even though the weather is starting to get a little colder I love starting my mornings with a smoothie. They’re a great way to pack a whole lot of nutrients into one meal and can be a pretty quick breakfast if you prep them the night before. My go-to recipe is loaded with antioxidants, fatty acids, and one surprising ingredient so keep on reading to see what that said ingredient is, and why you should be adding it to your smoothies too.
Jess’ Antioxidant Smoothie
1/2 banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 frozen cherries
3/4 cup milk of choice (nut or oat milk)
handful raw cashews (about 10 nuts)
handful baby spinach
1 Tbs olive oil (Brightland Alive is my favorite)
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
Makes one 16oz smoothie
Directions: Pour all the ingredients, except for the olive oil, into your favorite blender (this one is my favorite). Mix everything together until smooth. Once all ingredients are incorporated, put the blender on low and add in the olive oil and salt—then enjoy!
Why Add Olive Oil?
Fat carries flavor so, for starters, your smoothie is going to just taste better. Also, high-quality olive oil is packed with so many benefits. This superfood is loaded with good fats, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower cholesterol, reduce damage done by free radicals, fight stress, and help the body absorb calcium*. So the main takeaway? Not all fats are created equal and in moderation, they can be extremely beneficial. Also, adding olive oil to your smoothie will keep you full for much longer since fat is significantly more filling than other nutrients.
*Brightland
Why The Himalayan Pink Salt?
I know, it seems a little weird to add salt to a smoothie, but not only does it add dimension to the flavor, but it’s also another misunderstood superfood. Himalayan pink salt has over 84 minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron. All those can help improve digestion, encourage better sleep and maintain your bodies pH balance**. So if you’re looking to make the switch to a high-quality salt, needless to say, we’d highly recommend it.
** https://draxe.com/pink-himalayan-salt/
Benefits Of Blueberries, Cherries, Spinach, and Cashews
Let’s not forget about our fruits and veggies! Blueberries and cherries are packed with antioxidants, help to prevent heart disease, fight free radicals and cherries can even help promote healthy sleep (who knew!)***. Spinach is also packed with potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, folate, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin K (just to name a few)****. Lastly, cashews are another good fat source that’ll help keep you full longer and if consumed in moderation, they can provide a good quantity of monounsaturated fat*****.
