Happy Summer, everyone! Can you believe we’re in the last week of June already??
To finish off my month of “all things gut health”, I’m posting a tasty smoothie recipe filled with ingredients that will benefit your gut, as well as the rest of your body. It’s easy and delicious – two of my favourite things in a recipe. If my kids will drink it, it’s gotta be good!
Each of the ingredients offers a load of essential nutrients that offer numerous benefits to gut health:
- Chia, flax and hemp seeds – these seeds are nutritional powerhouses, loaded with great stuff for your gut! Protein, soluble fiber, omega 3 and 6, antioxidants, and so many vitamins and minerals. Ground flax seed is best for your digestive system, as the hard outer shell of the seed cannot be digested by the body. Also, be sure to use freshly ground flax because flax will start to oxidize as soon as its ground which results in loss of nutrients.
- Kale and spinach – dark green veggies should be a part of your diet daily and these two top the list of those filled with nutritional greatness. Eating kale and spinach (as well as other leafy greens) will help fight belly bloat, lower systemic inflammation, balance blood sugar levels, strengthen the gut lining, and support the immune system (80% of which lives in your gastrointestinal system!).
- Avocado – high in healthy fat and a low sugar fruit, avocado is another nutrient filled whole food that should be part of your daily diet. Eating avocado is one of the best ways to get your daily dose of fats that help support the digestive system.
- Collagen powder – this supplement is an awesome way to support gut health (and great for your joints, too!). Glycine and glutamine are amino acids that support both healthy digestion and strengthen the gut lining. An added bonus of having collagen everyday is that it’s great for your skin and hair, too…especially important as we get older.
Now that you know the why behind the ingredients, here’s the recipe!
- 2-1/2 C filtered water
- 2 C kale or spinach (or 1 C of each)
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 banana (or 2 medjool dates for more fiber and lower GL index)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp freshly ground flax seeds
- 4 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 Tbsp collagen powder (grass fed, non-GMO…I use this brand, but also have used this one)
Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. FYI, this smoothie is best consumed right away – if left to sit, the chia seeds start to swell and the smoothie will get VERY thick. It’s something to keep in mind if you want your kids to drink it – mine are not fans of the chia seed thickness! And as always, I recommend using non-GMO and/or organic ingredients as much as possible.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
I’m going to try this. What about protein??? If I have this for breakfast should I add protein?
Thanks
The collagen is protein, but you can definitely add (or sub) a scoop of your favourite protein to it!