Smoothies are a wonderful addition to meals and snacks when you are eating clean. You can have a smoothie during any time of the day, from breakfast to a post-workout snack, and there are an endless amount of combinations. Only 9% of Americans get enough veggies and fruits each day. Making smoothies is a great way to get those vital nutrients.
But smoothies can cause a roller coaster in your blood sugars if they are not properly balanced. Because there is no digestion of food to break down, the sugar is absorbed relatively quickly into your blood which could make balancing your blood sugar more difficult. So making sure to add protein and fat to them will help balance your smoothies.
Tips for Making Smoothies Blood Sugar Friendly For Your Hormones
Opt for lower sugar, fiber-rich fruits like strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Berries are full of antioxidants.
Get plenty of protein. Protein is important in the morning. You can add extra protein to any smoothie by including a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Try hemp protein by Nutiva, Rockin’ Wellness, Sunwarrior, or pea protein. You can also use 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds. I also add vital proteins collagen powder to my smoothies for skin and bone health.
Add healthy fats to the smoothie-like nut butter, milk, or seeds. If you add fat to the protein and carbs, this rise in glucose will be slower and be digested at a steady rate. This will also help combat cravings as your brain will not get the immediate signal to eat more due to feeling "full." I love adding hemp seeds or almond butter.
This is also especially important if you're consuming smoothies for breakfast because breakfast really sets the mood for the entire day. If your breakfast is more carb-heavy without enough protein and fat, it can lead to blood sugar crashes and ENERGY slumps.
Looking for a few ideas to add to your smoothie? Add in a teaspoon of any one of the following:
- hemp seeds
- collagen powder
- flax seeds
- chia seeds
- spirulina
- bee pollen
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- raw cacao powder
- raw honey
- stevia
- superfoods (maca, lucuma, wheatgrass powder)
- matcha powder
- detox greens: dandelion, parsley, cilantro, radish
- sprouts of any kind
- camu camu for vitamin C
- protein powder
- goji berries, currants, dates (limit if weight loss is desired)
Feel free to add fruit to any vegetable smoothie to add sweetness. Try 1/2 cup berries, 1/2 apple, or 1/2 banana
Simple Formula for Making Smoothies
Before starting, here is an easy formula for putting your smoothie together:
- Liquid Base
- Hormone Balancing Herbs
- Healthy Fats
- Fruits and Veggies
- Can add collagen powder for skin, bone, and hair health ( I add this to all my smoothies-1 scoop) or superfood powder for supplements.
Liquid Base:
You can use plain water or milk but you can also be more creative. Try plant-based milk like oat, soy, coconut, or almond. Or try herbal teas with some flavors.
Hormone Balancing Herbs:
You can add adaptogens like maca, ashwagandha, and turmeric to your smoothie to help your body deal with stress. Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory herb for joint pain. Others to consider are Shatavari and mushrooms like Reishi and Chaga.
If you want some immune-boosting results. consider Camu Camu.
Healthy Fats:
You can add fat using nut butters (sunflower, almond, peanut) or you can add avocado. You can also add it through seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, chia, flax, hemp, etc.
Fruits and Veggies:
Fruits (anti-oxidant-rich fruits) and veggies are fantastic ways to get your prebiotics. Prebiotics supports the gut bacteria (microbiome) and therefore promote a healthy gut. They also are a good source of fiber for getting rid of excess estrogen from our body and improving hormonal health.
If you have a high-speed blender, add all of the ingredients in the order they are listed (WITHOUT the ice). Blend until smooth. If you want your smoothie to be colder, add ice cubes, then blend. If you DO NOT have a high-speed blender, add the almond milk, banana, apples, and dates to the blender. Blend until smooth. Feel free to add a few more tablespoons of almond milk to get the mixture going, if needed.
For each smoothie, simply blend all of the ingredients in a high-speed blender or normal stand-up blender. Feel free to add water to reach your desired thickness. Use organic produce whenever possible. Each smoothie recipe serves two people or may be used as a substitute for one large meal.
This is a really simple formula that will help you when creating your own smoothies. Of course, there are many variations on this as not all smoothies need yogurt and you may have just fruit and juice in your smoothie. However, this works great when you really aren’t sure what kind of smoothie you want to make.
Simple Green Smoothie
A green smoothie is ideal for clean eating if the smoothie is replacing a meal because it helps to give you more fiber, increases the nutrients, and makes you fuller for longer. A good green smoothie includes about a cup of greens, a cup of frozen fruit, ½ frozen banana or handful of ice, and some liquid. You can also choose to add a little yogurt, but since you have a banana in there, it isn’t required. Here is a fun green smoothie recipe:
1 cup of kale and spinach
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup almond milk
½ frozen banana
Add fresh mint or basil for herbs
Add 1 tsp Maca powder or spirulina for energy.
All Berry Smoothie
To simplify it even more, you can have a smoothie with just frozen berries. Bananas that are frozen are often used in most smoothies because they not only thicken it up and make it to where yogurt isn’t a requirement, but if it’s frozen, you don’t actually need ice. That way, if you are using fresh berries, but a frozen banana, your smoothie is cold even without the ice. So for a berry smoothie, try this simple combination:
½ cup strawberries
½ cup raspberries
½ cup blueberries
½ avocado
1 cup liquid – milk or juice
1 tsp superfood powder for herbs
Add 1 tsp flax seeds for omega 3
Breakfast Smoothie
This is where you can really get creative with it. When your smoothie is for breakfast, and you don’t think fruit and veggies are enough to keep you full, add in some other ingredients that turn it more into a filling breakfast. For example, you can use oats or peanut butter in your smoothie. Try a simple smoothie with:
1 frozen banana
½ cup oats
½ cup almond butter
1 tbsp honey
1 cup milk
1 tsp hemp seeds for protein or flax seeds for omega 3 fat
