What's for Breakfast? #1
Are you always on the run? Do not have time to cook, prep a decent meal?
Many of my patients have this problem. They would end skipping a meal or eating out.
For this reason I decided to start a set of articles that would help you make easy, fast meals, which can be prepare the night before and quickly put together in the morning to take with you.
The Super Hero Smoothie:
My husband and I were trying to figure out how to give our kids their veggie portion during breakfast and came with the SUPER HERO smoothie, green and strong as HULK.
Fruits and veggies can be cleaned and cut the night before and left on the fridge. Before leaving in the morning just add the milk and water and blend.
This glass contains Spinach, berries, banana, flax seed, protein powder, and almond milk.
1. Spinach: Is a super food, loaded with many nutrients and minerals and very low calorie count. 1 cup of spinach has almost 1 gr of protein, and contains calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate and other wonders with only 27 calories. Some of its uses are Diabetes managements, bone health, skin care, cancer prevention.
2. Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. These fruits are not only delicious but also very beneficial. They are loaded with fiber and Vitamin C. Strawberries have anthocyanins which protect the nervous and cardiovascular system. Blueberries are an excellent source of antioxidant and has been linked to memory improvement. Overall berries are great.
3. Banana: 1 medium banana gives you 3g of fiber, also contains, vitamin C and is rich in Potassium and vitamin B6. These would benefit the cardiovascular and digestive system. Potassium plays a role in vasodilatation and therefore may reduce blood pressure. Fiber could help maintain glucose levels.
4. Flax seed: Flax seeds are rich in alpha linoleic acid, an omega 3 fat. Omega 3 fats are know to reduce heart disease risk. Also its fiber content will improve the digestive system health. And the best news is that they have a very tasty nutty flavour. The best way to consume flax seeds are to have them grounded, that way are easy to digest and absorb. Once grounded they have to be kept in the refrigerator and consume soon.
5. Almond milk: Is a dairy free milk, made from almonds. Even though it contain less protein than cows milk, it may help with weight management as one cup has only 60 calories vs 146 calories of cows milk. Has no cholesterol and is low in sodium and high in omegas which helps your heart stay healthy. Almond milk also provide calcium and vitamin D for strong bones.
6. Protein powder: There are many different brands and sources of protein powder in the market. I prefer to use a vegetarian source and make sure it does not have sugar in it. You decide which flavor you want. I love vanilla. This is a great way to keep you full and give you the energy you need to go for an early run or to the gym or just keep up with a busy day at work.
This Super hero smoothy is just an example, you can use any fruits and veggies you like. Instead of spinach you ca use kale, chard or even cucumber. Any fruit mix can be used, try to stay with the low/ medium glycemic ones. Other sources of milk are soy, coconut, rice or maybe no milk at all. If you prefer the smoothie to have a thicker texture try adding raw almond butter or an avocado. Play around and find the smoothie you prefer.
The most important thing is to maintain the ratio of veggie:fruit around 7:3.
Now lets compare:
Super Hero Smoothie
(2 servings) *
1 medium banana
3 Strawberries
1/2 handfull blueberries
4 Tbsp of ground flax seed
1 scoop of protein powder
3 handfull of spinach
almond milk and water
Breakfast Sandwich*
(1 Serving)
Looks like an easy decision, option # 1 not only tastes good but also has has less calories, more vitamins, and less fat than option #2. Which one would you choose today?
*Nutrition facts calculated using myfitnesspal.
