I often hear people say:  I don’t have time for breakfast or I’m not hungry when I first wake up and I get it.  Life can be chaotic; you’re up early, trying to get the kids ready, trying to get yourself ready, dropping the kids off and heading off to work.  Who has time to think, let alone prepare breakfast?  Also, if you’re not hungry why would you eat anyways?  This post will focus on the first excuse and we’ll address the latter in a subsequent article.

Let’s start with the “No Time for Breakfast” excuse

Homemade smoothies can be a very quick and nutritious way to start your day.  Note, that I clearly stated “Homemade”, as many store-bought smoothies may contain added sugars, excess fruit and vegetable servings and other non-nutritional ingredients.  This can lead to over-eating and spikes in insulin levels due to elevated blood sugar levels, which may in turn lead to weight gain.  There are many ways and ingredients to create the ‘perfect’ smoothie and in all honesty, it really is a matter of preference!  The key to making a delicious, yet nutritionally beneficial smoothie is all in the choice of ingredient; a combination of the major macronutrients plus some additional health boosters.

Ingredients of Choice:

The Carb’s:  I usually start with a base of frozen fruit for a couple of reasons:  I prefer a thicker texture and if I’m not going to drink it right away, then it will remain cold until I’m ready.  My fruit choices are normally a combination of strawberries and blueberries.  Both are high in fibre, lower in sugar and may help with weight loss, if that’s your goal.  Blueberries are considered a superfood as they are a great source of nutrient-dense carbohydrates, they’re rich in Vitamin C and can improve energy metabolism (1).  Now, if I’m planning on exercising or was more active the day before, then I’ll include half a frozen banana as well.  Bananas are rich in nutrients like carbohydrates and potassium, both of which are important for exercise performance and muscle growth. They’re also easy to digest and can slow the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream, making bananas a great option before your next workout (2).

Next comes ‘The Greens’:  Spinach is my preference, as calorie to calorie, it may be one of the most nutrient dense vegetables out there.  It is high in vitamin K (which is important for bone health), vitamin A (a lack of can lead to fatigue, insomnia and brittle hair), folate (important for blood health) and magnesium (essential to every organ in the body and acts to calm feelings of stress and can improve sleep patterns).  Another superfood and a little goes a long way in a smoothie!

The Protein:  There are a lot of different options to choose from, but I usually stick with whey protein isolate powder.  There are numerous health benefits, some of which include anti-allergenic, anti-stress, boosts antioxidant capacity, transforms when you digest it and contains numerous bioactive components (3).  Many people believe they may be intolerant to whey, based on allergies or intolerance to other dairy products but whey might be a possibility as most people are able to tolerate it.

The Fat:  In order to balance out my breakfast ‘meal’, I add a tablespoon of coconut oil.  Coconut oil is deemed a superfood and has a host of benefits.  It contains healthy fatty acids which encourage your body to burn fat, and they provide quick energy to your body and brain.  It may boost heart health, fat burning, reduce hunger and protect your skin, hair, and teeth to name a few benefits (4).

The Other Ingredients:  If this is starting to sound complicated, then you can stop at the above ingredients and you will still have a balanced, nutritious meal in a cup.  However, if you’re looking to further enhance your health, then continue reading for the next ingredients I choose to add:

• Kefir:  I’ve tried both dairy base kefir and organic coconut kefir and my stomach reacts much better to the Organic Coconut Kefir.  Many of kefirs health benefits are attributed to its probiotic content. Probiotics, or “good bacteria,” are living organisms that can help maintain regular bowel movements, treat certain digestive conditions, and support the immune system (5).  Coconut kefir is lactose free, gluten free, vegan and delicious (6).
• Potato Starch:  We just talked about ‘probiotics’, now we’ll review the benefits of ‘prebiotics’, which is what potato starch is.  Potato starch becomes resistant starch when cooled, and that makes it a prebiotic, meaning it can nourish important bacteria in your gut. 
• Turmeric:  According to an article in Runner’s World  “Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties, according to New York City-based dietitian Natalie Rizzo, R.D. That could be beneficial in preventing chronic inflammation, which is responsible for issues like arthritis, an inflammatory disease of the joints; depression and anxiety, which has been associated with inflammation in the brain; heart disease, which is caused by an inflammatory response to the buildup of fatty plaque in your arteries; and cancer, in which inflammation is a component of tumor progression (7).”

Last item for the smoothie?  Water of course!  Mix all of the ingredients in your Magic Bullet and breakfast is ready in under 5 minutes.

Disclaimer:  As a service to our readers, Our Healthy Table provides information and opinions.  No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

1. _{https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710}
2. _{https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042570/}
3. _{https://www.marksdailyapple.com/whey-protein-vs-pea-protein/}
4. _{https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil#section9}
5. _{https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318353#What-is-kefir}
6. _{https://www.ecoeating.ca/coconut-kefir/}
7. _{https://www.runnersworld.com/nutrition-weight-loss/a29491188/benefits-of-turmeric/}