5 Ways To Boost Your Smoothie

5 Ways To Boost Your Smoothie

by | Jun 2, 2020

Have you heard about different ‘superfoods’ that can be added to smoothies to make them even more healthy?

There’s a long list of them; so many that it’s easy to get overwhelmed in the land of superfoods.

I always recommend to keep things simple, but I can understand the urge to test out something new, especially if there are health benefits attached to it.

To save you the time and energy required to sort through all the superfoods out there, I’ve put together a short list of my favourite smoothie boosters. Check them out and give them a try!

5 Ways to Boost Your Smoothie

1. MACA POWDER

Known for its hormone balancing effects. Maca has been studied to help normalize the symptoms of premenstrual/menstrual symptoms, as well as the symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, night sweats, cramps, fatigue and lethargy. Look for gelatinized maca for easier digestion and absorption. Add 1 tsp.

2. COLLAGEN

The ultimate anti-aging smoothie booster! As we age, our bodies’ natural production of collagen starts to slow. Collagen supplementation has proven to be effective in supporting the strength and flexibility of bones, tendons and cartilage, as well as the appearance of skin and nails, and GI tract health. Incorporating a collagen powder into your smoothie is an easy way to support many areas of your health and stay forever young. Learn more about the benefits of Whole Body Collagen. Add 1-2 scoops.

 

Whole Body Collagen

A unique blend of THREE collagen peptides supported by clinical research showing their efficacy for supporting collagen production, bone strength, joint & gut health, skin elasticity + more.

BUY NOW!

3. CACAO NIBS

These little guys are loaded with antioxidants, even more so than tea, wine and blueberries! In addition, cacao nibs are a high source of magnesium, iron and fibre. A great way to add extra nutrition and crunch to your smoothies. Stir in 1 tbsp.

4. SEA SALT

Not only will a high-quality sea salt enhance the flavour of your smoothie, but it will add life-giving nutrients. Sea salt is rich in trace minerals that are hard to obtain from food due to the lack of nutrient-rich soil. Sea salt can help promote vascular health, healthy pH & electrolyte balance, as well as increase energy, regulate sleep and improve symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Look for Pink Himalayan or Celtic. Add a pinch.

5. CINNAMON

Popular for its blood sugar lowering effects, but also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and immunity-boosting abilities. Great way to naturally sweeten your smoothies as well. Opt for Ceylon cinnamon over Cassia (aka “fake”) cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon contains a higher amount of coumarin, a natural plant chemical that can be toxic to the liver and kidneys, and it may also be carcinogenic, in large doses. Add 1/2-1 tsp.

5 Gut Healing Smoothie Ingredients

5 Gut Healing Smoothie Ingredients

by | Feb 25, 2020

In this article, you’ll find a list of gut healing smoothie ingredients that you can easily add to any smoothie recipe.

Do you feel like your gut could use a little extra support?

Maybe you’re experiencing symptoms like excess gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, stomach pain or other issues that could be related to your gut?

Gut friendly smoothies are a top priority for me because I truly believe that all health begins in the gut — and by healing and supporting our gut, we can optimize our health and prevent & reverse illnesses.

I come from a long history of IBS, so I’m always experimenting with different ways to support my gut. I’ve discovered that adding certain ingredients into my smoothie is not only an effective way to promote gut health, but it’s super easy too!

Below, you’ll find a list of my top gut healing foods & supplements that you can easily add to any smoothie recipe including the ones found in my Smoothies for IBS & Weight Loss E-Book.

The best part is, these foods & supplements will have little impact on the flavour or texture of your smoothies. Feel free to add as many of these ingredients as you’d like — your gut will love you for it!

5 Gut Healing Smoothie Ingredients

1. COLLAGEN POWDER

Collagen is an essential component for healing and sealing the gut. Besides providing the building blocks for new collagen in the body, the amino acids delivered by hydrolyzed collagen support gut health.

For example, glutamate and arginine (and possibly methionine, cysteine and threonine) optimize the immune functions of the intestine. They also help to maintain the integrity, growth and function of the intestine.

The amino acids methionine, threonine, arginine, serine and proline all support intestinal mucosal healing. Glycine, has been shown to reduce inflammation.

Collagen supplementation can help a number of gastrointestinal disorders, such as leaky gut syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Whole Body Collagen is my go-to collagen powder. Add 1-2 scoop to your smoothie.

Whole Body Collagen

A unique blend of THREE collagen peptides supported by clinical research showing their efficacy for supporting collagen production, bone strength, joint & gut health, skin elasticity + more.

BUY NOW!

2. L-GLUTAMINE POWDER

Glutamine is the most important and commonly used nutritional substance to repair tissues, particularly high turnover tissue such as the cells of the intestinal lining.

The surface area of your gut is lined with a type of cell known as enterocytes. L-glutamine is considered an essential amino acid because your body uses so much during times of intense physical stress. It is essential for maintaining the health and growth of enterocytes in your gut since it is the preferred fuel of these cells.

Glutamine deficiency can cause severe intestinal degradation and supplementation can enhance intestinal healing and repair.

Add 1 tsp. to your smoothie. Find a high-quality l-glutamine powder here.

3. KEFIR OR YOGURT

Fermented foods are rich in probiotics which help restore a healthy gut microbiota and intestinal barrier.

According to Isolauri, Salminen, (from the Nutrition, Allergy, Mucosal Immunology and Intestinal Microbiota Research group), immune regulation in the gut depends on the establishment of the healthy gut bacteria.

The factors that contribute to leaky gut tend to produce inflammation and improper functioning of the mucous layer that protects the cells of the gut from damage. Medical experts suspect that probiotics’ role is to reduce these factors and therefore protect the gut.

Yogurt and kefir can provide probiotics in abundance. However, make sure you’re not struggling with histamine intolerance before increasing your intake of these foods, as fermented foods can exacerbate symptoms. I recommend a good quality unsweetened coconut kefir or yogurt.

Add 1-2 tbsp. to your smoothie. My favourite coconut kefir is from Healing Spirit Nutrition (available at Nature’s Emporium & Ambrosia in Ontario).

Note: If fermented foods do not work well for you, try a broad-spectrum, high-quality probiotic. Here is one that I recommend.

4. SLIPPERY ELM POWDER

Slippery elm is a herb that contains mucilage, a substance that becomes a slick gel when mixed with water. This mucilage coats and soothes the stomach and intestines, promoting the healing of ulcers and inflamed tissue, and reducing cramping by relaxing the intestines.

Slippery elm is ideal for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis and diarrhea.

Add 1/4 tsp. to your smoothie. Find slippery elm powder here.

5. MARSHMALLOW ROOT POWDER

Marshmallow, like slippery elm, is a herb that contains mucilage, producing a thick sticky substance that coats membranes.

Marshmallow extract also contains flavanoids, which contain anti-inflammatory properties. The flavanoids are able to reduce inflammation while the mucilage holds them in place and prevents further damage.

Marshmallow helps restore integrity of the gut lining making it beneficial for people suffering from leaky gut and other forms of inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Add 1/4 tsp. to your smoothie. Find marshmallow root powder here.

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein (Paleo, Keto)

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein (Paleo, Keto)

by | Jul 24, 2019

This Easy Green Smoothie with Protein makes for a healthy and super easy meal replacement! It’s LOADED with organic super-foods, high-quality protein & healthy fats. Perfect for when you’re short on time and/or fresh veggies and fruit.

Are you looking for an easy way to fill your body with nutrient-rich fuel that’ll keep you feeling energized for the busy day and week ahead?

If your lifestyle is anything like mine then you don’t always have time to fill your fridge and freezer with green goodness–and even if it’s full, you may not have time to prepare your greens.

That’s where a high-quality greens powder comes to the rescue. My fridge and freezer might not always be stocked with greens, BUT my cupboard is!

PaleoGreens has come to my rescue on many occasions, including when …

  • I’m in a rush and need to prep my smoothie fast
  • I’m low on energy
  • I feel a cold coming on
  • I’m super lazy, but still want to fuel myself with good stuff
  • I’m looking to cleanse and detox

PaleoGreens organic greens powder

Here’s what makes this organic greens powder top in its class …

  • Fruits: High-antioxidant berries, such as cranberry, raspberry, and blueberry + camu camu which is high in Vitamin C
  • Sulfur-rich cruciferous vegetables + sprouts: Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, collards
  • Colorful and high phytonutrient vegetables: Beet, carrot, tomato, spinach
  • Detox Greens & Juices: Spirulina, chlorella, barley grass and wheat grass juice powders — high in antioxidants and great for detox
  • ORAC Blend: Proprietary blend of grape seed and grape skin extracts, with guaranteed high ORAC (oxygen radical absorption capacity) content. The ORAC score is a measurement of a food’s potential for neutralizing the damaging free radicals implicated in aging and physical degeneration.

PaleoGreens is superior to many commercially available greens powders for several reasons:

  • Over 90% organic ingredients
  • No grain/legumes fibers or components, least allergenic
  • No alfalfa, a common ingredient in all other leading brands
  • Special gentle processing that retains potency
  • Proven ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity) value
  • Great taste, with no added sugar

Give my Easy Green Smoothie with Protein a try. It makes for a healthy and super easy meal replacement–and it’s LOADED with organic super-foods!

Learn more about PaleoGreens and its awesome list of organic ingredients HERE.

PaleoGreens unflavoured Canada

What you need for Easy Green Smoothie with Protein:

Want more healthy smoothie recipes? You’re going to love these …

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein

This Easy Green Smoothie with Protein makes for a healthy and super easy meal replacement! It's LOADED with organic super-foods, high-quality protein & healthy fats. Perfect for when you're short on time and/or fresh veggies and fruit.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Smoothie
Cuisine: Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Plant-Based
Servings: 1

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup unsweetened nut milk, or water
  • 1 tbsp PaleoGreens, link in notes
  • 1 scoop PurePaleo Protein, or 2 scoops PurePea Protein (vegan option)
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil or 1/2 avocado
  • 1/2 cup fruit of choice, optional
  • A few ice cubes, optional

Instructions
 

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Notes

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, grain free, green smoothie, greens powder, healthy smoothie, organic greens, soy free
Got smoothie gas? How to tweak your smoothie

Got smoothie gas? How to tweak your smoothie

by | Apr 23, 2019

Are you experiencing smoothie gas or other gut issues like bloating, pain, diarrhea or heartburn after consuming your smoothie?

These symptoms can be a problem for some people. To be honest, there was a time in my smoothie journey where smoothies were causing baby to have a little too much gas for her liking.

It took a bit of time for me to realize that some ingredients in my smoothies were causing me to run into isolated rooms throughout the day.

After some experimenting, I learned that too much kale or broccoli were triggers for my gas problems. So, I now use mainly spinach as my green base and only add small amounts of kale and broccoli.

I also learned a while back that I had a slight intolerance to avocados (an intolerance that developed during a stressful time in my life) and if I ate them in excess I would get heartburn. So, instead of using avocados as a healthy fat source in my smoothies, I opt for other healthy fats that my body responds well to.

Now, this doesn’t mean that kale, broccoli and avocados are unhealthy foods – it just means that they don’t work well for my body at this time in my life. How I react to these foods months or years down the road might be very different (or may be the same).

Our bodies are constantly changing – what works for you today might not work for you tomorrow. It’s important to be in-tune with your body and experiment with foods in your diet, so you can consume more of the foods that serve you well and avoid the ones that don’t.

If you’re experiencing smoothie gas or gut issues after consuming your smoothie, I strongly recommend that you don’t give up on this healthy habit, but instead make some tweaks so your body is better able to digest, process and absorb this nutrient-rich drink.

I’ve put together some practical tips you can experiment with if you’re experiencing any gut distress with your daily smoothie.

How to tweak your smoothie if you’re experiencing smoothie gas or gut issues

1. Reduce the amount of greens you put in your smoothie.

Some guts do a better job of digesting greens than others. If your gut is struggling, try reducing veggies to 1/2 a cup. You can increase this amount over time and see how your gut responds (I don’t recommend going over 1.5 cups of greens).

2. Avoid or reduce high sulfur vegetables like kale, broccoli and spinach.

Although high sulfur veggies are extremely good for your health they can sometimes cause and/or aggravate symptoms like gas and bloating. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, try using vegetables like lettuce, celery, watercress, mustard greens or zucchini instead. I also recommend avoiding any other ingredients you suspect are causing symptoms.

3. Re-evaluate the protein powder you’re using.

Protein powders are a big culprit when it comes to gut issues. Low-quality and high-allergen protein sources (and a long list of ‘other’ ingredients) can cause digestive problems and/or other health issues. If you’re uncertain whether your protein powder is causing symptoms, I suggest trying it on its own (with water only) and see how your body responds. Also, check out my protein powder checklist to help guide you with finding a high-quality protein powder.

4. Drink your smoothie slowly and in a calm state.

I know it may be tempting to pound back your delicious tasting smoothie, but this approach can be overwhelming for your gut. Drinking a smoothie should be no different than eating a meal – it’s important do to both slowly and in a stress free state. The slower you consume your food, the easier it is for your gut to process, digest and absorb nutrients. This is particularly important for those dealing with IBS.

In addition to experimenting with the above, I also recommend that you support digestion with these simple and practical tips.

Drew (drink + chew) your smoothie

Drew (drink + chew) your smoothie

by | Apr 3, 2019

Are you hesitant to give smoothies a go because you feel you won’t be completely satisfied with drinking your food–and maybe you just prefer chewing your food?

I completely understand the need for chewing. After all, we’ve been wired to chew food to obtain nutrients and calories which are used to fuel our bodies.

Chewing is important because it stimulates digestive enzymes, which are essential in breaking down food therefore allowing us to process and absorb nutrients. In addition, chewing plays a significant role in oral health.

In my early smoothie days I felt that I was missing an important part of what consuming food is all about – chewing. So, I began to add different crunchy/chewy foods into my smoothie after blending to create a smoothie that I could sip on and chew through at the same time.

Not only has this little hack made smoothies more filling and satisfying for me, but it has also allowed me to add more nutrients into my already nutrient-packed smoothie.

So, before you write-off smoothies completely, I highly recommend trying this …

After blending your smoothie, stir in 1-2 tbsp. of the following:

Check out some of my go-to brands by clicking on the links above.

img_1407

Go wild and mix 2 or more of these crunchy and chewy foods into your smoothie.

Even if you’re completely satisfied with the current way you prepare your daily smoothie, I still recommend giving this smoothie hack a try. You might just be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy some chew/crunch to your smoothie.

Would love to hear about the crunchy and/or chewy foods you add to your smoothie after blending. Share in the comment section below.

Check out more of my smoothie hacks here.

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

by | Feb 27, 2019

In this article you’ll discover ways to simplify smoothie making, so that time will never come in the way of making healthy food choices.

Is lack of time really the reason you can’t turn new, healthy eating habits into permanent ones?

I call bull$#!%.

Making a smoothie is one of the fastest and easiest ways to fuel your body with nutrient-rich foods.

You literally throw all your ingredients in a blender, pour into a cup and voila!

There’s no cooking involved and you can even dodge the washing and chopping if you choose. Cleanup couldn’t be more easy with only a blender and cup to wash.

OK – I get it! As easy as making a smoothie might be, maybe your life and daily schedule are just jam-packed with things like family responsibilities, work, extra-curricular activities, social events, you time, etc.

My goal with this article is to help you simplify smoothie making even more.

I don’t want time to ever be a barrier for you when it comes to making healthy food choices, so check out my tips below.

5 ways to simplify smoothie making

1. CREATE A SMOOTHIE STATION

It can be a hassle to constantly reach under your kitchen cabinet to pull out and set up the blender. I suggest creating a smoothie station.

Keep your blender, smoothie tools and dry ingredients in a corner on the kitchen counter, so everything is ready to go when it’s smoothie making time.

2. PREP FRESH PRODUCE AHEAD OF TIME

On the weekend, decide what fruits and greens you plan to use in your smoothie for the upcoming week. Wash, chop, and separate equal portions into bags, containers or glass jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

This makes the ‘grab and throw’ method come to life. Just grab your portion and throw it in the blender along with your dry ingredients.

3. GO FROZEN

Using frozen fruits and greens is probably the BEST way to save you time. Taking trips to the grocery store every few days to get fresh produce can be time-consuming. Then, you still need to wash and chop your produce before it’s ready for blending.

I recommend buying frozen fruits and greens in bulk and stocking up your freezer with them. It’s a great way to ensure you always have ingredients on hand.

Also, you don’t have to worry about wasting money on produce that ends up going bad. I personally create all my smoothies using frozen produce and wouldn’t do it any other way.

4. MAKE YOUR SMOOTHIE HOURS BEFORE DRINKING IT

What if you could make your smoothie hours before consuming it? Might this make smoothies more suitable to your daily schedule?

The trick here is to make your smoothie the extra thick way–using avocado and only 1/2 – 3/4 cup water. This will help hold your smoothie together without it separating. Store in a mason jar or cup with lid and keep cold until you consume it. If refrigeration isn’t an option, use a small cooler bag with an ice pack.

If I have a busy day ahead and know there’s going to be no time for lunch or dinner prep, I double my morning smoothie and take the extra to go. This saves me from making poor choices later in the day when there’s limited time, healthy food options and willpower.

5. REPLACE FRESH OR FROZEN PRODUCE WITH A GREENS POWDER

I feel for you if you’re just super strapped for time and find what should be quick and easy, not quick and easy enough. So, in my mission to help busy people feel great through simple and natural approaches, I decided to provide a modified way of preparing your smoothie that is even more time-friendly than my original smoothie formula.

Greens Powder Smoothie

1 tbsp PaleoGreens powder
1 scoop PurePaleo Protein powder
1/2 avocado or 1 tbsp coconut oil
1 cup water
A few ice cubes (optional)

Blend for 30-60 sec and enjoy!

Easy Green Smoothie with Protein

Now how’s that for simple?! Basically, you’ll be replacing fresh or frozen produce with 1 tbsp of PaleoGreens (or other greens powder of choice) that will provide you with a combination of powerful and antioxidant rich vegetables and fruits.

I know there are many greens powders on the market, so you can learn more about why I choose to use this particular one, here.

PaleoGreens unflavoured Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you found these tips helpful. Reach out in the comments section below if you need additional guidance or support.