I had this smoothie for breakfast, but it is perfect for any time of day to put you in a sunnier mood. Louisiana sees its fair share of cloudy days. On those cloudy mornings, I want to escape to tropical locations, even if it's just my taste buds.
Ingredients
Pineapple: Pineapple is an excellent fruit for boosting your immune system and is full of antioxidants that are great for longevity.
Banana: High in soluble fiber, bananas slow down stomach emptying to keep you fuller for longer and your digestive tract happy. Frozen bananas are what give your smoothie a thick milkshake-like texture. Highly recommend including these!
Coconut milk: Coconut milk is very low-calorie when it comes to plant-based milk (only 45 calories per cup). While there is some saturated fat in coconut milk, it has been shown that this plant-saturated fat will not affect your cholesterol and may aid in weight loss.
Chia seeds: Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants (cancer-protective), high in fiber (great for GI health), and rich in omega-3s.
Peaches: Canned fruit is perfectly fine for consumption. Make sure you look for "no sugar added" to help reduce added sugar consumption. You can also strain and rinse your canned fruits to help reduce your sugar consumption as well.
Protein powder: Protein powder is essential for keeping you full for a few hours. Protein takes a longer time to break down than carbohydrates so you will feel fuller.
Smoothie Variations
Liquids: Instead of coconut milk, try coconut cream, mango nectar, pineapple juice, or even
orange juice. If you choose a fruit juice, make sure it is 100% juice, no sugar added!
Fruits: For any of the fruits included in the smoothie, feel free to switch to any other tropical fruits: passion fruits, mango, papaya, star fruits, and guavas. You can also try strawberries!
Vegetables: If you want to add a serving of vegetables to your day, try yellow bell pepper, cauliflower, or zucchini. These blend well without affecting the tropical flavor.
Protein: Out of protein powder? Try Greek yogurt (vanilla or tropical varieties), silken tofu, or kefir.
Fiber: Fiber is great for gut health, but if you don't have chia seeds, try hemp seeds or flaxseed meal for additional fiber.
Mentally escape to tropical locations with this breakfast smoothie, and stay full for hours with the added protein!
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