The Ultimate Breakfast smoothie
There are many ways to start the day right but one thing we would encourage is to get an abundance of key nutrients into your system to start your day off. Here we have put together the ultimate healthy breakfast smoothie packed with a variety of nutrients and other health benefits.
Handful of Kale
Kale is part of the cabbage family and is among the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. A single cup of raw kale (67 grams) contains:
Vitamin A, Vitamin K, vitamin C, Manganese, Calcium, Copper, Potassium and magnesium.
This coming with a total of 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs (2 of which are fibre) and 3 grams of protein. Kale contains very little fat but a large portion of the fat in it is an omega 3 fatty acid called alpha linolenic acid. It is loaded with powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol which have powerful heart protective, blood pressure lowering, anti inflammatory, anti viral and anti cancer effects. Kale can also help lower cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of heart disease as well as being an excellent source of vitamin C and K.
1 Kiwi
A 100 gram serving of kiwi has 61 calories, 14.66 grams of carbohydrates, 1.1 grams of protein, 0.52 grams of fat and 3 grams of fibre. It is a high source of vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant, it can also be a sleep inducer according to numerous studies, as well as being a great source of dietary fiber, and folate whilst also helping in digestion.
Handful of Spinach
Spinach contains a number of healthy vitamins including K, A C as well as folate, manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium and calcium. It is also a great source of niacin, zinc, protein, fibre, Vitamin E, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorous and copper. In other words Spinach is loaded with the things to keep cholesterol from oxidising and protecting from free radicals, particularly in the colon. The folate is also great for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system which is crucial for all athletes.
1/2 Avocado
The avocado is very high in healthy fats and has some really powerful benefits. Some of the most abundant nutrients in avocado are; Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin C, potassium, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin E. It also contains a small amount of magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorus and vitamins A, B1, B2 and B3. A 100 gram serving would come with 160 calories, 2 grams of protein, and 15 grams of healthy fats. They also contain more potassium than bananas which is a nutrient that people usually don’t get enough of however this helps maintaining electrical gradients in your body’s cells and serves various important functions.
1/2 Banana
A banana despite being delicious contains a number of health benefits including high fibre content which is great for the heart, support of digestion, whilst building up the metabolism, high iron which is great for those suffering Anaemia. Bananas are also packed with nutrients including, Potassium, calcium, manganese, magnesium, iron, folate niacin, riboflavin, and B6.
1/3rd of a Cucumber
Commonly thought of a vegetable, cucumber is actually a fruit. Low in calories but great in nutrients. Cucumbers contain antioxidants that block oxidation that can lead to several types of chronic illness, as well as promoting hydration due to there high water content. Cucumbers may also aid in weight loss due to their low calorie count coupled with the amount of fibre. Several studies have also shown that cucumber may help reduce blood sugar levels and prevent some complications of diabetes.
Teaspoon of Spirulina
Spirulina is an organism that grows in both fresh and salt water, and is a type of cyanobacteria which is a family of single celled microbes that are often referred to as blue green algae. A single teaspoon of 7 grams contains protein, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, Copper and Iron. Gram for gram spirulina may be the single most nutritious food on the planet. Spirulina has powerful antioxidants and anti inflammatory properties as well as lowering total bad LDL cholesterol and raising good DL cholesterol. There is also evidence to suggest that it may improve muscle streght and endurance as exercise induced oxidative damage is a major contribution to muscle fatigue and these antixoidant properties help an athlete minimise this damage.
1/2 pint of Water
Water as we know is essentially to survive however here are a few benefits of drinking enough water; provides energy, promotes healthy weight management, flushes out toxins, maintains regularity, boosts immune system, prevents headaches, regulates your body temperature and also preventing cramps and sprains.
Give it a go and let us know what you think.