Have you ever made yourself a delicious, seemingly healthy smoothie for breakfast only to feel hungry again an hour later? Yep, us too.
While your body loves a good dose of the fiber you get from produce, only adding produce (especially fruit) in a smoothie can cause your blood sugar to spike and then crash, causing you to eat again sooner than the ideal 4-6 hour window between meals. So what do you need to add to your smoothie to sustain your blood sugar level and keep you feeling satiated? Kelly LeVeque, a celebrity nutritionist in L.A., uses the term the “Fab 4” to highlight the four types of ingredients needed to make your smoothies are nutrient-dense and will keep you feeling full!
The Fab 4:
- Protein: Helps you build and maintain muscle. 1 scoop of Grass-fed Whey or Pea Protein powder is a great way to add protein to your smoothie!
- Fat: This allows your cells to function well. Good examples of this would be Avocado, Coconut Butter, Almond butter, or Hemp Hearts- you should aim to have about 2 tablespoons of fat.
- Fiber: Keeps your gut healthy! Try ground flaxseeds or chia seeds – also aim to get 1-2 tablespoons of fiber per smoothie.
- Greens: Deliver a powerhouse of necessary vitamins and minerals. A huge handful of spinach or kale is an easy way to add these superstar nutrients.
LeVeque recommends limiting fruit to a quarter of a cup to keep your blood sugar from spiking, which in turn will keep your hormones balanced. Now that you know these 4 base categories needed to make your smoothie a complete and filling meal, the possibilities for building your own and adding other ingredients are endless! Want something light and crisp to beat the current heat? Try adding lemon, cucumber, or mint. Want a healthy PSL alternative come fall? Add 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and some pumpkin pie spice. Check out kellyleveque.com for more smoothie recipes and inspiration and scroll below for my current favorite smoothie!
My Current Go-To Smoothie:
- Heaping handful of Spinach
- 1 scoop Orgain Organic protein & Superfoods powder
- 2 cups Unsweetened Almond milk
- 1 tbsp. ground Flaxseed
- 2 tbsp. Hemp Hearts
- 1 tbsp. organic Spirulina powder
- (optional) 1/2 banana
Written by GUADS staff member Kate with contributions from kellyleveque.com
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