The following post was originally featured on Jill Conyers: Fitness, Health and Happiness and written by Jill Conyers, who is part of POPSUGAR Select Fitness.
Green smoothies are great any time of year but spring and summer are THE smoothie seasons. The refreshing blended concoctions not only taste good, they're good for you too. From high antioxidants to omegas, and everything in between, these superfoods will have you feeling and looking your best. And, every one of them can be used in your next smoothie.
My husband and I have a small obsession with green smoothies. Our smoothie bar and pantry are stocked with super healthy smoothie boosters to make your smoothie a nutritional powerhouse of good for you ingredients.
Acai Berries: The Brazilian super boost is packed with powerful antioxidants, anthocyanins and flavonoids, fiber and heart healthy fats. Reported benefits of Acai include encourages weight loss, good for your heart health, improves immunity, slows down the aging process, and improves sexual performance. Acai berries are now commonly found in the frozen section of some grocery stores and health food stores.
Bee Pollen: Nutrient packed bee pollen contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, protein and amino acids. It may help the digestive system, boost the immune system, and support the cardiovascular system. Bee pollen is also reported to improve endurance and vitality and reduce cravings.
Cacao: Naturally packed with antioxidants, cacao may help improve circulation and release the feel good chemicals, serotonin and endorphins. It's heart healthy by helping to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Cacao contains calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc and iron.
Flaxseed Oil: Also known as linseed oil, flaxseed oil is full of omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid and vitamin E. Add a teaspoon to your smoothie for boost of cardiovascular benefits, anti-inflammatory benefits, and digestive health.
Green Superfood Powder: Green superfood is nutritional powerhouse, packed full of vitamins A, C and K; fiber; protein; thiamin; riboflavin; niacin; and omegas-3, -6, and -9. Plant sources include wheat grass, alfalfa grass, parsley, barley grass, oat grass and spinach. There are a lot of green powders on the market. We like Garden of Life's Perfect Food Raw Organic Green Super Food Powder.
Matcha (Green Tea Powder): Green tea contains a large amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids, and may help boost metabolism. It also has relaxing qualities and can naturally detox the body.
Hemp Seed: Hemp contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein that's also rich in iron, magnesium and omega-3s.
Maca Root Powder: Maca, a tuber grown in the Andes Mountains of Peru, may help improve libido, enhance your mood, lower stress, help ease tension and increase energy. If I had to choose one smoothie booster it would be Maca. I've experienced the benefits personally.
Protein Powder [Plant based]: There are a wide variety of protein powders to choose from to super boost your smoothies. We use Skoop B-Strong plant based protein that is 16 grams of USDA-organic certified brown rice and pea combine to create a complete protein with a complete amino acid profile. Skoop contains 50% recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals, which aid in nutrient absorption, aids in digestion and contains prebiotic fibers.
Probiotics: Probiotics have been shown to aid in digestion and boost the immune system.
Spirulina: The blue-green algae is rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, cartenoids, and antioxidants that fight off free radicals. It's rich in beta carotene and is a super organic source of Vitamin B12 which may help decrease bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, prevent infection, and naturally cleanse your system.
Chia Seeds: These teeny seeds have a huge amount of fiber, which is why chia seeds plus liquid result in a pudding-like gel. One ounce (almost 7 teaspoons) has almost 10 grams fiber, 6.5 grams polyunsaturated (healthy) fats, about 4.5 grams protein and 140 calories along with smaller amounts of iron, zinc and calcium.
Camu Berry: The camu berry is abundant in Vitamin C. It contains as much as 60 times more Vitamin C than 1 Orange. Native to the Amazon, this antioxidant-rich superfood is also a source of potassium, calcium, protein, beta carotene, amino acids, and powerful phytochemicals.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a heart-healthy food that can improve your health in many ways including weight loss, reducing cholesterol levels, anti-aging, hair and skin moisturizer, thyroid and blood sugar control. It also improves digestion and contains a natural antibiotic killing the bad bacteria without harming the good bacteria in the body giving you immunity against diseases.
from POPSUGAR Fitness http://ift.tt/28WeFah
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