Packed with proatein
Ingredients
1 cup of almond milk
1 pinch of cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder
1 medium banana (frozen)
1 tablespoon of peanut butter
1/4 cup of oats
1 scoop of whey protein powder
Nutrition
This delicious breakfast smoothie is packed full of protein and boasts a range of nutrients that work in combination to get your day started off the right way.
To make this smoothie, add all the ingredients to a blender and process until smooth.
Frozen Banana
Some people worry about reducing the vitamin content of bananas when using them frozen, and, yes, this is certainly true for commercially frozen bananas; but if you freeze them yourself, then they will remain high in potassium whilst providing your smoothie with a delicious, cold, ice-cream texture. Adding a banana to your smoothie not only boosts potassium levels, which is good for heart health, but will also inject a good dose of vitamin B6 into your daily diet which helps to prevent type 2 diabetes and depression, whilst increasing white blood cell production.
Almond Milk
Popular amongst those who live a dairy-free lifestyle, almond milk is incredibly beneficial to heart health because it contains no cholesterol and is very low in fat. Commercially produced almond milk is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals, making it an excellent source of nutrients like calcium. An 8oz glass of almond milk containing around 30% of the recommended daily allowance of calcium; adding it to your smoothie is great for helping to maintain bone health.
Peanut Butter
The high levels of protein in peanut butter make it the perfect addition to a breakfast smoothie because protein is well known for helping you to feel satiated and fuller for longer, which is good news for the waistline! The monounsaturated fat found in peanut butter is classed as healthy fat which is good for heart health and can also help to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. The best peanut butter to buy is the old-fashioned, organic kind that has had nothing added to it; all you want in the ingredients list is peanuts!
Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
Adding cocoa powder to your smoothie gives it that delicious chocolatey taste that many of us adore, and because it is sweetened in this smoothie by the banana and almond milk, you can enjoy it without feeling guilty. Cocoa powder boasts an impressive number of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of blood clots. It also contains the highest levels of polyphenols, which are some of the most powerful antioxidants around and help to fight against cancer and heart disease.
Oats
The humble oat may not seem very impressive, but when you look at the nutrients it contains you can understand why it should be included in a healthy breakfast. A one cup serving of oats has more than half of your daily requirement of protein & dietary fibre, which helps you to feel full. It also provides you with a steady stream of energy throughout the morning, making you better able to avoid the mid-morning sugar crash which often leaves people reaching for unnecessary snacks. Oats have a beneficial effect on the heart; this is because they lower levels of “bad” cholesterol and help to reduce blood pressure.
Cinnamon
It might not seem possible, but adding cinnamon to your smoothie will greatly boost the levels of antioxidants in your blood stream as well as helping to reduce inflammation in the body. If you’re suffering from a post-exercise injury, then this cinnamon containing smoothie is the perfect thing to be drinking since it combines muscle-repairing protein with the anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon to help you recover more quickly.
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