People are often looking for quick and easy ways to start their day. You should eat a healthy breakfast each and every day. For extremely early risers who are starting their day with exercise and those who don’t have time to cook, we suggest a great fruit/veggie smoothie. Don’t worry; the fruit hides the taste of the added protein and vegetables. Give it a try and you will have energy all day long!
P.E. Smoothie
A great pre-work protein shake that gives you energy throughout the day
(similar to the Jackie Warner Shake featured on Thintervention)
1 serving Protein/AA Mix
(1 scoop protein powder, 1 teaspoon Glutamine powder, 1 tablespoon L-carnitine powder, 1 teaspoon BCAA powder)
½ tablespoon Flax Seed Oil
1 cup fresh or frozen spinach
1 cup fresh or frozen berries (any kind)
Splash of Almond milk (or other nonfat milk), optional
Throw all items in blender. Blend & Drink
The MIX
The amino acid/protein mix is important for muscle repair and recovery, heart protection, and energy. Amino acids are building blocks for protein. They are naturally produced in the body, but are often depleted or their levels are decreased in some due to protein insufficient diets (particularly strict vegetarians/vegans) and physical exercise. The components of this mix can be explained as follows:
Glutamine powder is an amino acid that helps transport nitrogen to the cells of the muscles to:
1. guard muscle breakdown after strenuous workouts
2. encourage muscle recovery after workouts and injury
3. metabolize fat to build lean muscle tissue
L-Carnitine powder is an amino acid that appears to help guard against a variety of diseases: heart disease, high cholesterol, male infertility, diabetes, chronic fatigue, Lyme’s disease, hyperactive thyroid disease, and more. Its major benefits are increasing energy levels and promoting endurance.
BCAA powder, Branched Chain Amino Acids, include a vital group of essentials: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. They focus specifically on healing and recovery of muscles and providing energy. Leucine is known to help with wound recovery for the skin and bones as well as protect the muscles. Isoleucine provides energy and assists in the production of hemoglobin. And finally, valine helps construct and maintain a balance of nitrogen and assists in the development of muscles.
Some prefer liquid amino acids because it is quickly absorbed by the body. Truth is, it doesn’t really make much difference in this recipe. We suggest powder form because you can premix the ingredients and have them on hand for a quick blend.
Flaxseed Oil is a great supplement due to its balance of Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids. It has been suggested that healthy properties of Omega-3 fatty acids helps in a variety of diseases and ailments. Most notably are eye diseases, vaginal infections, some cancers, constipation, heart disease and arthritis. Its ability to reduce inflammation has been most helpful to sufferers of heart disease, arthritis and gout. As with most oils, it can also help with smoothing rough skin and soothe irritations. There is no definitive study that claims with certainty the impact of Flaxseed Oil on any disease.
**NOTE: As with all supplements, be sure to confer with your medical professional before and during use. There may be interactions with particular medications, health issues, and/or allergies.
Why spinach and berries?
Spinach, known as the Persian vegetable, has just about every valuable nutrient, vitamin and mineral in it. Here’s the list: Vitamin A, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Manganese, Folate, Betaine, Iron, Calcium, Potassium, Folic Acid (vitamin B9), Copper, Protein, Phosphorous, Zinc, Niacin, Selenium and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Eating it in a raw stage (such as blending) keeps all of these nutrients intact for digestion and use by the body.
Berries are the often considered the best diet fruit because they are low in sugar and high in antioxidants. You can choose from any berry or berry assortment, fresh or frozen. Blueberries are known as a “superfood” because it is so high in antioxidants and other health properties. So, it is a “go-to” fruit for such recipes. Try tossing them in your salads next time as well.
FROZEN or FRESH?
The answer is “it doesn’t matter” and “it depends.” It doesn’t matter to the recipe whether you use fresh items. It is adaptable to both. And, it depends on your preference. As a way to promote healthy living, we encourage everyone to use fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
There are sincere benefits to doing so. One, you develop a taste for the raw vegetable. You can learn to love food in their natural state, identify ways to use it in other recipes, and grow accustom to its unique flavors. Two, you get into a habit of including fresh produce on your shopping list. You will seek out fresh products. Three, you are in charge of the quality of the produce selected. This empowers you as you move along your journey toward healthy living.
Using frozen berries and spinach also have cost and time saving benefits. First, the icy produce will add moisture to the drink and may prevent the need for milk, ice or water. Additionally, using frozen products, the quality of your produce is guaranteed. Frozen produce is usually flash frozen at its ripest, so you will have a flavorful mixture. And lastly, you can store frozen produce a lot longer than fresh items. That way, you will always have them on hand. Be sure to look for coupons to save even more!
Plug in the blender and shake some things up today…your life depends on it.
*Note: The information provided on this blog and in this post can be found in a variety of medical studies, web postings, and journals. For a full bibliography or list of sources, email us.
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