How to Create a Power Smoothie

I love smoothies. But it hasn’t always been that way. I mean, I’ve always LIKED them but I would be hungry an hour later. They never used to fill me up. Probably because I was adding a whole lotta fruit {aka extra sugar} and nothing else. Or I thought I was being healthy by grabbing a smoothie from Smoothie King {I’m cringing right now}. If only I could go back to my younger self and shed light on what I know now.

But hey, when you know better you do better. And that’s why I wanted to write this post to show you how to create a power smoothie. One that doesn’t leave you hungry an hour later or that’s filled with a bunch of fruit and not much else. One that will keep blood sugar levels stable, turn off hunger hormones, and keep you feeling full for a long time.

No, fruit is not bad.

But it does have {natural} sugars which can spike blood sugar levels and we want them to stay as balanced as possible. And when you just add fruit to your smoothies it’s really not nutritionally balanced so it’s no wonder it’s leaving you hungry.

Many juice shops, smoothie recipes, and grocery smoothie bars are loaded with sugar, specifically fructose sugar from excess fruit. Fructose sugar stores fat 20-30% faster than glucose. That’s why it’s good to limit your fructose to no more than a ¼ cup.

Following the guidelines below to create your Power Smoothie will keep you from crashing before lunch and sabotaging all your hard work and healthy eating habits. When you aren’t famished by the next meal you can make better choices about what to eat next.

How to Create a Power Smoothie:

1. Protein

Start with a high-quality protein. One without fake sugar and artificial sweeteners. I personally love and use Paleo Pro and love the taste and ingredients they use. You can shop for it below.

2.Veggie

Whenever I make a smoothie I always try to add some veggies, usually greens like spinach or kale. I also love to add in some frozen cauliflower {read about the benefits of cauliflower here} or frozen zucchini. This is a GREAT way to sneak in some greens and really pack some nutrients into your smoothie. Add unlimited amounts for added benefits. 

3. Fats

Fats keep you fuller longer. Don’t shy away from this. I recommend 1 tbs at the minimum. Choose nut butter, coconut oil, or avocado.

4. Fiber

Fiber helps control hunger, maintain good bowel health, and promotes detoxification. Add  1-2 tbs of chia seeds or flax seeds.

5. Optional: Fruit

Berries are lower in fructose so they are a great option to add to your smoothies. Remember to stick to no more than ¼ cup of fruit. This will keep your blood sugar from spiking and then later causing a crash.

6. Liquid

1-1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened coconut milk or water. I will typically do one cup of unsweetened almond milk and then add ¼-½ cup water.

7. Extras

Maca Powder: I’m obsessed with adding maca powder to my smoothies because of the many many benefits is provides→ it helps balance hormones, improves PMS symptoms and if you’re struggling with PCOS, maca is believed to help controlling estrogen levels in the body. Oh, and it also increases energy and helps stabilize your mood {sign me up!}. I usually do 1-2 tsp.

Hemp Seeds: These tiny seeds are jammed packed with omega 3 fatty acid which help with mood, lower risk of heart disease, and can reduce symptoms of ADHD {especially in children}. You can learn more about the benefits of hemp seeds here. Add 1-2 tbs of hemp seeds to your smoothie.

Cacao Powder: I’m a chocolate lover so I love adding cacao powder to my smoothies. Cacao powder is extremely rich in antioxidants which help combat many diseases. It also has more calcium than cow’s milk, it’s the highest plant-based source of iron, and it’s a natural mood elevator and anti-depressant.  Add 1-2 tsp to your smoothie.

Follow these guidelines and the possibilities are truly endless on the different + yummy combinations you can make. Be sure to follow me on Instagram @karaswanson where I share my daily smoothie recipe in my insta story!