Why smoothies can be important for breakfast

Hey there, how are you doing with your breakfast habits?

And how do you feel throughout the day? Do you get those moments when your energy crashes, maybe mid morning or after lunch? I guess you have heard it before that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? And it really is. Sometimes it just doesn’t fit into our schedule though, the way it should or we don’t really feel hungry early in the morning when we are getting ready for our day ahead. That’s what it is like for me, it’s very rare that I can really eat something at 6 or 7. Then I only have my glass of lemon water and a cappuccino with hazelnutmilk.

But how we begin the day will determine how the rest of the day goes.

It will determine if we feel energized or if we feel dragging with a lack of energy. What we put in our bellies is directly related to how we physically feel. So if you are a skip-breakfast and grab-the-coffee-mug morning person then this blog is for you. We all need and crave energy. Sometimes it is so easy to want to grab a quick bowl of cereal or even forget breakfast and just get through the morning on 1-2 cups of coffee for the energy needed to survive the day. I don’t want you to just survive through the day though; I want you to thrive through the day. I also don’t want you to go on the “crash and crave” roller coaster for the entire day. If you begin your morning with caffeinated coffee and sugar and don’t have anything else for energy you will crash, and you will be either too tired to make it through your responsibilities or you will be reaching for another cup of coffee to get through a few more hours.

Smoothies are a wonderful quick alternative to a fast breakfast that can help energize us throughout the entire day.

When you toss in some greens, a little fruit, and a healthy liquid like coconut water you are bound to feel energetic and ready to take on the day. Starting the day with a smoothie also gives you well needed antioxidants which help protect our bodies from free radicals, and it is a great low glycemic start. Eating a low glycemic breakfast will help curb your sugar cravings for the entire day and it will also help with not crashing. So here comes the caveat: for it to have a low glycemic impact it is important that the smoothie contains a high content of greens plus little fruit and maybe even some healthy fat in the form of flax, chia or hemp seeds. Almost all of the store bought, ready made smoothies you find nowadays in the cooling shelves of supermarkets are at the contrary of a very high glycemic impact, as they mostly contain fruit, so they should be really avoided or be an exception. Make sure you always read the ingredient list! The great thing about a smoothie is that you can take it with you if you don’t fancy having it early in the morning, but maybe around 9 or 10 or even later. When you are about to consume your smoothie always stop for a moment and take 3 deep breaths, thinking about the wonderful food you will be enjoying, maybe even smelling it. This centers you and calms you down, so that then you can drink it slowly and chew every sip. Yes, chew it! I know it sounds strange, but it is so important as it ensures that the digestive enzymes in your saliva can start with the digestion. It also helps the release of hydrochloric acid into your stomach, which will help further with the digestion.

So what should you put in your smoothie?

What greens can you put into your smoothie? Basically all dark leafy greens, think fresh spinach, kale, parsley, coriander, basil, lettuce, romaine salad, lambs lettuce, rocket, chard greens, bok choy greens and even wild greens like nettles. For a starter I would suggest to go with spinach, lambs lettuce or salad, as they taste milder. But it’s good to rotate them anyway, so just start to try them out or the ones you can get your hands on. If you can’t get fresh greens which is always best, there is also an alternative: dried and powdered greens, which often contain the highly nutritious wheatgrass powder and much more. You can get them in health food stores or online, there is a wide variety of them available. So next time you want a quick breakfast, try a delicious smoothie that will leave you feeling energized and motivated. A morning smoothie will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to produce natural energy and naturally boost your metabolism. So, what are you reaching for tomorrow morning? I know I will be making my blender sing and getting ready for some long lasting energy.

Here are 3 smoothie recipes, so that you can get an idea of the ingredients and try them out.

But then feel free to experiment with your own ideas and ingredients.

BERRY BEAUTY

• 1 cup romaine
• 1 cup kale
• 1 1/2 cup water or non-dairy milk (coconut, hemp, or almond milk)
• 1/2 cup strawberries
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 tablespoon flax meal

 GREEN MAGIC

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 1/2 cups water or non-dairy milk (coconut, hemp, or almond milk)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup berries
• 1 tablespoon flax meal

SUPERFOOD ENERGY

• 2 cups spinach
• 1 1/2 cups water or non-dairy milk (coconut, hemp, or almond milk)
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1 tablespoon flax meal
• 2 tablespoons bee pollen (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)

Blend all ingredients & enjoy! Any questions or comments, let me know!

I am looking forward to see you making smoothies and having glorious days! 🙂

This is just one way of having a healthy breakfast and I will be sharing more ideas in the coming weeks. Stay tuned by connecting via my facebook page or why not download my 4-day eating plan here below with recipes and tips, in that way you can also receive further information from me via email as long as you want.

In any way: it’s great having you!

Martina