A breakfast smoothie can be an easy, convenient way to boost your nutrient intake and energy in the mornings.

But not all smoothies are created equal!

You’ll want to focus on adding foods that are supportive of balanced blood sugar (so you don’t crash an hour later) as well as foods that keep you satisfied until your next meal.

Some important things to consider when choosing ingredients:

1.  Proteins and fats will slow the absorption of carbohydrates so blood sugar doesn’t spike.  They also take longer to digest so will keep you satisfied until your next meal.

2.  Fats are a longer lasting fuel source compared to carbohydrates. Think of your carbohydrates as kindling for a fire and fats as your logs. This means higher, more stable energy for longer periods of time.

3.  Keep sugar levels in check.  Fruits, sweetened milks, and even natural sugars can increase the sugar content and lead to blood sugar spikes (and subsequent crash).  Stick with berries and low sugar fruits, and when using bananas stick with 1/4 - 1/2 as they are higher in sugar.

4.  Add in fiber!  Either via fruits or veggies.  You can also boost fiber with flax, chia, and hemp.

5.  Add greens and other veggies to boost vitamins, minerals and fiber.  It’s a great way to sneak in an extra serving of greens and veggies.  Most of the time you can’t even tell they are in there!

6.  Add energy boosting nutrients like cinnamon (balances blood sugar), adaptogenic herbs, salt, or a sprinkle of an electrolyte powder for energy-supportive minerals.

Some fats that I like to add to my smoothies are coconut milk or cream, nut/seed butters, coconut oil, MCT oil, avocado, coconut butter, ghee and even flax or olive oil (however go minimal as these have strong flavors).

For protein, a protein powder makes things simpler.  Find one without artificial sweeteners or high sugar content (over 10 grams). I’m happy to recommend some of my favorites if you shoot me an email and tell me your goals.

Here are 6 high-energy breakfast smoothies to boost your morning.

To make things even simpler for you, I’d recommend a superfood protein powder as it will have many of these ingredients already included.  Then you can simply add a liquid, ice, blend and go!

One of my favorite superfood protein powders is Shakeology. You can learn more about the 5 superfood blends in Shakeology here..

Shakeology includes adaptogenic herbs like Maca, Ashwagandha, Cordyceps and Astragalus Root that are supportive of energy.

It also has cinnamon and fiber from flax, chicory root, and yacon root which are all supportive of balanced blood sugar. 

Want to give Shakeology a try for 20 days to see how it makes you feel?

When you order your first 20 serving bag here, you’ll not only get Shakeology but also a FREE month of BODi (my favorite online workout library), and the opportunity to participate in my “Back to Basics” Summer challenge  to get support with building your health routine!

This is a great opportunity to work with me outside of my personalized Nutritional Therapy programs to get support with building a healthy routine!

Questions? Shoot me a reply or book a discovery session here.

Let’s Spring into your BEST Summer yet, together!

In health,

Heather Glenn, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner

Restorative Wellness Practitioner & Certified Holistic Health Coach

Certified Behavior Change & Weight Management Specialist 

www.heatherglenn.com

Nourish to Thrive

Spring "Back to Basics" Wellness Challenge! Commit to a simple daily wellness routine to boost your energy, build strength, lose weight, and feel more alive and confident in your body.  We will focus on 3 daily basics: Water intake Movement (aka exercise) Nourishment (via Shakeology superfoods) Complete 80% of the 30-day tracker (80/20 rule) and receive a completion prize from me! Doors are open for enrollment from May 7th - May 24th. Click here to get more details and enroll.