SMOOTHIES BY KAYLA

Knowing what is in a smoothie is almost impossible by looking at it; by making your own, you control what goes in it. 

 Hidden sugars, additives, and preservatives can be used, and heavily sprayed fruits and vegetables like kale and strawberries, the staple of most "health" smoothies these days. 

When you commit to making your own smoothies, know that we have all made a shitty smoothie that we end up tossing. 

It is always fun to try new smoothie concoctions, but be mindful of the supplements you are using and the RDA% you are getting. Not all supplements are friendly.

Non-heme iron, the type found in plants, is more readily absorbed when you consume Vitamin C. So if you're having a fruit smoothie, add some greens, nuts and seeds to it, or mix your morning cup with some overnight oats and berries! 

I do not measure my ingredients; this can drive many people crazy, so I have added approximate measurements in the next column; I hope that helps! 

Smoothies are meant to give your digestive tract a break and help you experiment with different herbs, fruits, vegetables, and micronutrients. Smoothies have been a huge lifesaver in my health journey. I am a texture person also, so smoothies help me get all the nutrients I need. 

• FRUIT! 1 cup of fruit or vegetables per serving  (approx 200g) berries are a high fiber choice, as well as apples and unripened bananas, and use ripe bananas, pineapple, grapes, and mangoes in moderation. The goal is NOT to have just a fruit smoothie; this will leave you hungry prematurely. 

• VEGETABLES! 2 cups of greens OR 1 cup of greens      + (optional) 1tsp chlorella, Spirulina, AND/OR adaptogens. Other vegetables to consider are celery, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, and beets, and add some root love from turmeric and ginger! 

• PROTEIN! Protein helps you feel full, and amino acids are needed to help with the body's growth and repair system. This can range from hemp heart, protein powder, tofu, Greek yogurt, soy or nut-based yogurt, Kefir, and other nuts and seeds. 

• FATS! Fats are essential to a healthy body and organ system and they also are needed to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Thankfully, we are getting past the fad era of hating fat. Think healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, etc. 

• Hemp hearts, nuts, seeds, flax, goji berries, cacao, lemon juice, and cinnamon are what I use in or on top of my smoothies. This greatly boosts immunity, energy, happy cell formation, focus, satiety, and much more. 

• Throw all these ingredients together, add more liquid if needed, and a friendly reminder to put your frozen food on the top layer of your smoothie and greens and fresh food at the bottom. 

• TIP: Freeze your ingredients and store them in a reusable pouch in the freezer to prepare a quick and easy breakfast or just add some cream to the smoothie. 

• Smoothies can be a great meal replacement, snack, or dessert. Most smoothie shops add sugar to their smoothies; you can request no added sugar when ordering. 
• Some people can drink 20oz, no problem; others are finished at 8oz. Some recipes have to be your own; no one can tell you what you prefer, but we can suggest what to put in them. 
• Do not give up; this is just the beginning; do not add sugar to your smoothies; this is a good time to rewire your tastebuds to crave natural sugars.
• It is OK to use supplements and protein powder IF necessary. When you add wholesome ingredients, you get more out of it than the supplement form can offer and won't need supplements; plus, when you are eating a balanced diet, some supplements can contain vitamins and minerals that can be detrimental to the body when taken in large amounts. 
• Adding flaxseed, hemp hearts, chia seeds, coconut water or water, your choice of milk (no added sugars, and you want protein!), fruiting body mushroom extracts, and nut butter, you can boost the vitality and energy smoothie. 
• Having malabsorption, I am blessed with supplements, but I am cautious of what I buy, and I only use them when I feel my body is lacking.
•  Always try to buy organic and NON-GMO. If you want plant-based supplements, be mindful of using gelatin and glycerin unless they are vegetable glycerin, then avoid them. 
• If you have alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) and need to avoid mammalian products, you need to watch out for ingredients such as "porcine, stearic acid, lactic acid, carrageenan, gelatin, glycerine, milk, bovine."
• Also, in adaptogens aka mushrooms, look for extracts instead of just "powder", when you see powder, you may also see "mycelium" beside the mushroom name, meaning they added brown rice as a filler. I have used KIKI Green,  Fresh Cap mushroom extract powder, Longevity Botanicals,  Four Sigmantic, which has no fillers or additives, just pure mushrooms. Not that brown rice is "bad," but when you want a premium product, I have learned these helpful tidbits over the years.