I try and start most mornings off with a healthy antioxidant green smoothie that has a balance of veggies, fruits, and protein. As I get older, I realize my body is not recovering from exercise as quickly as it used to, so I make it a point of including antioxidants into my diet that have anti-inflammatory effects, It may help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer and brain function decline. Here is one of my favorites; not too sweet, and has a little bite to it.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups of baby organic spinach
- 1 cup of unsweetened organic vanilla coconut milk
- ½ granny smith apple (not peeled)
- 1 tsp of pureed ginger
- 10 drop of vanilla stevia
- ½ tsp of cinnamon
- 2 heaping tbsp of hydrolyzed collagen powder
Spinach: high nutritional value and is rich in antioxidants. It is a good source of vitamins A, B2, C and K, and also contains magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium and potassium.
Green Apples: a great source of fiber, vitamin C as well as minerals – iron, zinc, copper, manganese & potassium and high in antioxidants.
Ginger: helps with inflammation and digestion.
Cinnamon: contains large amounts of highly potent polyphenol antioxidants. The antioxidants in cinnamon have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help lower the risk of disease.
Hydrolyzed Collagen: Great Lakes Gelatin has my favorite type of Collagen powder, it provides 11 grams of protein, is non-GMO, water soluble, and unflavored, so will not change the taste of your smoothie. It has claims that it “helps regulate the body’s metabolism by providing protein of low molecular weight that is quickly absorbed in the digestive tract. It contains amino acids such as glycine, lysine, and proline, which are important amino acids and can be used by the body to build connective tissue structures to support the functions of the cells. Collagen is important to nitrogen balance, and may prevent age related cartilage damage and collagen loss.”
Vanilla Stevia: Just 5 drops is as sweet as 1 tsp of sugar, with the added taste of real vanilla extract.
