Recipe / instructions
The smoothie base
Age-managing phyto-nutrients and trace minerals
Ideas for added flavor and thickness
Brain boost
Boost for immune, allergy, digestive, cardio and every other system
To make the drink stick with you longer or for more calories
Miscellaneous add-in possibilities
There are several advantages to a liquid “meal”. It's fast; it's light and easy to digest; it's a great way to get concentrated nutrition (even for sick people*) without popping a bunch of pills; and it can be yummy and refreshing. This drink could replace any meal, even dinner, but in my opinion no drink should replace more than 1 or 2 meals a day at least more than temporarily. We need a variety of nutrients from a range of foods. Also, we'd soon burn out on a liquid diet.
Recipe / Instructions
The base meal replacement powder I recommend below and some enhancements such as Fruit of the Spirit, MacNut Oil and MemoryWorks will easily blend in a spring ball blender shaker making your smoothie great for taking lunch to the office. To add frozen fruit or ice you will need an electric blender.
- Start with water and ice in the blender. (Use crushed ice if you have it. Ice cubes take longer to crush). I start with about 10 ounces combined ice and water, but you can adjust that starting point from experience depending on which ingredients you add, how thick you like your drink and how good your blender is at dealing with the ice.
- If you use frozen fruit or lecithin granules add them now.
- Run the blender on high long enough to chop up the ice and fruit as well as dissolve the lecithin.
- While running the blender on the lowest setting, add 1 or 2 ounces of Fruit of the Spirit and the base powder.
- Add oil last if that is in your recipe and blend just a bit so as to not expose it to too much oxygen which degrades it.
The Base
I use Natural Edge Meal Replacement Powder because it:
• isn't gritty, blends easily and tastes great. (My favorite is the Orange Cream, but Chocolate and Vanilla are good too). Because the flavors are natural, you don't get that funky chemical aftertaste from artificial flavors and colors that are used in some other mixes.
• is low in sugars (less than a teaspoon) without using worrisome artificial sweeteners . It's sweetness comes from a blend of herbal Stevia and Lo Han plus some Xylitol. Even diabetics can appreciate that and the substantial 300 mcg of blood-sugar-balancing mineral chromium.
• the substantial amount of protein (25 grams) is a blend of high quality whey protein.
• contains a better balance and quantity of vitamin and mineral basics than the widely advertised drinks.
• has only 189 calories and contains several nutritional ingredients to safely improve metabolism. You definitely can use these smoothies to lose fat, but don't worry about that factor or the “Fat Burner” name on the front if you want to maintain your current weight or even gain weight. (E.g. a person recovering from chemo.) First of all, almost everyone should want to gain lean tissue, muscle, not fat. Also, see below for ways to add calories .
• contains NO Trans Fats or even saturated fats and is extremely low in sodium.
• thoughtfully includes enzymes for greater digestibility and Bioperine ® for improved absorption.
• 3 grams of fiber (useful but roughly 10% of your daily requirement so also eat high fiber food during the day.)
• it only runs about $2.75 per drink. (You couldn't get a drive-through meal for that!)
(I promise you that I don't own stock in that company or any of the items mentioned on my site.) If your health food store doesn't carry Natural Edge, you can buy it from our show sponsor, Real Food Grocery.com who carries it and several of these items at my request.
Age-managing phyto-nutrients and trace minerals
Nature invested fruits and berries with special plant complexes that provide powerful protection to our cells. Each fruit seems to have extra benefit to a different area like the eyes, the brain, the liver, the immune system or the heart. That's why I much prefer a supplement that blends a variety of the exotic potent Super Fruits. I put Fruit of the Spirit in my smoothies and recommend it for virtually everyone because:
• it has a blend of a dozen Super Fruits including therapeutic amounts of the newsworthy age-managing antioxidant Resveratrol. Organic is used wherever that is possible.
• it contains 5 beneficial Biblical herbs like aloe, Frankincense, Myrrh Gum and Scutterlaria Root as well as Dead Sea minerals (with the heavy metals removed.)
• I was surprised at how good the flavor is and that Fruit of the Spirit actually makes the smoothie taste better .
• it has less than one teaspoon of naturally occurring fruit sugar and no added sugars
• unlike most juices it isn't heavily heat treated. Flash pasteurizing and flash cooling make the product stable without ruining the health benefits.
• the normal serving is 1 ounce but you will see faster results with 2. Of course, you don't have to put it in a smoothie, you can just drink it straight.
• Receive a substantial discount by ordering from one of Fruit of the Spirit links in this section or by calling (800) 793-8830 . I'm thrilled to report that Fruit of the Spirit makes a much valued donation to Healthy by Nature's mission for every purchase. (But understand I'd personally still use it and recommend it even if they didn't. Shh…don't tell them that!)
I'm not a fan of the grocery store mixed juices like Campbell Soup Company's V8 fruit blend. Although those are certainly a better choice than drinking a cola, they use mostly the sweet fruits rather than the therapeutic ones. Some of the labels list 28 grams of sugar—that is 7 teaspoons! Even though that sugar is from fruit, your blood sugar system still won't like that much at once.
Ideas for added flavor and thickness
Frozen berries – Strawberries and raspberries are both delicious additions, but are among the fruits we should buy as organic . That's why I buy organic berries already frozen. They are flash frozen immediately after harvest so nutritionally they may be even better than fresh. If you use Fruit of the Spirit, you probably can skip this item.
Frozen banana – Freezing bananas that are overripe is a good way to avoid wasting them. However, a whole medium size banana contains almost 4 tsp of sugar, so I usually just use ¼ to ½ of one to add some extra potassium and a little pizzazz to the drink.
Sprouted Flax Powder – Flax Revolution is made from organic flax seeds that have been sprouted prior to grinding. That makes them much more stable and the nutrients more absorbable. There are varieties with added cranberry or blueberry . These products have a pleasant flavor but do add a little texture.
Brain boost
MemoryWorks – I love this product and try to get a dose every day whether or not I'm having a smoothie. It was designed by the same expert that put together the famous but older generation Focus Factor. Dr. Kyle Smith, author of Brighter Mind , did a tremendous amount of research and even convinced the typically reluctant FDA to approve a health claim for one of the main ingredients, phosphatidylserine**. MemoryWorks contains a proprietary blend of nutrients and herbs to support brain structure, function and memory. In formulating the product Dr. Smith insisted on using only the finest ingredients and in sufficient amounts for the desired effects.
Especially on a day when I feel a little foggy (e.g. not enough sleep) I can feel the difference in 15 minutes. Start with
one capsule and build to the recommended 4. Just pull the caps apart and dump the powder into the blender. Skip it if you are using the smoothie as supper because the extra alertness would come too late in the day and it might interfere with sleep. Your naturopathic doctor's office may carry Memory Works, or purchase it from Real Food Grocery .
**By the way, the official health claim states: "Consumption of phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly" and "Consumption of phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly". I say, why wait until you are elderly because it works now to provide better brain performance now.
Boost for immune, allergy, digestive, cardio and every other system
As in the case of the ingredients in Fruit of the Spirit above , when God designs a supplement, you get something really special. I add a scoop or two of colostrum powder to every smoothie. Colostrum is the first “food” a newborn mammal receives from its mother. The effect is to give a much needed boost to all the immature systems. As adults we can benefit from the same magic. Even athletes are fans of colostrum because they see a difference in performance and in repair. Read details .
To make the drink stick with you longer or for more calories
If you start with the base meal replacement powder and add everything I've mentioned above including ¼ of a banana and ¼ cup of berries you still only have about 266 calories. There are just 3 sources of calories: carbohydrates, fat and protein. To add more carbohydrates would likely spike your blood sugar which in turn increases insulin. Insulin encourages fat storage and other problems. So I recommend instead:
Oil – A Tablespoon of oil will add 119 calories and make the drink stick to your ribs longer. Your calorie total now is still only 385 and fats are needed to properly absorb some nutrients and to metabolize protein. However, you wouldn't want to add just a standard cooking oil like corn oil, safflower oil or soy oil. They are high in the pro-inflammatory kinds of fatty components. MacNut Oil is an excellent choice. It is even richer than olive oil in the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats known to prevent many health issues and to improve metabolism. This lovely light oil adds a nice body and nutty richness of flavor. I also like Nordic Naturals citrus flavored cod liver oil in mine but not everyone would. If you already have coconut oil in the fridge and like its flavor you can try that for a change.
You'd be hard pressed to find a more nutrient-dense meal with fewer calories. Three (3) meals of that size still only totals 1155 calories—in the weight loss zone for most adults. That is one reason I don't recommend you drink a smoothie for all three meals. If you are trying to gain weight you can add calories with great foods like a baked yam and drink the smoothie along with meals.
Protein – Unless you have a kidney disease or other condition for which your doctor has put you on a low protein diet, you can add an extra scoop of the protein meal replacement.
Miscellaneous add-in possibilities
Lecithin – This soy derivative is known for helping lower cholesterol, improving brain function and reducing the risk of gall stones and fatty liver. Lecithin is used in food processing and smoothes out a drink. I use 2 Tablespoons of Lewis Labs granules because I think it is the best.
Bee pollen – I keep some local bee pollen granules in the fridge. I was lucky to find them at the farmer's market. Usually I add 1 teaspoon to the drink. If you are extremely allergic to pollen, better skip this one all together. However, if you have mild seasonal allergies, you can actually overcome them by gradually building up the amount and thereby training your system that the pollen is okay. I recommend starting with just one tiny granule the first day and doubling the amount each day until you get to a teaspoon. Bee pollen is practically solid nutrition in a very absorbable form.
Fiber – Most of us need more fiber. Much as I appreciate the health and digestive benefits of Jarrow's Gentle Fibers , this is NOT the place to use that product. It contains flavonoids from citrus fruits that are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and detoxification effects, but their bitterness can ruin an otherwise yummy drink. Take that product separately and add PGX from Natural Factors. Just be sure to drink it quickly or you will have pudding instead of a smoothie. Another but less appealing choice is grocery store Benefiber, but best avoid it if you are allergic to wheat.
Carrot juice – I often crank up the juicer and add the juice of a couple of large carrots to my drink. On those days I skip adding frozen berries because it gets too sweet. Read about the cancer-reversing effects of carrot juice in Wellness Against All Odds , by Sherry Rogers, MD .
In conclusion: There are lots and lots of possible additions to customize your smoothie. The base powder plus Fruit of the Spirit and MacNut Oil is a delicious drink that I believe anyone would love. I've added all of the items listed above and more—powdered mixed greens and many other things. Watch out. It can get out of hand! I've put so much stuff in the drink that it was no longer something I looked forward to. So I encourage you to go slowly adding items so you'd know when to stop. (No matter how good it is for us, if it tastes nasty we'll stop drinking it!)
*Especially for someone who is ill and doesn't tolerate a lot of pills, you can even open up capsules and add them to the drink. When my mom was ill I made up a week's supply of little containers with all the dry smoothie ingredients including BoneUp capsules and other supplements. I also had little snack size Zip-lock packets of frozen fruit in the freezer and small Mason jars of the liquid ingredients in the refrigerator (I wish I had access then to Fruit of the Spirit because she would have loved it). That way she only had to throw 3 things into the blender and she created a quick drink with a ton of nutrition. She was very happy to inform me (e.g. gripe) when I'd put in something new that didn't taste good!
Copyright Martie Whittekin June 2009 All rights reserved. |
