Post Workout / Quick Snack Smoothie

Looking for a tasty Post Workout Smoothie/ Quick Snack?

I like to satisfy my sweet tooth without compromising taste or nutrition. This healthy smoothie will satisfy your taste buds and your body will love it.

Almond milk helps improve lipid profiles, decreasing the bad fats circulating in the blood stream and lowering cholesterol, only contains non-saturated fats, high in magnesium, selenium, manganese (important in maintaining strong bones and teeth) and vitamin E, and is a great dairy alternative for people who are lactose intolerant.

Bananas are easily digested which means they provide you with a quick burst of energy. They are nutrient rich containing vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin C and are potassium powerhouses. Potassium helps lower high blood pressure and is necessary for proper muscle function. In addition, bananas are high in magnesium, a mineral that helps bones absorb calcium.

Eating peanuts can lower the risk for coronary heart disease by lowering the total cholesterol, LDL levels (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides. Its high content in monounsaturated fats makes it a heart friendly spread.

Cocoa powder is a great source of fiber which will keep you feeling full longer. It is also rich is antioxidants. Antioxidants fight against free radicals in the body, which can cause damage.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (I used almond milk)

1 banana

2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Handful of ice

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth

Don’t Waste Your Money on Naked Marketing Schemes

I have had couple of clients and colleagues asking me what my thoughts were regarding Naked Juice. I decided to take the liberty in gathering as much information as I can do before labeling it as a healthy drink or not. This was a project I took the liberty of doing on my own. My interest stemmed out of my personal experience with Naked Pomegranate Acai 15.2oz.  As I was sipping the drink and checking the label on the bottle, I was impressed with the picture showing how many fruits they used to fill the bottle I held in my hand:

1 2/3 Pomegranates

 95 Açaí Berries

 1 1/3 Apples

 1/2 Banana

 

14 Red Grapes

  

14 White Grapes

As what a good nutritionist would do, I looked at the nutrition label curious to see how much fiber, vitamins, sugar, and calories a bottle contained. I was under the impression that this liquid was jam packed with vitamins and minerals:

 

Nutrition Label Pomegranate Acai Naked

-One Serving size: 8oz

-Servings per container: 2

 One 15.2 oz. bottle contains:

-4 Servings of fruit

-320 calories

-62g sugar (AKA 5 tablespoons of sugar)

-0% Vit C

-2% Vit A

-0% Fiber

  

I was fooled by the pictures on the nutrition label, color of the juice, and even the flavor! This bottle was nothing more than a pretty package with what might as well be kool-aid mixed with 5 table spoons of sugar and water.

This nutrition label disappointed me enough to analyze each Naked Juice sold at a local grocery store for approximately $3.67 each:

What I found was that all of their drinks do not have any dietary fiber, some had very poor levels of vitamins and minerals, and others had a much better amount of nutrients. If I am buying something that cost almost $4.00 I expect to pay for the actual benefits from the fruit used to make the juice.

For Pomegranate Acai and all the flavors you will shortly see under the “Do Not Buy list”, the vitamins were eliminated during pasteurization, (the juice is heated to destroy harmful bacteria, vitamins are destroyed at high heat, and Naked never bothered to put synthetic vitamins back into the drink afterwards.)

The good news is that some of their products are not impostors and do provide you with a nutritious beverage. They all cost the same so you can make a better choice of selection from the varieties they offer after reading this.

The bad news is that all of the beverages had 0% Fiber. That means you will not have the benefit of feeling full longer like you would with the actual fruit in the raw, or have any of the benefit of the soluble fiber.

The following is a very condensed version of the Good versus the Bad:

DO NOT BUY 

The following are very poor in Vitamin A and C and other nutrients:

BUY these:

The following juices have been fortified with Vitamins and added Boosters:

Suggestion:

• Do not treat them as meal replacers
• Eat raw fruit and veggies instead to benefit from all the vitamins and fiber needed
• These should be treated as last choice for people who absolutely cannot eat raw fruits or veggies

Last Thought:

Be a responsible consumer and demand the qualities of products sold are what you want. We vote with our money to dictate what stays and what goes out of business. Hopefully this was helpful and you can apply it to your future purchase. Remember to be a smart shopperand always analyze what it is you are buying because you may get the same quality product for a fraction of the cost.

The Benefits of Fruits in Your Diet

For much of human history, fruitshave been a favorite food, and with good reasons: they’re tasty, easy to digest, a good source of quick energy and packed with vitamins and minerals. It is very important to include all the seasonal fruits in the diet to gain maximum nutritional benefits, as no one particular fruit can provide all the necessary nutrients. A healthy diet should contain at least 3-4 servings of fruits per day including variety which is key.

The Benefits of Fruits in Your Diet

• Excellent sources of vitamin C, beta carotene and potassium
• High in fiber and low in calories
• A source of natural sugars that provide quick energy
• Contain various polyphenols which may protect against cancer and other diseases.

The Nutritional Value of Fruits

Fruits are antioxidants. Numerous studies demonstrate that people who eat ample of amounts of fruits, 5-10 servings a day, enjoy a reduced incidence of cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

Citrus fruits are among the richest sources of vitamin C. Nutritionists recommend at least one daily serving of an orange, grapefruit, tangerines or other citrus fruits.

Brightly colored fruits, such as apricots, cantaloupes and mangoes, are high in beta-carotene. Other carotene pigments such as lycopene are found in red fruits.

Many fruits are high in potassium, an electrolyte that is essential to maintaining a proper balance of body fluids. People taking diuretic drugs, which increase the excretion of potassium in urine, are advised to eat extra servings of bananas, melons, apricots and dried fruits.

Most fruits are low in calories and high in fiber, a fact that enhances their appeal to people who are weigh conscious. Apple, pears and many other fruits contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps regulate blood cholesterol levels. Berries, citrus and dried fruits are especially high in both soluble and insoluble fiber.

Five Ways to Eat More Fruits

1. Top your cereal with sliced bananas, kiwifruits, fresh berries. Try something new like dried cranberries or sliced mango.
2. Fill a cantaloupe or other melon with low-fat cottage cheese.
3. Add 1 cup fresh or frozen berries to pancake batter. Top pancake with apple sauce or rhubarb compote instead of syrup.
4. Don’t throw out overripe bananas. Peel and freeze them and use them later for banana bread or muffins.
5. Add fruit such as apples, pears, and mandarin orange sections to green salads.

Feel free to contact Jessy at 309-689-1400 for more information on how to incorporate fruits in your diet.