How to get more fruit into your diet without eating it
I’m going to tell you a little secret about me, I don’t like to eat fruit. And it sucks because it’s so good for you. But I figured if I’m going to be a holistic nutritionist and get people to eat fruit, I better find a way to start eating it first.
So I turned to smoothies; a fantastic way to start the day because you can load it up with superfoods, throw a ton of fruit in there and still get the antioxidants you need.
Here’s my recipe:
Tip #1: Urban Green Girl’s superfood, fruit smoothie
- 2 c of almond or coconut milk
- 1 c of blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
- 1 scoop of a greens supplement (spirulina, chlorella, antioxidants)
- 2 spoonfuls of hemp seeds (omega-3 fatty acid)
- 2 spoonfuls of chia seeds or flax seeds (fibre)
- 1 spoonful of Natural Traditions Camu berry powder (powerful source of vitamin C from the camu camu berry)
- A sprinkle of cinnamon (controls blood sugar and tastes great)
- A sprinkle of ground cloves (one of the world’s highest sources of antioxidants)
- My vitamins or minerals – open the capsule and add directly into the smoothie. Easier for the body to assimilate than trying to break down the capsule or tablet.
Explanation:
- For the milk, experiment between the two. I find almond milk tastes better, but coconut milk keeps me fuller longer. In either case, get one that does NOT contain carrageenan. It’s a thickening agent but acts as a stimulant with MSG like reactions in some people.
- I like berries because no preparation is needed. I spend $10 a week on 2 frozen packages of blueberries and raspberries which lasts me 5 days. I like the brand Stahlbush because their bags are compostable so there’s no plastic waste.
- I like adding in a greens supplement because it gives me the goodness of sea vegetables (irish moss, dulse, spirulina, chlorella and red algae) for energy, stamina, immune support, detox, anti-aging properties and it contains B12 which is great for vegetarians. I use Schinoussa sea vegetable berry mix which tastes better and is full of antioxidants.
- I love hemp seeds. They give the smoothie a great texture and are full of omega-3 fatty acids.
- I add in fibre for healthy digestion. I like flax or chia because when ground in the blender, it gives you omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for health from weight-loss and decreased inflammation to brain function and immune support.
- The camu c powder is the best thing I have discovered this year. It is a super, powerful version of vitamin c that comes from a berry in the Amazon (not derived from GMO-corn like most ascorbic C on the market). Your immune system will sore through the roof when you start taking this every morning.
- Cinnamon is nature’s way of balancing blood sugar. I don’t have a problem per se, but I like the taste.
- Cloves have one of the highest ORAC levels of antioxidants, so I figured sprinkling some into a smoothie is a great way to pump up my health every morning.
Hint:
Always chew your smoothie, don’t swallow. Why?
- It will allow the salivary amylase (saliva) to start breaking it down in the mouth for optimum digestion.
- Chewing up the chia or flax seeds will allow you to get the omega-3 fatty acids out of their shell.
Tip #2:
Eat fruit as a snack only. According to the principles of food combining, fruit should never be eaten with grains, protein or starches otherwise they will ferment and turn to fat as they wait in line to digest. So the best way I found to get fruit into my diet is to eat it as a snack at 11am or 3pm when I start to get hungry.
Voilà. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to mix up my smoothie by adding in different fruits, superfoods or fibre sources.
