High-Vibe Strawberry Broccoli Smoothie
A lot of people ask me, “How can I keep eating smoothies without all the sugar?”
The verdict is out: most smoothies out there are extremely high in sugar. According to Live Strong, certain smoothies that places like Jamba Juice contain more than 60 grams of sugar. This can lead to weight-gain, unstable blood sugar levels, diabetes and other issues.. eek. However, not all smoothies have to be this way!
As a smoothie-lover myself (seriously, they’re probably my favorite food) I have found many a ways to make my fruity beverage a little less fruity and a little more veggie. I tend to make my smoothies about 1/2 greens (my go-to is purple kale), 1/4 liquid (unsweetened non-dairy milk- I rotate the types), 1/4 frozen organic berries, 1 scoop protein powder (either plant-based or collagen) with additional superfoods such as spirulina and maca.
One day I was craving a smoothie but had no greens in sight. I’m not one to make a smoothie without veggies so I rummaged through my fridge, looking for something I could blend.
Onions- no.
Parsnip- no.
Baby broccoli? This could work.
I’m a huge broccoli fan and had tried cauliflower smoothie before so I figured why not try it’s greener sister broccoli? Great decision.
The broccoli adds the refreshing bitterness that greens normally do, but with a lot more texture. It actually thickens up the smoothie the same way cauliflower does, making it a great replacement for bananas with way less sugar. Keep in mind it does add a veggie-flavor so if you hate anything that tastes like it came from Earth, it may not be your favorite but if you’re anything like me, this is an added benefit because veggies are delicious.
Broccoli is:
*Anti-inflammatory
*Rich in Omega 3’s
*High in antioxidants
*Detoxifying
*Cancer-preventing
*High in fiber
*Aiding of the digestive system
*Supporting of the cardiovascular system
*Nutrient Dense
This is the perfect recipe for anyone that is trying to follow a more Ketogenic diet, which is a fat-burning diet based on eating high fat and low carb (read my experience about plant-based ketosis here), or just trying to reduce their sugar-intake.
Most of us don’t realize how much sugar we are eating in our diets, from our morning smoothies to our afternoon energy bars to our nightly chocolate. Making a little switch like replacing our daily banana in our smoothie with a cup of broccoli brings us down 20g of sugar per day, 140g of sugar per week and 7280g of sugar a year. That’s a lot of sugar.
I’m not saying fruit is the equivalent to candy and the sugar in fruit is much preferable to processed sugar, but it still counts as sugar in your body so if you are someone who is trying to lose weight, it’s best to limit it (especially Kaphas, the Earth Ayurvedic mind-body type which I explain here.) I still think we should ALL eat fruit everyday because of the nutritional benefits but instead we should stick to low-glycemic, antioxidant-rich fruits like berries which are lower in sugar and also have anti-Candida properties, which will actually help kill your sugar-cravings in the long-run.
Haven’t been to the grocery store for a week and want to whip up something healthy and fresh fast? This is your smoothie. While greens only last in the fridge a few days, fresh broccoli lasts in the fridge anywhere between 7-14 days and the other ingredients in the smoothie are either shelf-stable or frozen.
ngredients
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 cup broccoli
- 1 scoop plant-based vanilla protein powder
- 2 cups non-dairy milk
- Optional:
- 1/2 tsp spirulina
- 1/2 avocado (for extra creaminess and healthy fat)
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients. Adjust liquid to your preference.
- Enjoy!
