By adding a daily breakfast smoothie to your gluten-free diet routine, you can add immense amounts of nutrients and flavor to your gluten free diet while simultaneously avoiding typical, gluten-filled breakfast foods. Knowing the ingredients that go into the making of a great smoothie can help you maximize the benefits of drinking one and give you the chance to create healthy and creative breakfasts every day.
Adding Flavor With Fruit
The CDC recommends that adults consume around one and a half to two cups of fruit daily, and between two and three cups of veggies. However, only one in ten adults are actually getting enough produce in their diets, according to a 2017 study.
There are a wide variety of smoothie recipes available that would be a great place to start in resolving this issue. But with the ability to make your own creative smoothies, you can easily increase your daily intake of fresh fruits and vegetables without getting bored of your beverage. Try adding berries, which are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, or nutrient-dense bananas, full of potassium, fiber and various vitamins, to make your smoothie both nutritious and delicious.
Sneaking in Veggies
Smoothies are an easy way to sneak nutrient-dense leafy greens into your diet, as the sweetness of the fruit easily masks the flavors of kale, spinach or chard. Kale and spinach contain high amounts of essential vitamins A, C, E and K. But you can also get creative with other vegetables, like sweet potato or beets.
Protein
Protein is an important aspect of any breakfast, but it can be easy to forget it in a fruit smoothie. Nut butters can be a tasty way to add protein, but as a smoothie usually requires some kind of liquid, adding a high protein milk like soy milk or hemp milk may be an easier method. Egg whites may also be used to add protein to your smoothie, unless you are vegan.
Adding a daily smoothie to your diet can be a great alternative to other breakfast options and have amazing health benefits. Not only are smoothies an easy way to increase fruit and veggie intake, but they can help keep you hydrated and are easier on your digestive system, allowing for greater absorption of nutrients.
Recipes
- Gluten-Free Breakfast Smoothie Popsicles
- Shamrock Smoothie
- Lemon, Blueberry and Oat Smoothie
- Berry Spinach Smoothie
Karoline Gore left her job as a nutritionist to pursue her passion of freelance writing. She enjoys the freedom, time with her family and ability to offer her advice to readers.
