Here is a delicious chocolate smoothie recipe designed to nourish your gut bugs – it’s so good you can enjoy it for breakfast, guilt-free!
Ingredients
- 170ml Kefir
- 1 tbsp Complete Prebiotic
- 1 tbsp Pure Fish Collagen Powder
- 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 5 large/10 small dates (pitted, soak first in hot water for 5-10 minutes to soften, if needed)
- ½ banana
- Water (optional)
- 100% pure Stevia (optional)
Method
Pop all the ingredients into your blender and blitz until smooth. Add water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Should I really be having this for breakfast?
Absolutely! To be clear – we’re talking about raw cacao (pronounced ‘ka-cow’) not cocoa (‘co-co’ -think hot chocolate powder). Cacao is the the purest form of chocolate – raw, unprocessed, unsweetened and can benefit your health in many ways1https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-cacao-powder2https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-eating/a27080/health-benefits-of-eating-raw-cacao/3https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23810791/4https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24117885/ –
- Rich in fibre – aids gut motility and nourishes your gut bacteria
- Increases insulin sensitivity and reduces your risk of diabetes
- Lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health
- Improves circulation – which benefits your heart, brain and skin health
- Reduces inflammation – cacao is packed with flavonoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
- Boosts mood – several studies have shown consumption of cacao reduces stress and boosts happiness!
Cacao is quite bitter so you may wish to reduce to 1 TSP to start and add a couple more dates or stevia to sweeten.
You can source raw cacao powder in most health food stores, larger supermarkets and online.
References
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