We all want abundant energy, longevity and to feel incredible at each and every moment. Many of us know deep down that our diet is perhaps the best place to start, but when we don’t know what that entails, we don’t get anywhere.

Due to our fast paced Western lifestyles, we often neglect our nutrition in the morning and grab something on the go. For example, a bagel and cream cheese can spike our insulin levels which causes our sugars to be rapidly metabolized. High levels of insulin block the activity of LPL (Lipoprotein lipase), an enzyme critical to determining where and how we store fat. This results in fat becoming stored in fat cells and an inability to burn fat. Long term elevation of insulin levels result in rapid aging and fat accumulation.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and provides fuel to our brains, and energy to our cells.

This is why I’m a big proponent of starting my day off with a health packed smoothie.

Smoothies are fast and easy to make, and we can often buy the ingredients in bulk ahead of time. It is easy to add in energy boosting and life sustaining ingredients to walk out of the house feeling amazing. The way you start your day determines how well you live your day.

Below are my top 8 picks for your smoothie super ingredients:

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are tasteless and can easily be added to your diet. Adding a tablespoon to your smoothie can have tremendous benefits.

They are high in protein, and Omega-3. They’re also packed with calcium (18% of your recommended daily intake in an ounce!), phosphorous, and manganese. They deliver a ton of nutrients with few calories. Plus, most of the carbohydrates come in the form of fibre!

On top of all of that, chia seeds are high in antioxidants which fight cancer causing free radicals.

Cinnamon

One of the oldest spices known to man, cinnamon has been used as a botanical medicine since 2,700 BC. And for good reason. Its healing properties are due to its essential oils, and adding half a teaspoon to your smoothie provides the following benefits:

Regulates blood sugar: it stimulates insulin receptors, increasing our cells abilities to use glucose. Perfect for helping prevent Diabetes.

Provides powerful anti-microbial protection: it helps stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. This provides protection against the yeast candida, as well as H. pylori – the bacteria responsible for causing Ulcers.

It may prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Ground Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are extremely concentrated with omega-3 fatty acids—anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy nutrients. They can also absorb eight times their weight in water, and can pull out toxic metabolites from the large intestine.

They are also an amazing source of alpha-linolenic acid which is required for proper skin function and can help reduce the risk of dying from heart disease.

I like to grind my own flax seeds and I suggest you try the same and put a tablespoon in your smoothie in the morning!

Coconut Oil

By weight, coconut oil has less calories than any other source of fat.

It is true they contain saturated fats, but not all types of saturated fats are harmful to the body. Only 9% of the saturated fat in coconut oil is palmitic acid—the long chain saturated fat most commonly connected with increased heart disease. Two-thirds of the fat are medium-chained fatty acids, which the body can easily metabolize and convert into energy.

All the fatty acids in coconut oil have anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties. Coconut oil can also help us lower cholesterol! There are also a lot of new studies suggesting that coconut oil can help improve brain function. Also, all that good fat helps regulate your insulin levels, so go out and buy a jar today!

Cacao

Cacao is the dried and fully fermented bean of the cacao plant, the same one responsible for producing our oh-so-loved chocolate. It is one of the most nutritionally packed foods on the planet, containing the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food, and is rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, copper, serotonin, and a lot, lot more.

Not only that, it tastes fantastic and also acts to dilate our intestines, allowing for more nutrients to be absorbed and maximizing the benefits of all the other good stuff we’re eating.

Papaya

The bright orange colour of papaya reflect an abundance of beta-carotene, which is again extremely high in anti-oxidants. They also contain an enzyme called papain which aids in our digestion of proteins, and is renowned for its anti-cancer and skin purifying properties.

You can also eat the seeds! These seeds can actually guard against and flush out parasites. Papayas are also incredibly delicious.

Figs

The fruit of the ficus tree, figs are densely concentrated with calcium and fibre. Their tiny seeds can also help draw out parasites and dissolve mucus in your intestines. Their supply of dietary fibre can help those who have weight management issues, as high fibre foods can help you feel full longer and reduce hunger cravings.

Most of us in the West have diets that are too high in sodium. When our sodium levels increase over our potassium balance, we can get higher blood pressure. Figs contain an abundant amount of potassium, helping prevent our blood pressure from skyrocketing.

Avocados

As I mentioned in Should I eat Fats? Truths and Myths while most calories from Avocados do come from fat, two thirds of those fats are the heart healthy monounsaturated fats (which are also found in olive oil). Monounsaturated fatty acids which help increase HDL and lower LDL.

Avocados have been noted as one of the key contributors to the healthy Mediterranean diet. Not only do they contain healthy fats, avocados are high in fiber, beta carotene, folate and potassium. Plus they’re delicious!

Watch out as they can turn your smoothie into a dense pudding! If you enjoy eating it with a spoon then this is quite the treat, but if you want it to remain drinkable, aim to use a quarter of a ripe avocado in your smoothie.

So get blending! Click here to watch one of my previous smoothie recipe videos, and have a wonderful day!