If you’re anything like the average American adult, your day gets off to a rocket-fast start and never lets up. Eating during the day can feel more like a task than a pleasant choice. No wonder so many of us have a hard time controlling our diets and eating well. Here’s a great way to kick-start your day that helps to improve your digestion. Try this breakfast smoothie, which contains probiotics and other beneficial ingredients.
First, a quick primer on probiotics: Our bodies contain trillions of good and bad bacteria. Simply put, probiotics are the good bacteria that help us maintain a healthy system. They battle bad bacteria, such as E. coli, help us make nutrients such as vitamin K and the B vitamins, and support our digestive process by breaking down foods and moving the sludgy stuff through our systems.
This quick smoothie recipe* is easy to prepare, and you can enjoy it any time of day, not just when you wake up.
Probiotic smoothie
Makes one serving
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon acacia powder
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 medium banana
- ½ cup blackberries
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- ½ cup ice
Directions
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add more or less ice to suit your preferences.
The probiotics live not only in the Greek yogurt (look for the words “active and live cultures” on the label) but also in the acacia powder. This recipe is versatile too: You can replace the spinach with other greens that you like (try kale!) and switch out or combine your favorite fresh or frozen berries—blueberries, raspberries, strawberries—with the blackberries. With the greens and berries, you also get a nice load of dietary fiber!
If you’re watching your waistline or sugar levels, be sure to use plain Greek yogurt and unflavored almond milk. With these versions of those ingredients, the recipe comes in at 283 calories. Even better, it contains almost 10 grams of dietary fiber, which is close to a third of the daily recommendation. Here are a few other tips to help keep your digestion regulated:
- Eat plenty of soluble and insoluble fiber (25-30 grams per day)
- Limit the amount of high-fat foods
- Eat lean, unprocessed meats
- Eat on a regular schedule
- Stay hydrated—sip plenty of water all day
- Limit your alcohol intake
And be sure to keep Teladoc by your side so that you’ll have 24/7 access to our U.S. board-certified physicians wherever you are. We can help diagnose and treat non-emergency conditions such as indigestion, nausea, constipation, and many other gastrointestinal and common ailments, including seasonal allergies and sinus infections. Download the app!
References
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