Do you want to make a next level smoothie? A smoothie that will provide enough protein, fiber, and antioxidants to get you through your morning? You don’t want just any smoothie… You want one that tastes like the ones you buy at Cocobeet or your favorite health food store. Often times, these smoothies are mostly fruit, which will raise your blood sugar levels quickly – but that also comes with a blood sugar crash.
I’ve come up with a smoothie based on balancing blood sugar levels that will also provide satiety. Stabilizing blood sugar is the key for a healthy, balanced, and nourishing life. It is the key for regulating the hormones controlling your weight, triggering your body to burn stored fat and critical for overall wellbeing.
First and foremost, I want to explain blood sugar levels and how they affect weight and hunger. When we consume carbohydrates (pancakes, fruit-heavy smoothies, oatmeal, etc.), our bodies metabolize these carbs into glucose (blood sugar). Glucose is utilized by both our brain and muscles. Insulin is the storage hormone released by the pancreas when we eat carbs, and it allows glucose to move from the bloodstream to the cells for energy. It’s insulin’s job to ensure that our blood sugar levels remain between 70mg/ml and 120mg/ml, and that the necessary amount enters our cells.
Some of the glucose we eat is stored by the liver (as glycogen) for later use. The liver can store up to 250-500 calories of glucose before it reaches capacity. Our muscles store and process glucose, but they can store more glucose – about 800-2,000 calories – before reaching capacity. When your muscles burn all their glucose, they will need more – either what has been stored by the liver or from eating more carbs.
Insulin will then be released again.
Insulin is the storage hormone released by the pancreas when we eat carbs, and it allows glucose to move from the bloodstream to the cells for energy.
When we continually eat a diet high in starchy and simple carbohydrates, then we are continually releasing insulin. On a high carb diet, our muscle cells can eventually become resistant to the signal from insulin to accept glucose. This is referred to as “insulin resistance,” and leads to high blood glucose levels. The body needs homeostasis, so it finds another way of dealing with the high blood sugar levels. It will convert glucose into free fatty acids and store them in fat cells as triglycerides. Now it has been converted to fat, and our fat cells have an unlimited capacity for
storage.
So, you can see that when we do not exercise (or limit our exercise) and have a high proportion of simple carbs, the body will convert the excess into fat.
This is why my smoothies are not just loaded with fruit, but instead are made with greens, protein, a LITTLE fruit, healthy fats, and some super foods for an extra boost that will balance out blood sugar levels. Protein is going to help manage blood sugar levels, the healthy fats will provide sustained satiety, and the greens are important for vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
The body wants to be in homeostasis.
Give this healthy, satiating smoothie recipe a try. It will provide the benefits of many store-bought smoothies, and so much more. Who knew something delicious and filling could also help regulate your blood sugar?
Ready to unlock a world of smoothie possibilities? Dive into Nourishing Lab’s Smoothie Guide for even more tasty and nutritious recipes!
Ingredients
