A friend of mine recently learned he has high cholesterol. He knows he’s not likely to suddenly start preparing meals and creating meal plans but wants to adjust his diet to include more foods that may help reduce cholesterol and inflammation. His solution — smoothies. He finds them satisfying and delicious and already makes them regularly, he just wants to find ways to crank up the nutrition value.
I’ve recently been experimenting with super foods and blending up a few smoothies myself, so I took on the challenge to come up with a few healthy concoctions based on what I’ve learned from recent nutrition classes, personal training, book reading, nutrition surfing on the web, and through my own experiences of reducing my cholesterol from 305 to 136 with lifestyle changes, no medication.
I’ll share a couple now, then in the coming weeks I’ll be experimenting with smoothie recipes and sharing the tastiest of them here. Admittedly I’ve had a few smoothie catastrophes so I’ll try to spare you those!
First, a few nutritional and lifestyle tips to help keep cholesterol in check:
1. Choose the right foods.
According to mayoclinic.com, the top 5 foods to lower your cholesterol levels include:
- Oatmeal, oat bran, and high fiber foods
- Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
- Walnuts, almonds, and other nuts
- Olive oil
- Foods with added plant sterols or stanols
2. Make healthy lifestyle changes.
While eating heart-healthy foods is important, Mayo Clinic’s Top 5 lifestyle changes to lower cholesterol also include:
- Lose weight
- Exercise on most days of the week
- Quit smoking
- Drink alcohol only in moderation
3. Limit sugar.
Yes, I mean all sugar, even natural sugars from sources such as honey or fruit. However, natural sources are the better option. Since fruit has other nutrients such as fiber, it helps keep blood sugar balanced, and add a little fat and you may feel full longer. (For a nice sweet treat eat apple slices with almond butter.)
General guidelines for daily sugar intake are: 40 grams for men and 25 grams for women.
Now for a couple of healthy smoothie recipes:
Super Chocolatey Super Food Smoothie
- 1 cup almond-coconut milk
- 1/2 cup Quaker oats, plain
- 1 tablespoon raw cocoa (ideally organic)*
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds*
- 4-6 ice cubes
I also add 1 scoop NutriDyn Fruit & Greens Mint for a hint of mint, extra nutrients, and an energy boost.
*Chia seeds and raw cocoa are considered super foods
Cherry Berry Smoothie
- 4-6 ice cubes
- 6 oz cup plain coconut milk yogurt (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup almond-coconut milk, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup Quaker oats, plain
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 scoop Dynamic Greens (strawberry-kiwi flavor) (*this provides a delcious flavor to the drink)
- ¼ cup blueberries and raspberries (or your favorite berries)
- 4-6 dried cherries
Of course, add more or less of each ingredient to satisfy your daily calorie and nutrient needs.
Just an FYI, I order things like raw cocoa, chia seeds, protein powder, and Dynamic Greens from Amazon.com.
And finally, a few key nutrient benefits you’ll enjoy from these quick and easy smoothies:
- Oats and chia seeds add soluble fiber which can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels
- Almond or coconut milk or yogurt, and the chia seeds provide heart-healthy fats that help you feel satiated
- Protein helps keep hunger at bay long
- Raw cocoa and berries add a burst of anti-oxidants
- The balance of carbs, protein, and fat helps keep blood sugar level
What’s your favorite smoothie recipe?