Are we making a crucial mistake with our morning concoction?
Smoothies! What an amazing way to start the day! For those of us that are pressed for time in the morning a smoothie is a perfect kickstart for the day. Quick, nutrient dense and absolutely yummy! But have we been making one big mistake with our go to smoothie blend in the morning? A most popular list of essential ingredients for a tasty smoothie is usually comprised of banana and blueberries, which sounds super healthy, doesn’t it?
But what if this delicious combination of fruits was not actually benefiting your body with the nutrients you thought it was?
Studies have shown that the combination of bananas with fruits that are high in flavanols such as blueberries, blackberries, apples, pears, grapes, and cocoa are reducing the amount of flavanols available to the body. Bananas contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase which interacts with the flavanols in such a negative way that the bioavailability of the flavanols in the berries is reduced by a whopping 84%. So we are essentially wiping out the huge benefits of the blueberries with this blend of ingredients.
So what do flavanols from your berries do for you?
They may help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and long-term consumption of flavanols supports brain health and assists with memory and concentration. So, you can see why you would want to get the most out of your berry smoothie and not reduce its benefits in any way. This is not to make bananas the bad guy as they are a super-rich source of potassium and fibre, but you may be better off just having them by themselves as a snack.
Another fruit that is high in polyphenol oxidase is avocado. I can hear all the screams of terror as people think I am taking away another delicious ingredient of our morning nourishing beverage. Again, avocado is not the bad guy and I urge everyone to have at least 1/2 an avo every day to get your healthy fats, but lets just keep it separate to your blueberries as well. Hold your blueberries in high esteem as they are such a rich source of antioxidants and are amazing for glowing skin too. So they deserve to be the hero of your berry smoothie in the morning and not have to compete for the offering of nourishing support.
If you want to keep the banana and /or avocado out of your smoothie so you can maximise your berry goodness but you love the creamy texture they give, try adding coconut yoghurt which has low polyphenol oxidase activity in comparison to bananas and avocados and it will give your gut a super injection of gut biome loving probiotics while you’re at it.