Pina Colada Pineapple Protein Smoothie

Nowadays, going to the gym, lifting weights, and incorporating more exercise is a healthy habit that more people are starting to adopt. Let’s face it, we could all afford to build some muscle or lose a few pounds of fat. It helps to make clothes fit better, we gain more confidence, we feel like we have more control over our body, and of course, exercising keeps our health in check. But exercise is only part part to the equation.

In order to fully reap the benefits of exercising, we have to allow our bodies to fully recover which is through adequate rest and proper nutrition. A high-protein diet is favorable for people who live an active lifestyle and put a lot of stress on their bodies. Without getting into too much detail, protein has the ability to repair and rebuild muscle fibers damaged from training, it helps to keep us satiated for a longer period of time, and it improves our overall body composition. (1)

Increase Your Protein Intake

An easy and convenient way to consume more protein is by making protein shakes or smoothies. Before storming into a random supplement shop and buying a bag of whey protein, keep this high-protein smoothie recipe in mind! Unlike the typical chocolate, vanilla or strawberry flavored protein powder, this protein smoothie has a delicious pina colada flavor and is made entirely from whole foods. When compared to protein powders, this smoothie has just as much protein but also contains many other essential nutrients like fiber.

Your Fiber Intake Is Too Low

Fiber is a nutrient that most people are deficient in. Statistics show that the average American adult only consumes about 15 grams of fiber per day. Alarmingly, some consume even less than that. Constantly having a low fiber intake can cause many negative health effects. Constipation, feeling hungry all the time, unhealthy blood sugar fluctuations and fatigue are common symptoms associated with a low fiber intake. According to experts, women should meet a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day while men should meet a minimum of 38 grams of fiber per day. (2)

In a single serving of this pina colada pineapple protein smoothie, you get roughly 9 grams of dietary fiber. The fiber mainly comes from the flaxseed meal, shredded coconut, pineapple, banana, and trace amounts from the almonds. You can certainly add another tablespoon of flaxseed meal to your smoothie if you don’t mind a slightly thicker smoothie. It will raise the fiber content of your smoothie to 11 grams which is almost half the amount of fiber women need and almost a third the amount men need!

Forget About Protein Powder

After combining the protein content of all the ingredients, you may be surprised to find out that a single serving of this recipe has up to 23-24 grams of protein! Fitness and health experts agree that 24 grams of protein is a sufficient amount of protein to have post-workout to kick start the recovery process.

It’s an extremely easy recipe to follow and only takes 5 minutes to prepare. You’re going to need ½ a cup of full fat unsweetened coconut milk, 1 cup of vanilla Greek yogurt, ½ a small ripe frozen banana, 1 cup of chopped pineapple (fresh or frozen), 2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut, 6 almonds, 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal, 1 teaspoon of honey, and ½ a cup to 1 cup of ice. Put all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.

You may want to make up to 4 to 6 servings if you’re a heavier individual and want to build lean muscle. This recipe will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days as long as it hasn’t been exposed to warmer temperatures for too long. This pina colada pineapple protein smoothie will surely be one of your favorite smoothie recipes to make because of its delicious, tropical flavors along with the health benefits that come with it.

View More Easy Pineapple Smoothie Recipes:

Mango Pineapple Green Smoothie – Tropical, Tart and Refreshing
High Fat Coconut Oil Pineapple Smoothie for Fat Burning

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