Heart Healthy Spinach Apple Weight Loss Smoothie
I have to be perfectly honest with you guys today. A few years ago, I was never really that big of a fan of spinach smoothies. It was only after trying out a few specific recipe recommendations that I learned to appreciate how good they can actually be. These days I’m definitely a big time believer. One such recipe that made me into a believer is this heart healthy spinach apple weight loss smoothie. It’s mind blowing just how nutritious this smoothie actually is and the fact that it tastes so great is just the icing on the cake. It all starts with the use of fresh spinach along with an apple, banana, walnuts, and other fantastic whole food ingredients that all work together to make a smoothie that helps to burn fat and keep your heart strong and healthy.
I Heart This Smoothie Recipe
At first glance, it’s immediately apparent that this smoothie recipe features some incredibly healthy ingredient options. Some of the most obvious healthy choices include some of my favorite healthy smoothie staples such as fresh spinach, an apple, and a banana. That’s actually one of my favorite things about making smoothies — how easy it is to get more servings of fruits and vegetables in.
It’s recommended to get at bare minimum at least five servings of fruit and veggies in per day (1) and smoothies make that super easy. This daily recommended amount is largely due to the fact that fruits and vegetables provide an abundance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other benefits that have been linked with lower incidences of cardiovascular disease. (2)
Speaking of antioxidants, berries are an incredibly rich source which is exactly why this recipe also includes ½ cup of frozen raspberries. Not only do raspberries help to add a delicious berry flavor to this smoothie, but they also contain bioactive polyphenols that have demonstrated some incredibly beneficial effects when it comes to metabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease. (3)
Adding ¼ cup of walnuts into this smoothie is another way to help protect against heart disease. Studies have found that regular walnut consumption had a positive outcome on cardiovascular risk factors and even resulted in a decreased risk of death. (4) Their heart healthy properties are mainly due to their high concentration of healthy fatty acids that have been shown to lower both total and LDL cholesterol levels.
You’ll also be using ½ cup of cottage cheese in this smoothie to help add a bit more protein and fat content in, but you’ll want to ensure that you’re using a variety that’s low in sodium in order to maintain the heart healthy benefits of this recipe. For even more protein and saturated fat content to help make the smoothie more satisfying, you’ll be adding ½ cup of milk for your liquid base and then finishing the recipe off with some ground ginger, cinnamon, and a couple of fresh dates for added sweetening. All of these ingredients help to enhance the overall flavor of the smoothie while simultaneously making it even healthier. The ground cinnamon is particularly helpful for reducing cardiometabolic risk factors thanks to it’s potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (5)
Heart Healthy Spinach Apple Weight Loss Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
Ingredients
½ cup milk
½ cup low-sodium cottage cheese
1 cup fresh spinach
½ cup frozen raspberries
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
½ medium ripe banana, sliced and frozen
¼ cup walnuts
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 to 2 pitted fresh dates
½ to 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
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