Tropical Beauty Smoothie – Boost Your Immune System + Mental Health

Instructions:

Combine in Blender:

• ¼ of papaya, peeled; remove the seeds
• 2 kiwis, peeled
• 1 fresh coconut, drained of coconut water
• 1 hand-full of fresh coconut meat (from the coconut)
• 1 avocado, peeled; remove the seed
• 1 cup of (unsweetened) almond milk
• ½ cup of organic dairy-free (unsweetened, vanilla bean) cashew milk yogurt
• 2 scoops of (unflavored) collagen + dermaval
• ½ a pinky-length of turmeric root, peeled
• 1 tbsp of raw honey
• 1 cup of ice

Sprinkle with organic coconut flakes & enjoy!

Benefits & Substitutions:

Blueberries

Blueberries are the antioxidant king & link to mental aging delays by up to 2.5 years; they also aid in memory, brain function, muscle recovery, & delay cognitive decline.

Customize & substitute any of your favorite wild berries! I use a variety of natural smoothing agents like avocado & yogurt to create a nice creamy blend in this smoothie! If you’re not a fan of papaya, feel free to decrease the suggested amount by half or add a banana; you could even try a mango that has a similar consistency to the papaya fruit! Make sure whatever items you swap out are equivalent to the amounts provided in the recipe above!

Almonds

Almonds are packed with vitamin E & loads of healthy fats that help to absorb more vitamin E. A half-cup (roughly 46 almonds) supplies around 100% of your daily vitamin E intake.

Elmhurst: Unsweetened Almond Milk is a dairy & gluten-free milk alternative with just two ingredients: almonds & water. Elmhurst also sells various other types of nut milk that you can swap out in this recipe! If you have a nut allergy, feel free to substitute this for pasteurized goat’s milk! A good rule of thumb is to look for products typically with five ingredients or less, or if you can’t say or spell the ingredient listed on the label, you probably shouldn’t be putting it into your body!

Coconut

Rich in fiber & MCTs, coconut offers several benefits including improved heart health, weight loss, & digestion. Coconut is also rich in potassium, which is essential for proper erectile functioning, & any deficiency in it can contribute to decreased sexual performance.

If you’re not up for cracking a fresh coconut, you can sub it out for some coconut water! My go-to is Harmless Harvest Coconut Water, with only one ingredient: organic coconut water! The taste is super refreshing in this smoothie!

Cashew Yogurt

Yogurt with “live & active cultures” stimulate the immune system & help fight disease. Cashew yogurt is also dairy, soy, gluten-free, & a great source of vitamin D.

I chose to use Forager Project: (Unsweetened, Vanilla Bean) Cashew-Milk Yogurt because it is entirely plant-based, organic, vegan, gluten, dairy, & soy-free (it also includes probiotics). If you decide to use another type of yogurt, always check the ingredients before choosing a product. A good rule of thumb is to look for products with five ingredients or less; if you can’t say or spell the ingredient listed on the label, you probably shouldn’t be putting it into your body!

Turmeric

Turmeric has a main active ingredient of Curcumin, which helps decrease exercise-induced muscle damage. Curcumin is also an immune booster & antiviral.

Kiwi

Kiwis are full of folate, potassium, Vitamin K, & C. Vitamin C boosts white blood cells to fight infection in the body; kiwis are also high in fiber, helping to aid the digestion process.

Papaya

Papayas have a digestive enzyme called papain that has anti-inflammatory effects on the body. It is also packed with potassium, magnesium, & folate.

Collagen

Collagen is a key ingredient in keeping every joint, tendon, bone, & ligament in the body healthy. Collagen is found in all of these tissues & improves skin health, nail strength, & slows aging + more!

I aim towards the unflavored collagen powders (considering most flavored powders contain gums, natural flavors, and artificial sweeteners that harm the microbiome + negatively affect gut health)! I use 1st Phorm: (Unflavored) Collagen + Dermaval, which includes all five collagen types: hydrolyzed bovine, bovine bone broth, chicken, egg, & fish. If you choose a different product, make sure to double-check what types of collagen are included in the blend, as some may only have 2-4 different types. Also, dissect the nutrition labels for any harmful ingredients!

Avocado

Avocados are full of vitamin K & folate, which are known to help prevent stroke. Aside from boosting memory & concentration, avocados have a high dose of lutein, improving brain function.

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