Pina Colada Smoothie
The controversial coconut is often the subject of hot culinary debate. One party boasts of its nutrient healing power while another vilifies it for it's high saturated fat content. To understand the interplay between coconut and the body one must understand a bit of biochemistry. First off, there is no specific link to saturated fat intake and disease. It just happens that most foods high in saturated fats are low in health promoting nutrients and high in calories. It is more of an issue of over consumption and lack of nutrients that leads to disease.The saturated fat in coconut has a special chemical composition as the fatty acid chains are medium in length. This is important because the body metabolizes these fats different then long chain fatty acids. Because of their shorter length, they are absorbed more readily and used for energy production more efficiently. Make no mistake, over consumption of any macronutrient will cause weight gain and an increased risk for disease. Secondly, coconuts house a variety of bioactive phytochemicals that have an array of health benefits including anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic activity. If you stay within your calorie range and eat a whole foods plant based diet there is most defiantly room for coconut. And by incorporating the inviting flavors of the tropics found in this recipe your body can take advantage of the unique nutrients they possess.
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Equipment: Blender
Ingredients: 1 banana 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen) 1 cup Flaxseed milk or other dairy alternative 2 Tbsp. lightly packed unsweetened coconut flakes 1 serving plant protein powder (hemp or soy) 2 dries figs or 1 tbsp. molasses 1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional) |
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Directions: Combine all ingredients adding the molasses last ( if you are not using figs) to the blender. Puree until a smooth consistency is achieved
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Nutrition Facts
Servings 1.0 Amount Per Serving Calories 333 Total Fat 13 g Saturated Fat 5 g Monounsaturated Fat 2 g Polyunsaturated Fat 4 g Trans Fat 0 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 60 mg Potassium 616 mg Total Carbohydrate 57 g Dietary Fiber 8 g Sugars 29 g Protein 6 g Vitamin A 8 % Vitamin C 84 % Calcium 20 % Iron 11 % * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA |
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