A green breakfast smoothie is a great way to get a vegetable serving into your day at breakfast. This smoothie can be used as a meal replacement for a traditional breakfast if you are in a hurry, or on a weight loss regime.
Whether this is your “go to” morning breakfast or a nutrient-dense snack you can rest assured this is one delicious smoothie. Don’t be fooled by the murky green colour, you will love the taste!
Breakfast Smoothie Key Nutrients
Some of the key nutrients in this smoothie are listed below for your information. In addition to the listed nutrients, the recipe is a good source of Vitamin K, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, and B9.
- Calories 232
- Fat 4 grams
- Protein 31 grams
- Sugar 8 grams
- Fiber 7 grams
- Calcium 425 mg
- Iron 5 mg
- Vitamin A 1418 IU
- Vitamin C 28 mg
High Protein Smoothie
The information above shows there are 28 grams of protein in this smoothie. This is a particularly high level of protein. This level of protein is more than adequate as a meal replacement. The smoothie would also be suitable for an athlete in training as a post work out snack. The protein allows for the repair of muscle tissue and avoids the chance of catabolism if calories or protein levels were inadequate.
As a weight loss shake the calories are sufficiently low to enable this shake to fit into a calorie-controlled meal plan. The protein, fruit, vegetable, vitamins, and minerals make it a much better meal replacement shake than commercially available products.
What are Your Daily Protein Needs?
Your daily protein needs vary depending on if you are male or female and on your activity level. There is a very simple equation but it is best to be assessed by a Nutritionist as activity level is a big factor in the calculation.
I have found it interesting however that most people overestimate their need for protein, but underestimate the need for other key nutrients. It’s also common for people to over estimate the level of protein in common foods. For these reasons, I would always suggest engaging a nutritionist to set you on the right path at the outset of your health journey. If have written and article with more information about your protein needs also.
Smoothie Ingredients
Baby Spinach
Including baby spinach in the smoothie makes this drink a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The spinach also helps increase the fiber in this drink as it contains insoluble fiber. The antioxidants reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. Baby spinach is mild and doesn’t flavour the smoothies so the chocolate protein powder flavour shines through.
Chia Seeds
The chia seeds have a number of roles to play in this drink, so don’t be tempted to leave them out. Although the recipe only requires one teaspoon the seeds will provide a slight thickening which gives a thick shake type of appeal. The chia seeds also help increase the satiety of the drink. It will help keep you feeling full longer.
Nutritionally Chia Seeds contain large amounts of fiber, both soluble and insoluble. They include omega-3 fatty acids, plenty of high-quality protein, and essential minerals and antioxidants. They are thought to improve digestive health, blood pressure levels, and blood sugar levels. Plus they are one of only a few plant based complete proteins.
Frozen Banana
By including some frozen banana in the smoothie we cool down the drink and add another thickening agent. Banana gives the drink a silky texture and adds some needed sweetness without using refined sugar.
Banana is a food that is often avoided due to the perceived sugar and carbohydrate load. However, an average banana contains 3g of fiber which slows the absorption of carbohydrates allowing the body time to use the energy. They also contain resistant starch and pectin which further dampens the sugar spikes.
Nutritional fruit is high in Potassium, Vitamin C, and B6. It’s also high in Dopamine although it doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier so it won’t affect mood. Instead, it acts like an antioxidant. Several other antioxidant flavonoids that are heart-protective are also found in bananas.
WPI Chocolate Powder
WPI stands for Whey Protein Isolate. I choose to use whey protein because it’s the highest quality source of protein due to its digestibility and bioavailability. Isolate refers to the process the protein has undertaken. The protein has been filtered to remove fat and carbohydrates to leave 90-95% pure protein “isolate” depending on the brand. The brand I have based my calculations on is Amino Z WPI Chocolate Protein Powder.
FAQ – Breakfast Smoothie
The answer to this will depend on your individual energy requirements for the day and what you eat for the remainder of the day. As a broad statement, 226 calories is a very small amount to allocate for breakfast and would create a calorie deficit for this meal. Therefore as a meal replacement smoothie, this could result in weight loss.
Yes! This is the perfect smoothie to have as a snack when you are exercising. It not only includes a large portion of protein but also has a generous serving of electrolytes.
There is debate about this amongst fitness buffs but the majority of studies agree that quick-release carbohydrates are best prior to exercise and protein for repair is best after exercise.
Yes, the best source of vegan protein powder is Pea Protein or soy protein. Hemp is also available but it has around 50% less protein than alternatives. Plant-based protein powders will contain less protein than whey. Adjustments will need to be made to the nutritional values of the smoothie.
No, protein powder will not build muscles without body-building exercise. The protein powder is added to this shake to keep you feeling full longer and to ensure that your nutritional needs are met.
Let’s Connect
I share nutritional information and delicious, healthy recipes on social media. If you would like to connect you can find me here:
Green Breakfast Smoothie
Equipment
- 1 Thermomix or high powered blender
Ingredients
- 50 g frozen banana 1/2 small banana
- 125 g ice 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp chia seeds 1 tsp
- 31.3 g Amino Z WPI Protein Powder Chocolate
- 250 g Unsweetened Almond Milk 1 cup
- 50 g baby spinach 2 cups
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in the Thermomix or high powered blender.50 g frozen banana, 125 g ice, 1 tsp chia seeds, 31.3 g Amino Z WPI Protein Powder, 250 g Unsweetened Almond Milk, 50 g baby spinach
- Blend on maximum until smooth.
Notes
- Using frozen banana and ice keeps this smoothie thick and cold.
- Nutritional information will vary if a different protein powder is selected.
- VEGAN – to make this a vegan smoothie, substitute the WPI Protein powder for a Plant Based Pea Protein Powder
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this recipe!
If you do make it could you please come back and share a comment and rating? When you rate my recipes it lets Google and other people know what you think of my work.
Wishing you good health,
Julie xx
Nutrient Values
Please note nutritional values given apply if the recipe is made exactly as directed in the recipe. Brands will vary in nutritional composition so it’s important to use the specified brands. Positive Nutrition uses a third-party nutrient calculated and depends on the accuracy of this information when calculating nutrient values in recipes.
