Your brain deserves the nutrients it needs to help you function at your peak. And that’s why I created this healthy smoothie recipe while I was on my 30-day challenge to improve my mental clarity and focus.
You see, a little while back, I realized I didn’t have the focus or brain power I needed to accomplish all my goals. So I did a ton of research and started a 30-day journey to help improve my mental clarity.
That meant changing my bedtime and morning routines, my exercise habits and, yes, my diet. During that time, I ate foods that were super-charged with brain-boosting nutrients.
And WOW, the results were incredible. After 30 days of this brain-boosting diet, I had more mental clarity and focus than I ever had on Adderall. (Yeah, I took Adderall in my younger years—what college student hasn’t?)
Foods That Improve Your Brain Function
If you read my previous blog post, you know that my diet during these 30 days consisted entirely of nutrient-dense foods. By that, I mean foods high in anti-inflammation nutrients, healthy fats like Omega-3s, and antioxidants.
I ended up eating a bunch of raspberries, salmon, strawberries, blackcurrants, green tea and bee pollen. (Yup… bee pollen has anti-inflammation properties, according to Healthline. That helps combat stress and boost brain health! So I ate a lot of it…)
After researching which foods were the best for my brain, I combined some of my favorite ingredients to create a healthy smoothie recipe that always left me feeling mentally energized.
Watch the video to see how exactly I make it!
Healthy Smoothie Recipe: Beet and Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
I know, I know… some of you just read the word “beet” and recoiled in horror… but it’s really not that bad, especially in a smoothie bowl.
This recipe is actually really delicious, and it can be as sweet as you want it to be. (I prefer my smoothie bowls not to be that sweet, but that’s just me.)
To start making your beet and blueberry smoothie bowl, get out your ingredients.
Healthy Smoothie Recipe Ingredients:
1 cup Blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 Beets
1 Avocado
1 ½ teaspoons of ground-up Flaxseeds
2 full squirts of Lion’s Mane Extract
Passionfruit (frozen is fine)
Cherries (frozen or fresh)
Pomegranate Seeds
Walnuts
Beet and Blueberry Smoothie Bowl Directions:
Start by cutting up your beets into small chunks and put them in the blender. Add your 1 cup of blueberries and your 2 squirts of lion’s mane extract. I have the extract and the instant powder mix, but I try to save the instant powder for when I’m feeling a little lazy and just want to mix it with water. 😉
Then add your ground-up flaxseeds. What I do is buy whole flaxseeds and then grind them up in my coffee grinder until they’re a nice powder-like consistency.
Now, you can either add your avocado into the smoothie itself or you can cut it up and put it on top. Up to you…
For your liquid, you can use water, green tea (great for the brain with its antioxidants), or coconut water. I prefer to use water because, again… not a fan of the super sweet smoothie bowls.
Now it’s time to blend! I’ve been making smoothie bowls for about four years now, and I’ve tried a ton of different blenders. I would love to have a Vitamix—but $500 dollars for a blender is a bit much for me. So I use the next best thing—the Ninja Chef.
Once your smoothie is done blending, pour it into a bowl and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients on top—the passionfruit, cherries, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, and bee pollen.
If you’re allergic to nuts or bees, please skip the walnuts and the bee pollen! Seriously!
If you like your smoothie bowls a little extra hard, put your bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes. I love cracking it open to get to all the good stuff.
How This Healthy Smoothie Recipe Affects Your Brain
This smoothie bowl is perfect when you need a bigger breakfast… or you just need a major snack in the middle of the afternoon.
Here’s how the ingredients in this bowl affect your brain health:
Beets—These contain nitrates that help improve the blood flow to your brain, says Healthline. And on top of that, they may be able to help improve cognitive function and reduce risk of dementia.
Blueberries, Passionfruit, Cherries, Pomegranate—The antioxidants in these fruits reduce the oxidative stress on your brain and help your mind function better. One study found that blueberries may even improve memory in older adults.
Avocado—Avocados are high in folate, potassium, and Omega-3s. This makes them brain-boosting superfoods, and they may even be able to help prevent Alzheimer’s in some people.
Flaxseeds—Again, those Omega-3s… Flaxseeds help with brain function and reduce inflammation, reports Inc.
Lion’s Mane—This mushroom-based supplement has actually been shown to reduce memory loss in mice. It also may be able to stimulate brain-cell growth.
Walnuts—Walnuts have a high concentration of DHA, which is a type of Omega-3. Studies have shown DHA can protect brain health in newborns and improve cognitive functions in adults.
Bee Pollen—I’ve already talked about the benefits of bee pollen. But basically, this stuff is great for your nervous system’s overall health.
There you have it! Now go ahead and create your smoothie.
And when you do, don’t forget to tag me on social—@ashleycline!
No Comments