Probiotic Pumpkin Smoothie
October 23, 2017
When October hits, everything from your coffee to the air freshener products seems to feature that fabulous orange pumpkin, usually with a little spice. If you’re a fan of this seasonal pumpkin phenomenon then take it a step further with some DIY magic. Few food choices do so much for the body as the basic smoothie. In one drink, you can meet the daily allowance for many vitamins and minerals.
The problem is not all smoothies are created equally. There are just as many unhealthy recipes out there for pumpkin smoothies as there are healthy ones. A recipe that calls for ice cream and candy is obviously not designed to meet your nutritional standards for the day. It’s important to do your research and make educated selections when planning your smoothie strategy.
The good news is if you truly love the idea of a fall-themed smoothie, Natren can help. We’ve got a pumpkin smoothie that not only tastes great, but it offers the benefits of probiotics.
Why Does a Smoothie Need Probiotics?
Of course, you can make a healthy smoothie without probiotics, but why not add an extra bit of functionality to your food? Medical science finally understands just how critical gut diversity is to overall good health. A person without it is at risk of a variety of chronic health issues. By adding probiotics to your fall smoothie favorite, you introduce healthy bacteria to your system to help balance the gut ecosystem in a way that boosts the immune system. After all, cold and flu season is just around to corner!
What are the Nutritional Benefits of a Pumpkin Smoothie?
Pumpkin is probably healthier than many people realize. It’s a rich source of vitamin A and potassium. Pumpkin also provides valuable high-quality fiber. In this one recipe, you are introducing a smorgasbord of healthy nutrients to your diet including:
- Vitamin A – Just ½ cup of pumpkin offers 280% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)
- Vitamin C – A powerful antioxidant
- Potassium – Necessary to control blood pressure, gastrointestinal motility and metabolism
- High fiber content – Fiber fills your stomach to help control appetite and works to clean your intestinal tract
On top of all that, pumpkin is a low sodium and low-calorie choice. One cup of cooked pumpkin brings with it just 49 calories.
How to Make a Pumpkin Smoothie
All you need is some natural ingredients and a blender or food processor. Start with one cup of organic pumpkin puree. You can buy this by the can or make your own. Simply get an organic pumpkin from the grocery store and cut it in half. Scrape out the guts of then boil the rind before blending it into a puree.
Along with the pumpkin puree, you’ll need:
- 1 Banana
- 1 cup of Milk or an unsweetened milk alternative like almond or coconut
- ¼ tsp. of Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Ice Cubes
- Natren Probiotic Powder – Healthy Start System Powders or Capsules
You can also opt for a natural sweetener like local honey or a pitted date. Once you have all the ingredients together, mix everything but the probiotic powder in the blender. Add enough ice to get the texture and thickness you want for the smoothie.
Next, pour out a small amount of the smoothie in a cup and mix the probiotic powder into a paste. Stir the paste back into the smoothie to complete the recipe. Don’t blend in the probiotic powder. It’s better to gently stir it in to avoid damaging the live bacterial cultures.
There are a couple good probiotic choices for a smoothie. The Natren’s Healthy Start System provides three bottles of probiotic powders. Use ½ a teaspoon or more of each strain in your smoothie for the best results. You can also open up any of our single strain capsules like Megadophilus, BifidoFactor or Digesta-Lac, and mix them into the smoothie as well.
Pumpkins and fall just go hand in hand. This year, don’t let that pumpkin go to waste. Treat yourself and your family to a healthy and sweet-tasting probiotic smoothie that is both fun to make and good for you.
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