Before you get all upset about your smoothie habit, I'm not here to tell you to stop having them. In fact, I love smoothies and I think they are great but often times it's the ingredients we put in them that can be costing us our health and causing breakouts.
I often have clients tell me how I'd be so proud of them because they whipped up a delicious and "healthy" smoothie for breakfast. After asking what they added, I would often hear things like bananas, strawberries, yogurt, orange juice and milk.
Well guess what, there's a problem with all that. Those ingredients will cause a spike in your blood sugar. They are way too rich in sugar and should not be in your smoothie! You see, fruits are great and high in antioxidants and vitamins (which we know are great for our skin) but they are also sweet and rich in fructose (fruit sugar). Having too much fruit can cause blood sugar issues and insulin sensitivity just the way a bagel or donut might! It could also make PMS worse, make you moody, drain your energy levels, cause you to gain weight and your skin to age faster (yikes!). When your body doesn't use up all the glucose it then binds to your collagen and elastin causing damaged skin and premature aging, and who wants that?
How do you construct the perfect "skintastic" smoothie? The magic formula to stabilize blood sugar is to include a balanced mix of protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre.
2. Choose a good healthy fat such as avocado, flaxseed or nut butters are great!
3. Choose a fibre such as psyllium husk, berries (one of the lowest glycemic index), or oats.
4. Choose a protein and I really prefer one from vegetarian sources. My fav is a mix of brown rice, pea and cranberry protein as it's easier to digest than whey.
5. As a "skintastic" bonus, add in a superfood packed with antioxidants such as Acai or greens powder, kale, spinach, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon to stabilize blood sugar. If you're a smoothie lover and making them regularly like I do, be sure to start incorporating the tips above to minimize the sugary ingredients. In fact, try to avoid sugar in general especially processed sugars. If you're eating too much fruit, find yourself snacking on treats everyday or snooping around the kitchen after 10pm looking for a sweet fix, that's a sign that your blood sugar is imbalanced. Minimizing or eliminating the sugar will improve your health dramatically! And your skin will love you for it!
